Here in Okinawa, the air is warm and salty. Orchid and hibiscus flowers colour the streets, and the locals – sun-kissed, curly-haired and easygoing – move to rhythms shaped more by the ocean than the clock.
Farther south, past Okinawa’s main island, lie the Yaeyama Islands – a remote island chain closer to Taiwan than Tokyo. With reefs teeming with nearly 400 coral species, and jungles home to exotic birds and elusive wildcats, the isles feel like a secret Japan few have seen.
Low-cost carrier Jetstar Asia runs direct flights from Singapore to Naha, the capital of Okinawa, six times a week. Scoot plans to take over the route after Jetstar Asia ceases operations on July 31, with flights set to launch between October 2025 and March 2026 if they are approved.
From Naha, it is a one-hour domestic flight to the Yaeyama Islands, bringing this once-remote region within reach.
Curious about what some call the Hawaii of Japan, I head there in March to see what these far-flung isles have to offer.
Ishigaki: Gateway to the Yaeyama Islands
Arakawa Falls in north Ishigaki. PHOTO: LAM SHUSHAN
My first stop is Ishigaki – the only Yaeyama island with an airport linked to Japan’s main cities like Tokyo and Osaka, and internationally to Taiwan and Hong Kong. It is also the connecting point for ferry services to the surrounding islands.
In my week-long island-hopping adventure, I discover that Ishigaki, though only 160km in circumference, is much more than a transport hub.
I spend my first two days driving around the island’s scenic north, where coastal roads pass sugarcane fields and turquoise waters, and lead to lookouts such as Hirakubozaki Lighthouse at Ishigaki’s northern tip and Oganzaki Lighthouse at the north-west peninsula.
The real fun, though, is in the unexpected pit stops. From around April to August during harvest season, farmers set up roadside stalls selling freshly cut pineapples, mangoes, papayas and smoothies made with Okinawa’s famous tropical produce.
Shisa statues like these, which can be spotted at the entrance of most buildings and homes in Okinawa, are sold in pottery shops around Ishigaki. PHOTO: LAM SHUSHAN
If you are into crafts, head to Yoneko Yaki Kobo Shisa Farm (str.sg/ukUH) to check out a modern take on Okinawa’s iconic shisa – a mythological creature derived from Chinese guardian lions. Traditionally painted in earthy tones and placed on rooftops or at doorways to ward off evil, these figures get a psychedelic makeover here, with vibrant colours and playful expressions.
Yoneko Yaki Kobo Shisa Farm is where figures of Okinawa’s iconic mythological shisa get a psychedelic makeover. PHOTO: LAM SHUSHAN
North Ishigaki is also dotted with pottery studios, where artisans use local clay and natural dyes to create pieces that echo the island’s landscape.
Shop names are mostly in Japanese, but a Google Maps search for pottery studios will reveal plenty of options such as this one (str.sg/pf6Q). Alternatively, head to retail store Hamauta (str.sg/gWfh) in town for a curated collection of Okinawan pottery.
During lunchtime one day, a similar search leads me to Joo Chiat Cafe (str.sg/jaPa), a home-based business run by a Singaporean man and his Japanese wife. Their menu features Singapore dishes like kaya toast and chicken rice.
Joo Chiat Cafe, run by a Singaporean man and his Japanese wife, is located in a quiet residential area and set in a restored Yaeyama-style house. PHOTO: LAM SHUSHAN
I try the Ishigaki beef rendang and carrot cake. The rendang is slightly sweet and mild in spice, with flavours reminiscent of the filling in a Nonya bak zhang. The housemade carrot cake, with a chewier, mochi-like texture, is generously loaded with chai poh and served with a punchy, shrimp-laced sambal. It might not please every purist, but for under 4,000 yen (S$35) for two mains with drinks, it is a delicious, heartfelt taste of home.
