知花Hello♪ I’m Chibana, a staff member at Okiraku.
More than 410km southwest of the main island of Okinawa, Ishigaki Island is a resort island that is attractive for its rich nature and fulfilling activities!
It is also the air and sea gateway to the Yaeyama Islands, such as Iriomote Island, Taketomi Island, Kohama Island, and Yonaguni Island. You can also catch flights to and from Taipei and Hong Kong.
知花In this article, I’ll show you how to get to Ishigaki Island.
The only way to get to Ishigaki Island is by plane! No ferries are in operation.
Currently, the only way to get to Ishigaki Island is by plane. You can either take a direct flight from major cities nationwide or make a connection at the main island of Okinawa (Naha Airport).
It is generally recommended to use a direct flight to avoid the hassle of connecting and waiting. If you can’t get a direct flight, change planes on the main island of Okinawa.
知花In addition to the direct flights and transfers mentioned above, I’ll also introduce how to get to Ishigaki Island from Miyako Island.
Direct flights operate from Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and Fukuoka
Direct flights to Painushima Ishigaki Airport, the sky gateway to Ishigaki Island, operate from Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and Fukuoka.
The airports, number of flights, and flight times are shown in the table below.
| Airport | Number of Flights | Flight Time | Airline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haneda Airport | 4-5 flights a day | About 3 hours and 10 minutes | JAL/ANA |
| Narita Airport | 2 flights a day | About 3 hours and 30 minutes | Peach |
| Kansai International Airport | 5 flights a day | About 2 hours and 30 minutes | JTA, Hawaiian Airlines, ANA, Peach |
| Chubu Centrair International Airport | 2-3 flights a day | About 3 hours | JTA/ANA/Peach |
| Fukuoka Airport | 1 flight per day | About 2 hours | Peach |
How to get to Ishigaki Island from the Okinawa main island (Naha Airport)
You can also use an airplane to access Ishigaki Island from the main island of Okinawa.There are no ferries that go to Ishigaki Island.
Flights from Naha Airport to Ishigaki Airport are operated by JAL, ANA, and Solaseed Air. Details are in the table below.
| Route | Number of Flights | Flight Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| From Naha to Ishigaki | About 20 flights a day | About 1 hour | ¥7,200 to ¥10,700* |
*Fares for JAL flights operated in July and August (discount fares applicable to reservations made at least 75 days in advance)
How to get from Miyako Island to Ishigaki Island
You can also access Ishigaki Island directly from Miyako Island. The only means of transportation is an airplane operated by JAL. Ferries are not operating.
The airport used is Miyako Airport. Miyako Shimojishima Airport does not have flights to/from Ishigaki Airport. See the table below for details.
| Route | Number of flights | Flight Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| From Miyako Airport to Ishigaki | 2 flights a day | About 30 minutes | ¥10,600 to ¥10,900* |
*Fares for JAL flights operated in July and August (discount fares applicable to reservations made 75 days in advance)
How to get to your next destination from Ishigaki Island
Ishigaki Island is the gateway to the Yaeyama Islands. There are also international flights to and from Taipei and Hong Kong.
知花Now I’ll introduce some key points for heading to your next destination after having arrived at Ishigaki Island from elsewhere around the country.
How to get from Ishigaki Island to the surrounding remote islands
From Ishigaki Island, you can get to the Yaeyama Islands by boat from the Euglena Ishigaki Port Remote Island Terminal located south of Ishigaki City. Only Yonaguni Island can also be accessed by plane.
Please note that there are no regular flights to Aragusuku Island or Kayama Island.
[Bus] Local bus routes #4 and #10 (¥540), or about 40 minutes by Karry Sightseeing direct bus (¥500)
知花Please refer to the articles below for details on how to get to each island!
When connecting to flights to Taipei and Hong Kong
Ishigaki Airport also has flights to Taipei and Hong Kong.
The procedure for transferring from a domestic flight to an international flight differs depending on whether check-in procedures have been completed through to the final destination airport.
| If check-in has been completed | Move from the domestic terminal to the international terminal and go through immigration procedures and security checks. |
| If check-in has not been completed | Move from the domestic terminal to the international terminal and go through departure procedures. |
知花In the next section, I will explain the transportation used for sightseeing on Ishigaki Island!
Do I need a rental car for sightseeing in Ishigaki Island? Transportation around the island
There are three main types of transportation on Ishigaki Island: rental cars, local buses, and taxis.
Ishigaki Island is the third largest island in Okinawa Prefecture after the main island and Iriomote Island. The area is comparable to that of Osaka City and Saitama City. It takes about three hours to make one lap around the island by car.
Only the Airport Line connecting Ishigaki Airport and the Ishigaki city area has a sufficient number of local buses. Taxis are mainly stationed at airports, remote island terminals, around the Ishigaki city area, and large hotels.
If you want to efficiently visit the tourist spots and beaches on the island, you will need a rental car!
知花Our website, Okiraku, also handles rental car plans for Ishigaki Island.
Please take a look by clicking the button below.
＼ Search easily by date ♪ Reservations can be done in as little as one minute! ／
Local buses
Local buses run throughout the island, but the number of buses is small. Only the Airport Line that runs between Ishigaki Airport and the Ishigaki city area runs about once every 20 to 30 minutes.
The Maibara Campsite Line (route #11), departing from Ishigaki Airport at 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., provides convenient access to Kabira Park, Club Med Ishigaki Island, and Ishigaki Seaside Hotel.
The bus terminal is a three-minute walk from Euglena Ishigaki Port Remote Island Terminal. All lines that run within the island depart and arrive from the terminal.
Taxis
Taxis are convenient for accessing various places from Ishigaki Airport, Euglena Ishigaki Port Remote Island Terminal, the Ishigaki city area, and large hotels.
One option is to use sightseeing taxis and sightseeing bus tours to visit major tourist spots. If you are not good at driving a car, please consider it.
＼ Compare recommended plans in a list! Easy online reservation♪ ／
Enjoy the rich nature and culture of Ishigaki Island!
When you mention Ishigaki Island, it’s not only the beautiful sea, but also the rich nature that’s attractive, like the starry sky, mangrove forests, and more!
Island hopping is also popular, as you can take a stroll to the surrounding remote islands.
知花If you come all the way to Ishigaki Island, why not take in the charm of the island with an activity plan?
Please check the plans carefully selected by our site, Okiraku, via the button below♪
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＼ Introducing plans to enjoy nature, surrounding islands, and culture♪ ／
Accommodation on Ishigaki Island
Ishigaki Island is full of attractive facilities, such as luxury hotels, hotels with private pools, and more!
I’ve summarized hotel information for Ishigaki Island below, so please use it for reference.
Summary
Finally, I’ll summarize some key points on how to get to Ishigaki Island.
- Only way to get to Ishigaki Island is by plane (no ferry service)
- 1 to 5 direct flights per day from Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and Fukuoka
- About 20 flights a day from the Okinawa main island to Ishigaki Island
- You can also fly from Miyako Island (Miyako Airport). 2 flights a day
知花Ishigaki Island can only be reached by plane from major cities in Japan, the Okinawa main island, and Miyako Island.
Choose a direct flight or a connecting flight depending on your departure point and itinerary.
