22 November 2025
One of the greatest pleasures of visiting Ishigaki Island is simply getting behind the wheel and exploring. Unlike many Japanese cities where trains dominate, Ishigaki is best experienced by car. Quiet coastal roads, rolling hills, grazing cattle, and endless ocean views make even the drive itself part of the attraction.
Our plan for the day was simple—head north to the island’s most famous lighthouse, stop wherever looked interesting along the way, enjoy some excellent local food, and finish with one of Okinawa’s finest culinary highlights: authentic Ishigaki Beef.
A Relaxed Morning with Fresh Bread and Coffee
We started the morning at a cosy local bakery, enjoying freshly baked bread with a cup of coffee before setting off.
Over the years, Ishigaki has developed a surprisingly vibrant café scene. Many cafés combine Japanese baking techniques with locally produced ingredients such as Okinawan brown sugar, sea salt, tropical fruits and locally roasted coffee, creating a distinctly island flavour.
It was a relaxed way to begin a day of driving around one of Japan’s southernmost islands.
Hirakubozaki Lighthouse – The Northern Edge of Ishigaki
📍Google Maps: https://maps.google.com/?q=Hirakubozaki+Lighthouse+Ishigaki
Our first destination was Hirakubozaki Lighthouse (平久保崎灯台), located at the northern tip of Ishigaki Island.
The drive itself was beautiful. The scenery gradually changed from farmland and open pastures into dramatic coastal cliffs overlooking brilliant blue water. Along the way, it was common to see cattle grazing peacefully, a reminder that Ishigaki is not only famous for its beaches but also for producing some of Japan’s finest wagyu.
A Lighthouse Above Two Seas
Standing on a grassy headland, the white lighthouse overlooks the meeting point of the East China Sea and the Pacific Ocean.
Although the lighthouse itself was only completed in 1965, the surrounding waters have been important for centuries. During the days of the Ryukyu Kingdom, ships travelled these waters carrying goods between Okinawa, China and Southeast Asia. The coral reefs around northern Ishigaki could be dangerous for navigation, making coastal landmarks such as Hirakubo especially important.
Today, the area is one of the island’s best viewpoints.
A short flight of steps leads visitors down towards the lighthouse, while a rough footpath behind the cape climbs to an even higher viewpoint. From there, the panoramic scenery stretches across coral reefs, rugged coastline and endless ocean in every direction.
The strong winds were still very noticeable, but compared to previous days, the weather had improved enough for us to enjoy the spectacular views.
Driving Around the Island
Leaving Hirakubozaki behind, we continued driving around Ishigaki’s coastline.
One thing we quickly realised was that there was rarely any need to rush. Every few kilometres another beach, rocky shoreline or scenic viewpoint appeared, making it easy to stop whenever something caught our attention.
Compared with driving on mainland Japan, traffic on Ishigaki is generally light, allowing for a much more relaxed road trip.
Lunch by the Sea
By lunchtime, we stopped at a seaside café overlooking the ocean.
The meal was generous and colourful:
- Crispy Japanese fried chicken served with tartar sauce.
- Garlic butter prawns with rice and fresh salad.
- Soft soufflé pancakes topped with fresh local mangoes.
- Fresh coffee to finish the meal.
The café overlooked the coastline, making it a pleasant place to take a break before continuing our drive around the island.
Dinner: Authentic Ishigaki Beef at Yakiniku Taiyo
📍Google Maps: https://maps.google.com/?q=Yakiniku+Taiyo+Ishigaki
For dinner, we had reserved a table at Yakiniku Taiyo, one of the popular local restaurants serving certified Ishigaki Beef (石垣牛).
Although many people know Kobe Beef, fewer realise that Ishigaki plays an important role in Japan’s wagyu industry. The island raises high-quality Japanese Black cattle, and many calves bred here are later sent to mainland Japan, where they become famous regional wagyu brands.
Beef sold as Ishigaki Beef, however, is raised and finished on the island itself.
Using a charcoal grill at the table, we slowly cooked beautifully marbled cuts of beef alongside garlic gently simmering in oil.
The meat was tender, rich and buttery without feeling overly heavy. It was easy to understand why Ishigaki Beef has developed such a strong reputation among wagyu lovers.
It was a satisfying way to end a day spent exploring the island by road.
Transport & Travel Tips
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Getting Around | Renting a car is the easiest way to explore Ishigaki Island. Public buses operate to many attractions but services are relatively infrequent, especially in the north. |
| Driving Route | Route 390 and Route 206 offer some of the island’s most scenic coastal drives, with numerous viewpoints along the way. |
| Parking | Free parking is available at Hirakubozaki Lighthouse, although spaces can fill up during holidays and weekends. |
| Driving Time | From central Ishigaki City to Hirakubozaki Lighthouse takes approximately 50–60 minutes. |
| Dinner Reservations | Popular restaurants such as Yakiniku Taiyo are often busy in the evenings. Booking one or two days ahead is recommended. |
Final Thoughts
This turned out to be one of the most enjoyable driving days of our Ishigaki trip. There were no major attractions packed into the schedule, just a leisurely drive through beautiful scenery, excellent local cafés, dramatic coastal viewpoints, and an unforgettable dinner featuring one of Okinawa’s best-known local specialties.
Leave a Reply