The slender dragons on the roof coil their tails, while long-bearded Chinese sages look down on us when we visit Ishigaki Island. Although Ishigaki and the surrounding Yaeyama Islands belong to Japan today, for most of their history they have had more Chinese influences.
Ishigaki island is the main island of the Yaeyama Island group, and it has everything you could wish for from a subtropical island. Hop on a glass boat and watch the tropical fish from above, eat fantastic tofu and noodles. Learn about the rare black pearls, and try Awamori, the local rice spirit.
Follow us to Ishigaki Island in this travel blog post about the Southern Islands of Okinawa.
