Local Column
COLUMN
8 night activities in Ishigaki Island! Why do you recommend to play at night? Our Ishigaki Island resident staff will explain thoroughly!
Hello everyone!
Ishigaki Island has a strong image of enjoying activities in the crystal clear ocean under the clear blue sky. Why don't you experience a new and different activity?
In Ishigaki Island, there are many night activities as well. Recently, the number of people participating in night activities has been increasing, and in fact, tours are becoming a staple on Ishigaki Island.
Under the beautiful starlit sky, you can experience the charm of Ishigaki Island at night with your whole body, enjoying the activities you experience with your eyes and body.
In this article, we will introduce the activities that can be experienced on Ishigaki Island at night and the reasons why we recommend them.
目次
Characteristics of Ishigaki Island at night
Ishigaki Island is one of the most famous resort areas in Japan, and at night the temperature drops to a comfortable level. Since the island is also famous for its alcoholic beverages, Izakaya (Japanese style pubs) are a big hit during this time of the day, and you can often see people singing and drinking in a big way.
Of course, it is a great experience to experience the culture of Ishigaki Island, but if you go to the trouble, why don't you experience more of the nature of Ishigaki Island and be impressed by it?
Ishigaki Island is also known as the most starry place in Japan, and in April 2018, it became the first place in Japan to be certified as a starry sky protected area. It is also rated as the second most beautiful starry sky in Asia.
The Milky Way and shooting stars can be seen clearly and silently, and the Southern Cross, which is said to be invisible in the northern hemisphere, can be observed. There is an extraordinary experience in Ishigaki Island at night that you cannot experience in your daily life!
7 advantages of playing at night on Ishigaki Island
At the beginning of this article, we introduced the night features of Ishigaki Island. There are many attractive features such as observing stars that cannot be seen in the northern hemisphere and having the most beautiful starry sky in Japan. From now on, we will introduce the merit of playing at night in Ishigaki Island.
Advantages of a night on Ishigaki Island (1) The air is clean and pleasant.
The first merit of night time in Ishigaki Island is "the clean and pleasant air". At night on Ishigaki Island, many tourists are usually indoors, either returning to their hotels early for the next morning's activities or going to restaurants such as Izakaya (Japanese style pubs).
As a result, there will be few crowds or cars passing by. If there are people, most of them will be tour participants.
As a result, the night air is cool and refreshing, as there is relatively little dust and exhaust fumes. Although the air is clearest in the early morning, you can feel the clean air even at night.
Advantage of Ishigaki Island at night (2) The starry sky is very beautiful
The next merit of Ishigaki Island at night is "beautiful starry sky". This is as I mentioned at the beginning of this article. Ishigaki Island is an island with a lot of untouched nature, and the air is very clean.
In addition, the stars can be seen clearly because there are almost no city lights in the city center. When you visit a popular stargazing spot, it is often pitch-dark and only the starlight is shining brightly.
Advantage 3) Fewer people and a more private atmosphere at night on Ishigaki Island.
As mentioned above, there are very few people compared to during the day. There are occasional islanders walking around, but even these are rarely seen.
This makes it feel like we are the only ones on Ishigaki Island, a private southern island, so it is very affordable. It would be a good idea to propose under the starry sky where no one is around. If you have any doubts, please refer to this page.
Advantage 4: Good night food on Ishigaki Island
At night on Ishigaki Island, the food is just delicious. It is true that most of the restaurants are really delicious because most of the island cuisine is made from island-specific ingredients.
However, eating a meal surrounded by beautiful nature in the clear air of Ishigaki Island is exceptional. It is obvious that a meal in a beautiful natural setting tastes better than a meal in a bustling urban environment.
Advantage 5: Less sunburn at night on Ishigaki Island
This is actually one of the major advantages of traveling to Ishigaki Island, not to mention the fact that it is difficult to get sunburned due to the night.
Especially during the hot season from July to September, the sun can sting the skin. Those with weak skin may even experience symptoms like burns. Therefore, it is a general rule in Ishigaki Island to take UV protection basically in all seasons.
The night on Ishigaki Island is a great advantage in that there is no need to worry about such sunburn threats.
Advantage 6: You can meet creatures that are only nocturnal on Ishigaki Island.
Because of its subtropical climate, Ishigaki Island is home to an abundance of creatures that cannot be seen on the mainland. In particular, nocturnal creatures are all unusual.
For this reason, some tours drive out into the jungle in search of nocturnal creatures, a popular activity that has earned a reputation.
Advantage 7) No hard tours on Ishigaki Island at night, so you won't get tired.
The last merit of night tours in Ishigaki Island is "no hard tours, no fatigue". During the daytime, there are many fancy and hard activities such as diving and surfing, but there are few night tours.
This is probably because there are no hard tours, as activities are conducted at night in a world of almost total darkness, and are therefore fraught with danger.
At the end of the day, you can relax and enjoy the night of Ishigaki Island and go to bed for the best sleep.
5 recommended night activities in Ishigaki Island
Now you know that Ishigaki Island offers a beautiful environment to enjoy the beauty of nature at night. There are also many activities that take advantage of the night in Ishigaki Island. There are also tours that are only available for a limited time, so be sure to check them out.
Night Activities in Ishigaki Island (1) Jungle Night Tour
As mentioned above, Ishigaki Island, with its subtropical climate, is home to many unusual creatures that do not live on the mainland. We will go into the jungle to look for such creatures.
You can see endangered species such as the coconut crab, flying fox, and the long-billed scops owl.
Hermit crabs are creatures that look similar to very large crabs and hermit crabs. Some plants can only be seen here, so if you find unusual plants and animals, ask your guide to explain them to you!
You can see the subtropical flora and fauna of Ishigaki Island, especially at night, which is very popular among children.Night TourIt is.
Ishigaki Island Starry Sky Tour 2: Starry Sky & Night Cruising
From the boat on the night sea of Ishigaki IslandPlan to appreciate the starry sky!
The SilenceSwaying in the wind and waves at night on the seaThe view of the stars and the nightscape is exceptional.
Only on the romantic Ishigaki IslandWe invite you to join us for an inspiring experience!
Ishigaki Island Night Activity 3: Starry Sky Photo Tour
If you have gone to the trouble of seeing the beautiful starry sky, you want to preserve it as a memory. In such cases, a "starry sky photo tour" is the perfect way to do so.
When trying to photograph the starry sky by yourself, it is very difficult to get a good shot because you need to set the best backlight and white balance.
With a starry sky photo tour, you can have your photo taken after adjusting it to the sky conditions of the day so that it can be taken beautifully. After all, we want to preserve our memories in a beautiful way.
On Ishigaki Island, you can see 84 of the 88 constellations and all 21 first magnitude stars. Let's make memories with the shining celestial bodies blessed with such astronomical observation!
Ishigaki Island Night Activity 4: Yaeyama Firefly Tour
Yaeyama fireflies are the smallest fireflies in Japan, inhabiting only a part of the Yaeyama Islands.
Compared to other fireflies, this firefly has a lower ability to fly and is often seen flying close to the ground. They are also unable to glow for long periods of time, so they glow in a blinking manner.
They are known to flash in groups of thousands or tens of thousands of individuals, and are called "carpets of light" for the beauty of their light.
What do you think? This beauty.
It is only at night on Ishigaki Island that you can see this beautiful carpet. The season is limited from March to May, so you should aim for the spot.
Firefly TourWe recommend that you visit the
Ishigaki Island Night Activity 5: Sagaribana Tour
Sagaribana is a flower that grows in wetlands in subtropical regions.
Like the Yaeyama firefly, the sagaribana can only be seen from mid-May to July. This is because the sagaribana blooms at night and drops its petals during the night. This is why it is also known as the "one-night flower" or "phantom flower.
Its beautiful white or peach-colored flowers are mesmerizing to behold. They also give off a sweet vanilla-like fragrance, so if they grow wild nearby, you can recognize them by their scent.
such (about the actions of the listener, or about ideas expressed or understood by the listener)Sagaribana TourThe language of the flower is "Good luck will come". It is a good idea to go looking for good luck at night on Ishigaki Island.
Clothing and Climate for Night Activities on Ishigaki Island
Most of the night activities on Ishigaki Island are not hard, so feel free to dress tough and have no problem participating. However, when visiting places with insects and animals such as jungle experiences, it is better to wear long sleeves and long pants.
While canoes almost never capsize, SUPs often lose their balance in the beginning, and some people end up drowning in the river or ocean. For this reason, it is advisable to wear clothes that can get wet.
Some tours offer free rental of boots or felt boots, so check in advance.
Also, in winter, it may feel cold due to strong northerly winds. In such cases, participants should wear windbreakers or other clothing made of wind-resistant materials.
Checking weather information is essential!
How to get to night activities on Ishigaki Island
Many of the ways to get to activities at night will probably involve transportation. First of all, public transportation is rarely running during this time. In addition, the number of cab drivers increases as more people drink alcohol at night, making it difficult to pick up a cab.
Some tour companies offer local pickups, so it is recommended to prepare a rental car in advance or join a tour that includes pickup and drop-off.
What to watch out for at night activities on Ishigaki Island
There are many things to keep in mind for night activities on Ishigaki Island.
First of all, it is very dark, so be very careful! The resort, the darkness, and the excitement are all there, but if you get hurt, your trip will be ruined. Safety first.
The next point is a bit similar to the first one, but beware of dangerous creatures on Ishigaki Island. The jungles of Ishigaki Island are home to the well-known habu (habu) and poisonous frogs.
Therefore, caution is required, especially during jungle exploration tours.
The last point I would like you to keep in mind is not to harm the creatures of Ishigaki Island. I am not only talking about touching directly while exploring.
It takes about 40 minutes by car from the city center to reach the starry sky spot on the Hirakubo Peninsula, which is recognized as a starry sky protected area on Ishigaki Island.
The road to the starry sky spot is a natural road with few street lights. Because of this, wild rabbits and hubbies may be crossing the road at a slow pace. Be sure to drive slowly, just in case.
Safe driving is for the sake of Ishigaki Island's creatures, and in turn, for your safety.
Conclusion
We introduced night activities in Ishigaki Island. How was it?
There were SUP and canoeing experiences, which are the new standard marine activities, and jungle exploration tours where you can observe unusual nocturnal creatures unique to Ishigaki Island. There were also seasonal tours such as firefly tour and sagaribana tour. Which tour caught your attention?
Also, if you are going to visit remote islands from Ishigaki Island, the ferry ticket isBuy OnlineIt is convenient to do so. Since you pay in advance, you only need to show your phone on the day of boarding. The ferry ticket office is very crowded, so you don't have to worry about getting caught in the queue at the ticket office on the day of the cruise. Please take a look at this page for more information.
Thank you for reading to the end.
This article was written by.
