Photo: 663highland / CC BY 2.5The house was built around 1819 by Miyara Pechin Toen, a government official in the Yaeyama islands, and the Visitors Bureau says it was modelled on a samurai residence. That was the problem. The Ryukyu court reportedly ordered it taken down five times as too grand for the owner's rank, and he refused each time. In 1874 the roof was changed to thatch under pressure; in 1899 it went back to tile. The page calls it the only building in Okinawa Prefecture that preserves a kingdom-era samurai residence, and it is a nationally designated Important Cultural Property.
What you can actually see is the outside. A travel magazine says descendants of the family still live in the house, so only the exterior and the garden are open to visitors; the Visitors Bureau page does not say either way, so treat the interior as closed. The garden is a dry-landscape (karesansui) design of coral rock and clipped shrubs, and it is designated a National Place of Scenic Beauty. That is the reason to pay the ¥200.
The catch is that it is small and it is closed on Tuesdays. It is a twenty-minute stop, not a half-day, and it suits a town-only call or the gap between a ferry and lunch. If you have already seen the stone walls of Taketomi you will not find the garden dramatic. Check the day of the week before you leave the ship.
Five things the plaques won't tell you
- Check the day: the house is closed every Tuesday and over New Year.
- Take cash. The official page says nothing about cards, and there is no parking at the house.
- Do not expect to go inside; the family still lives there, so it is the garden and the exterior.
- Pair it with the Yaeyama Museum, about 0.6 km from the ferry terminal; the museum is closed on Mondays, the house on Tuesdays, so on those two days you get one or the other.
- The quay has no terminal building or shop, so use the ferry terminal area for toilets and coffee before you walk out.
That is the reason to pay the ¥200.
Guided days from Ishigaki
Booked before you sail — there is no tour desk at the pier. Booking through these links supports the site.
Questions people ask here
How much is Miyara Dunchi and when is it closed?
Adults pay ¥200 and school pupils ¥150. It is open 9:00 to 17:00, closed every Tuesday and over the New Year holiday, according to the Yaeyama Visitors Bureau page.
Can you go inside Miyara Dunchi?
Probably not. A travel magazine says descendants of the family still live there, so only the exterior and the garden can be viewed. The official Visitors Bureau page is silent on this, so confirm at the gate.
How do I get from Ishigaki cruise port to Miyara Dunchi?
There is no public bus from the quay. Take a ship shuttle if your line runs one (the city says some do, free), a paid shuttle if one operates that day, or a taxi, about 10 minutes by car to the Euglena ferry terminal. From there it is about 10 minutes on foot.