Ishigaki, Japan: Manta Rays, Black Pearls, and Ryukyuan Culture

Kabira Bay, on the northwest coast of Ishigaki, is famous for two things: the color of its water and the black pearl cultivation that happens within it. The bay is a shallow lagoon ringed with subtropical vegetation; the water varies from turquoise to deep blue depending on depth and cloud cover. Glass-bottom boats operate within the bay for viewing the cultivated pearl beds and the marine life below. Swimming is not permitted inside the bay because of the active pearl operations, but the scenery from the boat or the shore viewpoints is the reason to come.

Manta rays are the most distinctive wildlife draw. Manta Station, a well-known dive site off the northern coast, hosts cleaning station behavior by oceanic and reef mantas year-round. The mantas circle the cleaning stations slowly enough to be observed at length; dive operators run morning departures. Snorkelers can also access shallower reef sites around the island with good manta sighting probability. The peak season is March through November.

Iriomote Island, accessible by high-speed ferry in forty-five minutes, is the largest of the Yaeyama islands and one of the most pristine islands in Japan — about 90% of its land area is national park. The Urauchi River runs through mangrove forest into the jungle interior; boat trips up the river and waterfall walks are the main activity. The Iriomote cat, a critically endangered subspecies found only on this island, is rarely seen but worth knowing about.

Traditional Yaeyama music — the sanshin (a three-stringed lute), folk songs, and the eisa drum dance — is performed in the evenings at restaurants and cultural venues in Ishigaki town. The style is distinct from mainland Japanese music and has recognizable Okinawan and Ryukyuan characteristics. The Yaeyama Museum in town has good coverage of the island group's history.

Yaeyama soba is the local noodle dish: wheat-based noodles in a clear pork and bonito broth, topped with braised pork belly and fish cake. It differs from Okinawan soba in that the noodles are thinner and the broth is lighter. Most restaurants on the main street in Ishigaki town serve it; ordering the set with rice and pickles is the standard local lunch.