Photo: Ryan McBride / CC BY 2.0Yaima Village is a cultural park on the west coast, in the Nagura Bay area, where old Ryukyuan farmhouses have been moved and rebuilt. The village says the red-tile houses are over a hundred years old, are registered as national tangible cultural properties, and can be entered. For anyone who will not make it to Taketomi, it is the nearest thing in Ishigaki to a walk through an old island village.
Beyond the houses there is a mangrove walk partly on wooden decking, a pond with water buffalo, a place where injured crested serpent eagles that cannot fly can be seen up close, a squirrel-monkey forest you can walk into, and a lawn with a tower over Nagura Bay. A folk-music show and costume dressing are offered. As of 20 July 2026 the village said the monkey feeding experience was suspended, though entry to the area continues.
The catch is time and transport. The bus is slow and thin: after the 9:45 out, the useful way back is 14:13 from the village stop, arriving at the ferry terminal 14:43, and the village itself warns that buses are few and you should check the last one. A taxi back is quicker but its fare is not published here. Skip it on a short call, and skip it if Taketomi is your main plan.
Five things the plaques won't tell you
- Buy a ¥1,000 one-day pass on board only if you plan a second bus ride; the single fare to the Yaima zone is ¥430 each way.
- Check the return bus before you walk in: the village says buses are few. Departures from the village stop toward town are 10:08, 11:03, 14:13, 17:33 and 19:33.
- Bring cash as a backup, but the village says it takes cards, transport IC cards and e-money. There is no ATM and generally no currency exchange.
- Nagura Drive-In, free to enter, is inside the village; its Anpale canteen serves 11:00 to 14:30, last order 14:00.
- No umbrella hire; they sell umbrellas and rain jackets in the shop, and some shows may be cancelled in rain.
As of 20 July 2026 the village said the monkey feeding experience was suspended, though entry to the area continues.
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 does Ishigaki Yaima Village cost?
Adults pay ¥1,200 and children aged 3 to primary school pay ¥600, from the village's own page. Web tickets bought in advance are 10% off and re-entry the same day is allowed. It opens 9:00 to 17:30, last entry 17:00.
How do I get from Ishigaki cruise port to Yaima Village?
Get to the Euglena ferry terminal by ship shuttle or taxi (about 10 minutes), then take Azuma Bus Route 9. The 9:45 bus stops at the ferry terminal at 9:46 and reaches Ishigaki Yaima-mura Iriguchi at 10:15, fare ¥430. The village is a 7-minute walk from that stop. By taxi the village says about 20 minutes from the ferry terminal.
What time is the last bus back from Yaima Village?
On the timetable from February 2026 the Route 9 buses toward town leave the Yaima Village stop at 7:33, 10:08, 11:03, 14:13, 17:33 and 19:33. The 14:13 reaches the ferry terminal at 14:43. The village itself tells visitors to confirm the return bus.