1. Port Overview

  1. Yonaguni, Japan

  3. Yonaguni is the westernmost inhabited island of Japan. It is the last of the Ryukyu Islands chain, and lies 108 kilometers (67 mi) from the east coast of Taiwan, between the East China Sea and the Pacific Ocean proper. The main population centers are Sonai (祖内) on the north coast, Kubura (久部良) on the west coast and tiny Higawa (比川) in the south.

    Yonaguni is a popular attraction for divers because of the large numbers of hammerhead sharks that gather in the surrounding waters during winter. Also of interest to divers is the Yonaguni Monument, a massive underwater rock formation off the coast of Yonaguni.

    Other attractions on Yonaguni include the spectacular capes, cliffs, beaches and rock formations. The Yonaguni Ethnographic Museum at No. 49 in the Sonai area, is run by 87-year-old "island auntie", Ikema Nae. Visitors can find information about the island's history, culture, and even language. The Yonaguni horse is also of interest to visitors. It is a very small breed of wild horse, which are generally very tame and gentle.

    Things to See & Do

    * Cape Irizaki
    * Yonaguni horse
    * Views from Kuburabari – cliff near the northern side of Kubura’s port.
    * Kuburadake - Natural Conservation District
    * Yonaguni Ethnographic Museum

    General information

    Cruise Season – Jan - Dec
    Currency – Yen (JPY)
    Language – Japanese
    Population – 1,700
    Land Area – 28 km2
    Electricity – 2 perpendicular flat pins USA style or with a round pin below
    Time - GMT plus hours nine hours
    International Country Telephone Code – 81

    Port Location – There is a port located at Kubura on the west coast of Yonaguni island.

    Travel Links – The island is served by Yonaguni airport. There are 1-2 flights daily from Ishigaki on Japan Transocean Air and Ryukyu Air Commuter (30 minutes), and RAC flights 3 times a week from Naha. In addition, TransAsia Airways operates irregular charter flights from Hualien, Taiwan (40 min, one-way).

    Fukuyama Kaiun runs boats from Ishigaki on Wednesdays and Saturdays, with return trips on Mondays and Thursdays, always departing at 10 AM. The trip takes four hours on a good day but the crossing tends to be rough at times.