| Marine Leisure (Scuba Diving, snorkeling, grass-bottom boat, etc?) |
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The ocean and beaches surrounding Ishigaki are a water enthusiast dream. Here you can enjoy scuba diving, snorkeling, glass-bottom boat rides, fishing, or parasailing. Most dive shops provide lessons for beginners and scuba diving trials, so feel free to try these fun activities! If you are lucky, you may encounter manta rays! If you love the ocean and are in Ishigaki, why not enjoy at least one of these great sea activities!
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?Manta Scramble |
?Ocellaris Clownfish |
?Sea Kayaking |
| Eco Tours |
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There is plenty of untouched nature remaining in Ishigaki. Are you interested in eco-friendly sightseeing in the beautiful sea or on the mountains? You can enjoy canoeing in the Miyara and Fukidou Rivers, trekking in the mangrove forest, or taking a night tour to view some of Ishigaki?s nocturnal creatures.
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?Canoeing |
?Ruddy Kingfisher |
?Mangrove |
| Others |
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Akaishi Para-World
Mt. Omoto (526m)
Trekking
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You can also enjoy paragliding and parasailing on Ishigaki Island. These activities provide you with an amazing bird?s-eye view of the island. Most shops offer beginner?s courses, so feel free to try!
Banna Park is a nature lover?s paradise that is a located ten minutes by car from the city. It has walking trails and observatories, which are regularly maintained. Various plants have been planted in the garden, and you can explore the lush forest. There are many species of butterflies and wild birds there as well, and if you are lucky, you may catch a glimpse of the Crested Serpent Eagle (Kanmuriwashi).
The most popular spot on Mt. Banna is ?The Emerald Sea Observatory? near the top. You can see Yaeyama's outer islands in the daytime, and can look at the romantic skyline of Ishigaki city in the evening.
Okinawa?s highest mountain is Mt. Omoto with a height of 526 meters. Mt. Omoto is a sacred mountain with shrines located at the halfway point as well as at the summit. This mountain is also popular among locals. The mountain path is very easy to follow and some areas have manmade stairs. You can get to the summit quickly as you enjoy a mild workout while seeing a log bridge, small waterfalls, and many tropical plants along the way. You can start from the Omoto Village. Don?t miss the signs that point out the way to the entrance!
?For the time being, you can no longer climb this mountain because of a recent landslide which has washed out the trail.
Another famous mountain in Ishigaki Island is Mt. Nosoko. It is 282 meters high and locals call it Nosoko-Mape. There are two entrances to the climb. One entrance leads from the base in the Nosoko Village. It has a steep slope, so there are ropes to hold as you climb. You can get to the summit in an hour using this trail. You will not miss the road because there are signs set up by the local Alpine club there. This is the trail to take if you are interested in seeing the Nosoko forest.
The second entrance starts from the half-way point of the trail through the Nosoko forest. It takes 15 minutes to the summit from there.
When the weather is clear, you can see the coral reef clearly surrounding Hirakubo peninsula. You can see the magnificent mountains embracing Mt.Omoto as well. The name ?Nosoko-Mape? originates from a sad legend. The legend describes a young woman named Mape who climbed the mountain because she wanted to see the island where her lover (Kanimui) lived. When she realized that there was another mountain blocking the view, she burst into tears and refused to come down. Legend says that she turned into a stone that is still at the summit today.
Ibaruma pasture is a good place to go trekking. Many tourists tend to overlook this magnificent pasture on their way to Hirakubozaki Lighthouse. It is a very scenic spot that provides a clear view of the distant horizon. In the pasture, horses and cows graze lazily.
From there, you can get down to the beach where you will find 'Bali Stone,' a large coral stone that was washed ashore by the giant Meiwa tsunami in 1771 (The stone is 9 meters wide, 3.6 meters high and weighs 220 tons). There is also a Gajumaru tree, a big Chinese Banyan, where the Kijimunas (Okinawan wood imp) are said to live. This Ibaruma pasture has many untouched natural places, so you can feel the abundance of subtropical nature.
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