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.

Day 16 - Under the blue sky, the birth of a meeting

On this particularly sunny morning, we head toward the eastern cape, one of the island’s remote points. There isn’t much infrastructure in this part of Miyakojima, so we decide to eat early to have a relaxed rest of our day. I’d spotted a restaurant online that was on the way to our destination. We head there and discover a place that looks very new—it wasn’t here during our previous visits.

Inside, it’s a small but charming and very clean space. A bar with four stools and two tables seating four each. A Japanese woman welcomes us with a smile and invites us to sit down. While we look at the menu, we take in the room’s decor, which is filled with little objects scattered everywhere.



When the woman comes to take our order, we strike up a conversation by mentioning how much she loves cats. Indeed, cats are everywhere—in glasses, figurines, placemats, even in the restrooms. Just mentioning them brings a bright smile to her face and a happy look in her eyes.

Looking through the glass door, I spot a Japanese cyclist parking his bike. Our eyes meet. A few minutes later, he comes into the restaurant and sits at the bar in the middle. We smile and say hello. Our food arrives. My hungry companion ordered two dishes, and the full table catches the cyclist’s attention—he can’t help teasing us with a laugh. This starts a little conversation, and he moves closer, switching seats to sit nearer our table. He speaks English, but we don’t speak it well, so we mix Japanese and English. We learn he’s traveling around the island for two weeks by bike. He once took a year-long trip around the world with his mother before starting his professional life, spending six months of that journey in Europe. He even cycled through France. A cycling enthusiast, he’s ridden in the Alps. The Tour de France is his favorite race. He also visited Russia during his big trip and knows how to say *Je t’aime* in French. He thinks life is more pleasant in Japan, and his favorite spots are Miyakojima in summer and Hokkaido in winter.

Our dishes today are pork curry and fried chicken. We also try Orion, Okinawa’s local beer, but honestly, we didn’t like it—it was too light, almost bland.



The cyclist leaves before us. We say goodbye, and we finish our meal. We get back in the car, heading toward the eastern cape, but a sea viewpoint makes us stop. There’s also a shell museum nearby, but we skip it. Instead, we spot a tower in the distance and decide to find it by car. We navigate by sight—it’s not far. The area is very natural, with no real development. We drive through sugarcane fields, and suddenly, the hidden tower appears before us.

We climb it and enjoy the 360-degree view of the sea, the distant cape, and the sugarcane fields. A controlled burn is happening nearby. There’s a table at the top, so you could eat there if you wanted. We have the place to ourselves for a while until a taxi arrives with a woman who stays just long enough to take a few photos. Meanwhile, we soak in the rural view, appreciating the calm and the shade from the sun.



Back in the car, still heading toward the eastern cape, we make another stop for the funny "photo" sign set up by the police, as well as another sea viewpoint.



The sun is blazing down on us. Just as we’re about to leave, the cyclist from the restaurant arrives. He stops to chat again—he’s coming back from the cape we’re about to visit. One of his friends runs one of the food trucks selling ice cream. For a keepsake, we take a few photos together. Since I don’t have internet, I tell him I’ll send them later when I’m connected. One thing leads to another, and we suggest meeting up for a drink before we leave the island. With that plan in mind, we each go our separate ways.

Two minutes later, we finally park at the cape. There are a few food trucks selling snacks and drinks, and a few cars, but the parking lot isn’t full at all. That said, at this early afternoon hour, we’re melting in the heat—our sweaty bodies only find relief with the air conditioning. The cape is called Higashi-Hennazaki. It’s located at the very eastern tip of Miyakojima, a 2-kilometer promontory jutting into the sea. You can take a walk with stunning panoramic views of the ocean. You can see the waves from the East China Sea and the Pacific Ocean crashing together. There’s a lighthouse you can visit, and depending on the season, the walk can be quite floral. The wind is strong in some spots.



The place is lovely, but this time, we wanted to take a long walk—except the sun is too intense. We’re burning up despite wearing our loose, flowing outfits with headscarves and sarongs to cover our legs. A pretty silver beetle lands on my companion and stays with him during the visit.



Our main goal for the day is snorkeling, so we get back in the car and head to Aragusu Beach, which is particularly famous for this activity. The approach to the beach is always stunning—the beach sits below a steep road, offering a breathtaking panoramic view of the ocean’s gradient blues. The "wow" effect is guaranteed every time. At the bottom, we notice the parking lots are fuller than usual compared to our previous visits. But luck is on our side—the small free parking lot, which only has a few spaces, still has one for us. Otherwise, the larger lot next to it is paid. While the beach itself hasn’t changed, the setup has. Remnants of pink and blue tables are surrounded by vegetation. There’s a small wooden snack bar selling alcoholic drinks, and you can also rent tents for shade.

It’s low tide, so the water is shallow for a long way, making it trickier to move around the coral. The water is still crystal clear. With the naked eye, you can spot tiny electric-blue fish. There are plenty of fish, but no Nemo for us today. We really enjoy observing the underwater life. My companion always stays in the water longer than I do, while I prefer lying on the sand, lulled by the wind, the sounds of swimmers and playing kids, watching the vegetation, and taking a little nap under the now more bearable sun.



As always, by mid-afternoon (around 4:30 PM), the beach has already emptied out—especially since this one doesn’t offer a sunset view, being on the east side. In fact, it even feels slightly cool when the sun is no longer shining on this side.

Today, we decided to visit just one beach but stay longer. That’s why the sunset accompanies us on the drive back.

For dinner, we choose an izakaya I found online that’s conveniently close to our place.

Parking in Japan, especially in cities, means finding the lot dedicated to each shop. It’s written in kanji, so you really have to look carefully. But this time, we can’t find it, so we park in a random lot and go to the restaurant to ask. A charming young woman explains how to get to their parking lot, which is farther away. Luckily, we already know the area a bit—this restaurant is near the popular local ramen spot, Ramentonta. When we mention it, she’s both surprised and impressed that we know the place. Thanks to that, we understand a little better where to go, even if it’s not entirely clear. It must not be straightforward because she gives us a special parking sheet with a hand-drawn map and a QR code to find it. We turn left a bit higher up the street, then continue down an unpaved, unlit alley. A large shared parking lot appears on the right. We park in one of the spots reserved for the izakaya, which we recognize by the signs with each shop’s name on the spaces. Without those, we never would’ve found it. We walk back to the restaurant in about five minutes. The temperature is perfect.

In front of the izakaya, we wait for the young woman. The place seems busy. She apologizes because only the terrace is available, but as good French people, we’re thrilled. In France, terraces have heaters in winter—here, they have a fan. We’re lucky to have the terrace all to ourselves for the whole evening.

Ordering is simple—there’s a photo album of each dish. We order several things, following the izakaya style, as well as a drink we think is a shikwasa (Okinawa lemon) soda sour. Everything was delicious and flavorful—here’s a non-exhaustive list of what we had: - A small salad with raw fish and smoked/grilled eggplant - Spicy chicken and vegetables, served in two rounds. When we ordered, the woman warned us it was *very* spicy. Wide-eyed, we confirmed anyway. Impressed that we managed to eat it all, she called the chef (her colleague) to come see us and tell her about it. - Crispy truffle potatoes - Fried octopus The sea really whets your appetite, and when the food is this good, you want to try everything! My companion, who was skeptical about izakayas until now, is officially converted!



This izakaya offers contemporary, no-frills cuisine in a great atmosphere. Even the restrooms are nice—accessible from the street, they run the length of the restaurant and have a warm, welcoming vibe with flowers, music, and a pleasant scent. A new entry in our Miyakojima travel journal!

Back at the house, I send the Japanese man we met the photos we took together, along with our address and departure date from the island, as agreed. End of the day.

Day 17 - Dolce vita

Beach, beach, beach, day after day. It's the 5th day, and we still can't get enough because the sun combined with a slow pace makes for a perfect break in the middle of the trip. I know many of you readers aren’t into this beachy side, so just a little more patience—we’ll be in Tokyo in two days. Wearing flip-flops all day is a joy, and even Monsieur seems to be starting to appreciate it. Who would’ve thought! With our feet dressed like this, we get into our car parked right at the foot of the residence—so convenient! As usual, we drive toward a destination and make a stop to admire the view of Yonaha Bay. We’ve been here before at the start of the trip, but the sky was gray. Let’s see if the landscape is more charming under a blue sky. It’s much better. You can walk along the bay or even have a picnic if you don’t need a table. The sea water is a milky blue color. You can’t see through it.

We hit the road again toward one of my favorite islands for its rural and preserved vibe: Kurimajima. It has a rustic charm. To get there, you also have to cross a bridge by car—the same one you can see from Yonaha Beach (the first beach mentioned). Our goal is to visit a part of the island that’s a bit less crowded than on previous trips: the western side. We head to three beaches. The first is a sort of rocky cove with immaculate white sand. It’s high tide, and there’s a lot of wind, so the waves are really strong. They crash against the cliffs, creating water jets in some spots. The beach is stunning. It’s labeled a "wedding photo beach," which you can tell by the "wedding" sign posted there. There are only a few people—two men when we arrive and a couple when we leave. We stayed for a while, enjoying the wild landscape made up of cliffs, the sea, the waves, and the sound of them crashing, along with hummingbirds or butterflies flying around. We wanted to swim, but the current seemed strong, and the beach slopes down. We settled for contemplation, which was rewarded by the few seconds I spotted a baby turtle emerging from the water.



We continued to another beach not far away, also at high tide. There’s barely any beach, and what we saw from the car made us stop for a few minutes to check it out before moving on to a beach we’d visited during our first trip in 2019. We’d seen a gorgeous sunset there. (See https://forumvoyage.forumactif.com/t2646-carnet-de-voyage-automne-2019-japon-de-tokyo-a-okinawa) Like the first beach today, to get to the parking lot, you have to find the small paved road—narrow and not well-maintained—drive very slowly to avoid branches and leaves scratching the rental car, and park in a lot with a maximum of three spaces. The parking lot is completely surrounded by the island’s typical vegetation. A Japanese family—older parents with their son—is coming back from the beach. We exchange a few words. They tell us the sea is a beautiful blue. The jungle path leading to the beach takes about 5 minutes, and flip-flops aren’t the ideal shoes here, but if you walk slowly, there’s no danger. Walking through this tunnel of greenery transports you to another world when the light at the end leads you to a long, immaculate white-sand beach. This beach is mesmerizing. It feels lost at the end of the world. We didn’t think we’d be able to swim, but the call was too strong. We decided to brave the waves anyway. With our stuff in tow, we picked a spot with a bit of shade. Since Japanese people don’t swim much, the only couple who arrived a few minutes after us left after about 10 minutes. We had the beach almost all to ourselves. Later, I spotted a Japanese guy in a corner—unusually tanned! He even swam as we were leaving. At the far end of the beach, you can also see a Japanese couple taking wedding photos in their outfits. We stayed at the beach for a long time, enjoying the absolute calm in this completely preserved environment. The waves were strong but not dangerous if you didn’t go too far from the shore or get too close. We spotted turtles poking their heads out of the water twice more.





We left this enchanted beach with a bit of regret, but hunger—it’s already 3 PM—was calling. We headed to what you could call the "center": a few narrow streets and small, low houses. There are a few places to eat, but as I’ve mentioned before, finding food at this hour can be tricky. We did find a really nice little spot, though. It’s a wooden café that looks lovely from the outside. And even cuter inside. It’s tiny but cozy, with all that wood, the view of the greenery, and the care put into the decor. The restaurant is run by a laid-back Japanese guy with a rasta style, and reggae music is playing. While chatting with him, we learned he built this house himself. He’s been living here for 20 years and comes from Tokyo. He has no desire to go back. He spent some time in Africa doing humanitarian work and learned a few French words there. The kitchen is open, as is often the case in Japan. You can watch the chef cook. In cafés, it’s not uncommon to find Western dishes. We gave in to pasta and pizza. However, the portion sizes are Japanese—meaning small. We also enjoyed iced tea and a nice cold beer since the heat is still here today.





After this meal, we visited the Ryugu Observatory, just a minute away by car. We’ve been here before, but the view is still amazing. You can see the bridge connecting the island to Miyakojima, Yonaha Beach, and the endless sea. A few changes have been made to the observatory, with two sea-themed murals—one on each floor. The spiders, though, are still there.







To be honest, we thought we’d walk more, but the heat sapped our energy. So, we headed to the beach near the island’s port, just before the bridge. But there were too many people for our taste.

So, we went to a café on Irabu Island. It’s in a less touristy area that you have to search for, but it offers a nice space. Many customers are there for coworking. It’s located by a canal. We enjoyed some great fruit juices with different lemon flavors, as well as a matcha latte. And since we weren’t far, we went for our second swim of the day at the "wedding beach" we’ve mentioned several times.



To wrap up this intense day, a tasting of Miyakojima wagyu was a must, so we headed to a yakiniku restaurant. Strangely, we were seated in the same private room as during our first visit in 2019. We know the place, so no surprises—we ate well. We also had sushi made with wagyu, torched in front of us.



We feasted and headed back home.