How to get to and play at the West Pier! Ishigaki Island resident staff will give you a thorough explanation!

Hello everyone!
Have you heard of Taketomi Island? Taketomi Island is an island where the traditional Okinawan landscape—with its red-brick roofs and stone walls—still remains.
On Taketomi Island, there is a prime spot called the West Pier where you can enjoy breathtaking views.
From the West Pier, you can enjoy beautiful views of the sunset and the night skyline, and during the day, you can see the surrounding islands with the naked eye.
In this article, we’ll introduce the West Pier, one of Taketomi Island’s most scenic spots.

What Is the West Pier?

The West Pier is a stone pier located west of the Taketomi Island settlement, measuring approximately 105 meters in length and 2 meters in width. Although it is no longer in use today, it is said that in the past, people used to set out from here to farm on Iriomote Island, as Taketomi Island was unsuitable for agriculture.
In 2005, it was designated as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property along with the Iko Pier on Kuroshima.
It is now famous as a spot offering breathtaking views, and the sight of the sun slowly sinking into the calm sea—as the water gradually turns orange—is truly spectacular. At night, you can gaze up at a sky filled with stars. This is a highly recommended spot for anyone looking to enjoy a relaxing, leisurely time.

How to Get to Nishi Pier

Nishi Pier is located about a 15-minute bike ride from Taketomi Port and about a 10-minute walk from the village post office.
To get from the village to the West Pier, just follow the road signs and go straight—you’ll reach it without getting lost.
It's a casual place to stop by, so please do come visit.

Detailed Information on Nishi Pier

The West Pier is a stone pier designated as a Tangible Cultural Property. Many visitors to Taketomi Island make a point of stopping by. It’s a beautiful pier that reveals different facets at various times of day—sunrise, daytime, sunset, and night—so it’s not uncommon for people to visit it multiple times a day. Once you see it for yourself, you’ll understand why it’s designated as a Tangible Cultural Property. As mentioned briefly above, the terrain of Taketomi Island isn’t well-suited for farming. Consequently, the pier was built in 1938 to serve as a landing site for residents traveling to the neighboring island of Iriomote to work in the rice fields. Since the West Pier is about 105 meters long, it’s a pleasant experience to stroll along it while enjoying the refreshing south-facing sea breeze. The gradient of blue colors surrounding the pier is truly beautiful.

Taketomi Island is very easy to reach from Ishigaki Island—often called the gateway to the Yaeyama Islands—so many people stop by while on a trip to Ishigaki Island. Nishi Pier, one of Taketomi Island’s famous tourist spots, is a place with a very significant tidal range, much like Kondoi Beach. At low tide, the sea around the pier recedes completely, so visiting at both high and low tide reveals a completely different landscape. While the West Pier is bustling with tourists and locals even during the day, it’s especially popular at sunset. Since the pier juts out into the ocean, you can enjoy the view of the sunset slowly sinking while surrounded by the sea.

The sight of the clear, blue sea gradually turning a deep crimson is truly beautiful. As the sun sets, stars spread across the entire sky. When you lie down and look up at the sky, countless stars twinkle brightly, offering a moment of pure bliss. It is precisely because this remote island has so little city light that you can observe such a vast number of stars. During the summer season, you can spot the Milky Way with the naked eye around 24 degrees north latitude. Since the population is smaller and there’s less city light here than on other islands, you can observe the stars with greater clarity. If you visit Taketomi Island, I highly recommend staying overnight.

How to Enjoy Nishi Pier

The best way to enjoy the West Pier is, of course, to take in the breathtaking views. Since the pier is about 105 meters long, you can enjoy views of the surrounding islands while being surrounded by the ocean. Also, thanks to the crystal-clear water, at high tide you can see colorful fish swimming about happily.
Enjoying the sunset as the sky gradually turns to dusk and lying back to gaze at the starry sky are truly magical moments. Since this is a spot where you can take in the best views of Taketomi Island, I highly recommend visiting it at least once.

summary

We’ve introduced you to Nishi Pier. What did you think?
The West Pier was a historic tourist spot on Taketomi Island with a spectacular view.
Here are some highlights of Nishi Pier:

Be sure to check out the items listed above and make a trip to Nishi Pier.
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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