Iriwa

Yaeyama Islands

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Just above Kabira-wan on the north coast, Iriwa is a comfortable guesthouse with dorm beds, two large private rooms, a small self-contained cottage and two converted trailers, all warmly decorated with a Hawaiian aesthetic. All but one trailer share bathroom facilities. It's run by a super-chilled, friendly young Korean-Japanese couple who like to share meals and snorkelling expeditions with guests.

The main house has a communal lounge room and spacious, sunny kitchen – the roof, the highest point in Kabira village, offers excellent views of the sea during the day and stars at night.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Sunset Beach

    Sunset Beach

    11.81 MILES

    At the north end of the island, on the west coast, you will find this long strip of sand with a bit of offshore reef. As the name implies, this is one of…

  • Ida-no-hama

    Ida-no-hama

    27.36 MILES

    From Shirahama, at the western end of the north coast road, there are four daily boats (¥500) to the isolated settlement of Funauki. Once there, it's a…

  • Kabira Bay

    Kabira Bay

    0.51 MILES

    Kabira-wan is a sheltered bay with white-sand shores and a couple of interesting clumplike islets offshore. Swimming is not allowed in the bay, as pearls…

  • Coral lagoon beach and clear water, Iriomote-jima

    Hoshisuna-no-hama

    22.68 MILES

    If you're looking to do a bit of snorkelling, head to this beach on the northwestern tip of the island. The beach is named after its star sand, which…

  • Kaiji-hama

    Kaiji-hama

    10.56 MILES

    This lovely stretch of beach is on the southwest coast, also happens to be the main hoshi-suna (star sand) hunting ground. If you don't arrive bearing…

  • Pinaisāra-no-taki

    Pinaisāra-no-taki

    20.68 MILES

    At the back of a mangrove-lined bay called Funaura-wan, a few kilometres east of Uehara, you can make out the lovely Pinaisāra-no-taki, Okinawa’s highest…

  • Iriomote Wildlife Conservation Center

    Iriomote Wildlife Conservation Center

    17 MILES

    If you are at all intrigued by the yamaneko (Iriomote's endemic wildcat), whose critically endangered population hovers around 100, it's worth stopping by…

  • Ishigaki City Yaeyama Museum

    Ishigaki City Yaeyama Museum

    8.77 MILES

    This modest museum has exhibits on the culture and history of the island, which are quite well presented with English explanations. Notable among the more…

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Nearby Yaeyama Islands attractions

1. Kabira Bay

0.51 MILES

Kabira-wan is a sheltered bay with white-sand shores and a couple of interesting clumplike islets offshore. Swimming is not allowed in the bay, as pearls…

2. Yonehara Beach

3.22 MILES

On the north coast along Rte 79, Yonehara Beach is a decent sand beach with a good bit of reef offshore. Hire snorkel gear (¥1000) at any of the shops…

3. Fusaki Beach Aqua Garden

6.22 MILES

Nonguests of the adjacent resort can pay to enter this massive 'aqua garden' complex with a beachfront pool, bar-restaurant, yoga lessons and a huge range…

4. Tōrin-ji

8.34 MILES

Founded in 1614, the Zen temple of Tōrin-ji, near the intersection of Shimin-kaikan-dōri and Rte 79, is home to the 18th-century guardian statues of Deva…

5. Gongen-dō

8.35 MILES

Adjacent to the temple Tōrin-ji is Gongen-dō, a small shrine rebuilt after being destroyed by a tsunami in 1771.

6. Miyara Dōnchi

8.58 MILES

The unique home of a Ryūkyū kingdom official dates from 1819; walk north along Sanbashi-dōri until you see signs in English. The house is still an actual…

7. Ishigaki City Yaeyama Museum

8.77 MILES

This modest museum has exhibits on the culture and history of the island, which are quite well presented with English explanations. Notable among the more…

8. Kihōin Shūshūkan

9.63 MILES

At the west of the village, this private museum houses a diverse collection of local folk artefacts.