How to get to and play in Yaima-mura, a sightseeing spot on Ishigaki Island!

Hello everyone!
First of all, have you ever heard of the southernmost theme park in Japan?
The answer is "Yaima Village" on Ishigaki Island.
A village! you may think, but the theme park retains the atmosphere of a village typical of Yaeyama.
This article introduces the southernmost theme park in Japan that preserves the original landscape of Yaeyama.

 

 

 

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What is Yaima Village?

 

 

Yaima Village is the southernmost theme park in Japan rich in nature that recreates the good old Yaeyama townscape. Yaima Village is located on a small hill and overlooks Nagura Bay, the largest bay in Ishigaki Island. The red-tiled old minka-style building registered as a national tangible cultural property has the sound of shamisen (three-stringed musical instrument) playing in the background, and cultural experiences are available. There are a variety of cultural experiences available, such as Ryukyuan costumes and Shisa painting.

 

 

In Yakonmamura, there is a buffalo pond where buffaloes are resting, a protected cage for crested serpent eagles, which are designated as a natural treasure, and a squirrel monkey garden. At the Squirrel Monkey Park, visitors can try feeding the monkeys, and the monkeys are very cute as they crowd around the food.
Nearby is the Ramsar-listed Nagura Ampal, where visitors can go down to the mudflats at low tide to observe rare plants and animals.

 

 

 

Directions to Yaima Village

From Ishigaki Port, head north on Route 209. You will see Banna Park on your right, keep going forward for a while and you will see the entrance on your left.

From Ishigaki Airport, drive west on Route 211. Turn right at the Nagura intersection onto Route 209, and after a short distance forward, you will see the entrance on your left.

 

 

More information about Yaimamura

 

 

Yaima Village is the southernmost theme park in Japan, which is a reproduction of an old red-tile house registered as a national tangible cultural property. It is an open-air museum that recreates the culture and lifestyle of Ishigaki Island and Yaeyama Island, and offers a variety of hands-on activities such as viewing the folk tools and lifestyle of the islanders, taking pictures wearing costumes decorated with the traditional craft of mincer weaving, and live shamisen (three-stringed instrument) performances.

 

 

There are also other activities such as playing house called ashibi, making sata andagi (Okinawan sweet) and mars amulets. As mentioned above, you can also see and touch buffalo, crested serpent eagles, and squirrel monkeys, so be sure to visit.

 

 

In addition to the experience, there is Ishigaki Yaimamura Restaurant "Anparu Shokudo" in Yaimamura. Here, in addition to Yaeyama's specialties such as Yaeyama soba, Ishigaki-style Zenzai, Soki soba, etc., curry, etc., which is a standard menu are also available. Since there are few places to eat around here, it would be nice to have a meal at Anparu Shokudo while enjoying the sunset after playing in Yaimamura or Nagura Anparu.

 

 

How to play Yaima Village

 

 

Yaima Village is a popular tourist spot that offers not only a wealth of cultural experiences but also spectacular views. Here are some tips on how to enjoy Yaima Village one by one.

 

 

Squirrel Monkey Forest

 

 

This spot is probably the most popular among women and couples. You can feed the cute little squirrel monkeys. They are very curious and will come very close to you. If you bring food for them, they will crowd around you, but please do not be afraid to feed them.

 

 

Mangrove Walking Experience

 

 

Yaima Village is located near Nagura Bay and offers guided walks through the mangroves. Starting from Yaima Village, the tour guide will lead you to the area where mangroves are growing in clusters. As a Ramsar site, you will be amazed at the rare plants and animals that can only be seen in this area, as well as the rich biota. The guide will give you detailed explanations of the area, so feel free to ask any questions you may have.

 

 

 

Ashibi

 

 

Ie Ashibi is a live shamisen and taiko folk show, with three performances at 10:00, 13:00, and 15:00, where you will be enchanted by the grandmother's shouts and rhythmic instrumental performances.

 

Ryukyu Costume Experience

The Ryukyu Costume Experience is an experience where you can wear the ceremonial clothes of the royalty of the Ryukyu Kingdom period. Women are sure to be delighted by the brightly colored ceremonial dresses that are uniquely Okinawan. Men's and women's versions are also available, so families and couples can take a commemorative photo together. Dressing only takes about 5 minutes and costs a reasonable 500 yen, so this is definitely something you should try.

 

 

Making Okinawan Sata Andagui

You all know the experience of making sata andagi (Okinawan doughnuts).
A very delicious Okinawan soul food, sataa andagi is very simple to make. The dough is made of flour with lots of sugar and deep-fried slowly so that it heats up all the way through. It is a food that lasts for a long time, so it makes a perfect travel companion.

 

 

Making a charm of mars (salt)

Maas is a salt that is said to ward off evil from the past. This poem is put in a shell and a picture or letter is written on it to make a kii holder. It is easy to make and recommended as a memento of Ishigaki Island. It is a cute charm that you can carry around with you everyday.

 

 

Stargazing

Yaima Village offers many experiences that can be enjoyed during the daytime, but nighttime has a different charm as well. Ishigaki Island was the first place in Japan to be designated as a starry sky reserve, and is nicknamed "Star Island" for its beautiful starry sky. 84 out of 88 constellations can be seen, and of course the Milky Way, the Summer Triangle, and all the first magnitude stars can be observed. The Southern Cross, which is said to be impossible to see in the Northern Hemisphere, can be observed.

 

Because Yaimamura is located on Ishigaki Island, it is no exaggeration to say that it is such a star island, it is the best place to visit.astronomical observationThe village also offers a stargazing experience called the "Starry Sky Village. Yaima Village also offers a stargazing experience called the Starry Sky Village. In the starry sky classroom, visitors can learn what constellations and stars are while watching animated films. At the end of the tour, visitors will be able to actually view the starry sky. For more information, please see below.

 

 

 

 

summary

 

 

We introduced Yaima Village. How was it?
Yaimamura was Japan's southernmost theme park and open-air museum where visitors could experience the culture and learn about the lifestyle of Yaeyama, including Ishigaki Island.
The following is a list of recommendations for such a Yaima Village.

 

 

Please check the above and visit Yaima Village.
Thank you for reading to the end.

 

 

 

This article was written by.

Hello! I'm Niwa-chan, your source for all things Ishigaki Island. I have loved to be in touch with nature since I was a child, and I am especially fascinated by the rich natural environment of Okinawa. Currently based in Ishigaki Island, I provide information on how to enjoy activities such as snorkeling, SUP, and kayaking, as well as the hidden charms of the island.

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