From Southern Shikoku, between land and sea, to the blue waters of Miyakojima and finally the Tokyo metropolis

This beach is gorgeous!😍

It’s considered one of Japan’s most beautiful beaches. Swimming there is really pleasant. That said, it’s not great for snorkeling.

Day 15 - Miyako Blue and Culinary Delights

Heading to Ikema Island. We take roads completely unknown to us but that allow us to see the island's rural side. Crossing one of the three bridges connecting Miyako's main island to three smaller islands is always an incredible experience, especially with the mesmerizing blue of the sea. The best part of the bridge linking Miyako to Ikema Island is the small parking lot where you can stop to get a closer look at the sea. From there, there’s a great view of the bridge and, most of all, Ogami Island.



The sky is a bit overcast, so the scenery isn’t at its best this morning, but it’s still nice. Plus, there’s only one Japanese family around for now. The father is fishing near the bridge. A shy conversation starts up. He’s trying to catch octopus. The family (a couple with three kids, including a baby) is from Osaka. They’re traveling in a camper van. In the end, they leave without having caught anything.

We get back in the car and finish crossing the bridge to reach Ikema Island. We drive slowly to a café we’d spotted online during our last trip here (2023) but didn’t have time to try. Once parked in the large lot with no view of the place, we just follow the path marked by a wooden sign. From that point on, a tropical atmosphere takes over with exotic leaves, flowers, and flying insects.

A few steps later, we reach the café entrance. You have to order right away at the counter. Since it’s a café, there are daily specials available. The choices are limited. We place our order and then explore the place. What can I say? A café in a stunning natural setting with different cozy spaces. In short, a place where you just want to settle in.

The natural setting is a view of a beautiful beach with gradient blue waters, surrounded by rocks and tropical vegetation, where butterflies and other flying insects flutter about. The beach is accessible via a "wild" path on the side. It’s private to the restaurant, and swimming isn’t allowed, but you can take a stroll. The restrooms are at the back of a tropical area, outdoors but modern and clean.



The sun has come out, and we can now enjoy both the beach view and the sound of the waves under a beautiful blue sky. We settle into a lounge corner right by the sea. We dig into our dishes when they’re brought to us. I try an Okinawan dish, Taco Rice. It’s a very simple dish originally created for American military personnel but loved by both Americans and Okinawans. It consists of rice, tomatoes, lettuce, ground meat, and cheddar. My partner ordered a pizza. While pizzas are often good here, they’re usually small. The Taco Rice is delicious. We pair our dishes with a fizzy drink made from Shikwasa, an Okinawan citrus fruit similar to mandarins.



To finish, we end the meal with homemade ice cream, which is incredibly delicious. We tried sweet potato and black tea with figs, along with a sweet potato chip. We forgot the flavor of the last one because it wasn’t as tasty as the others. There were other tempting flavors like brown sugar and kiwi-banana.



All with extremely gentle and attentive service. In short, a place that could become a regular spot. Everything is great: the welcome, the setting, the food.

We get back in the car and head to Ikema Port. There’s absolutely no one around except the Japanese police officer I already mentioned in a previous post about Shikoku.

Under the scorching sun, we take a walk on a tiny green path, trying to find some shade.



Then we cross the road to reach the port and observe the beached or moored boats. A car passes by. The driver smiles at us and waves energetically with one hand.



Next, we head to the entrance of Ikema Island to go up to the roof of a restaurant/grocery store, where you can see the sea, Ikema Bridge, and Ogami Island. We’ve been there before, but it’s still nice. However, it’s crowded, and we have to wait to park.

From the observation deck, I notice there are quite a few algae on the beach. There weren’t any during our previous visits.

The view of the bridge overlooking this Miyako-blue sea is a simple but captivating sight—one you never get tired of.

Day 15 continued Crossing the Ikema Bridge again, we spot people in the middle of the sea. It takes us a few seconds to realize that with the low tide, it’s possible to be right in the ocean. You can easily guess we want to see this up close. Unlike this morning, the small parking lot on the bridge is "full," and we have to wait for a spot to open up. It won’t be too long. Not only is the sky clear, but the sun also highlights the blue of the water and the visible sandbanks.



Remember where the Japanese man was fishing this morning? Well, you just have to step over a barrier to go down the "steps" and walk around the rock. Be careful, though—there’s still a current and broken coral, so watch out for bare feet.

The water is crystal clear. It’s pretty wild to walk like this in the middle of the sea. While it’s not as crowded as Kyoto, there are obviously a few people around, but it’s totally manageable. Maybe 15-30 people—we can count them. Even if we’d love to be alone to enjoy the view, it’s also nice to exchange smiles with other travelers.

The farther we walk toward the two sandbanks, the more we can see Ogami Island. We also discover small coves at low tide on the Miyakojima side.

Walking in the sand isn’t that easy because our feet sink in. We’d love to lie down in the water and just float, but the tide is slowly coming back in... After enjoying this moment, which made us feel like we were in French Polynesia on an atoll, we slowly head back to solid ground, walking along the rock again.



From the platform, we look out at the sea and its sandbanks, one of which is heart-shaped. A stunning marine spectacle.

We then head toward the Shimajiri mangrove. It’s a short walk on an elevated bridge, round-trip. The sea water mixes with underground spring water here—there are no rivers on Miyakojima. We didn’t think too much about it, but with the low tide, the mangrove is dry during our visit. There’s absolutely no one around. That said, the blazing sun beating down on us might make an air-conditioned coffee sound better.



We spot lots of little red crabs, but I can’t photograph them with my phone (useless). We hear lots of birds and a bit of wind rustling the leaves. We also see a colorful fruit that reminds us of a pineapple. After looking it up online, I think it was indeed one. If you’re interested, check out this article on pineapple farming in Japan: https://www.lemanger.fr/index.php/snack-pine-lananas-pour-les-nuls/.

The walk is short—only about a kilometer—but it’s still nice.



Next, we head to Shimajiri Port nearby. I want to check the boat schedule for Ogami Island. Well, spoiler alert—we won’t go. We drive through small streets that give us a peek into local homes. The port is small but charming. You can see Ogami Island clearly from here. Our arrival gets noticed. The person at the ticket booth is in the middle of a conversation with two others. The welcome is very local—first a bit of island nonchalance, then big smiles and a brochure. No need to book tickets in advance—everything’s done the same day.

We continue our day by heading to a beach we really like on Irabu Island to swim. The beach is large, the sand is fine, and there are even some waves today—just enough for a little thrill. We spot transparent crabs in the sand. The late-afternoon vibe is super peaceful. Just a few surfers left and the sound of the waves. A perfect moment to recharge.

After this relaxing break, we want to quickly check out a beach on Shimojima, not far from there by car, where we’d met some Japanese women during our first stay. Just after sunset, the sky turns purple. The scenery is beautiful.



For dinner, we go to the Chinese restaurant we discovered on our last visit. The waitress and the head chef don’t seem to be there anymore. We’re a little disappointed not to see them again—the interaction was really nice. Still, the food quality remains good. And tonight, it’s a feast! We ordered steamed fish with soy sauce and ginger after picking our fish fresh, like at a fishmonger’s. You can also choose between two sauces. The fish is served whole but already pre-cut, so no need to worry about bones. We loved it.