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Spot guide · MiyakojimaIkema Ohashi
A 1,425 m bridge over the northern shallows to a fishing island, with a footpath and a viewing plaza at the far end
Ikema Ohashi joins Miyakojima to the small fishing island of Ikema, 1.8 km off its north-west tip. The Okinawa prefectural bridge sheet gives it as 1,425 m long, opened on 14 February 1992, built as a prefectural road, with a 6.25 m carriageway and a 1.5 m footpath, for a cost of about ¥9.9 billion. The prefecture says that since it opened it has improved islanders' medical and living conditions as well as drawing many visitors.
What you see is the bridge as a line of piers over the cobalt-blue shallows, which the prefecture says the design was meant to show, with star-shaped panels in the railings taken from the island's woven cloth pattern. The plaza at the Ikema end lets you look back along the full span, and it has parking, toilets and shops; a travel guide names a restaurant and a rooftop terrace there. Drive across, stop at the plaza, and come back.
The catch is distance and that it is all view. At about 15 minutes each way it is the farthest of the three guides here, with no public transport that works for a port call and a small taxi pool at the terminal. Do not stop on the bridge: a travel guide notes stopping and parking on it are prohibited, and the tourism association says unsafe stops at viewpoints are a frequent cause of accidents. If you want sand and swimming, go to a beach instead.
Five things the plaques won't tell you
- Keep the taxi for the whole trip; there is no rank at the plaza.
- Do not ask the driver to stop on the bridge: stopping and parking on it are prohibited. Use the plaza on the Ikema side.
- The 1.5 m footpath is in the bridge's design sheet, but crossing it on foot in strong sun and wind is not advisable for a short call.
- Pick a clear, bright day if you can; the view is the whole point and there is nothing indoors.
- A roadside restaurant at the plaza serves turban-shell noodles (Sazae soba), according to a travel guide; check the day.
Drive across, stop at the plaza, and come back.
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Open the guide →Questions people ask here
How long is Ikema Ohashi and when did it open?
The Okinawa prefectural bridge sheet gives 1,425 m, opened on 14 February 1992, with a 6.25 m carriageway and a 1.5 m footpath. It cost about ¥9.9 billion. There is no toll.
How far is Ikema Ohashi from the Miyakojima cruise port?
About 14.2 km by road from the cruise terminal, roughly 15 minutes by a computed route. A taxi on the 2023 remote-island tariff should show about ¥3,400 each way before any time charge. The berth is about 1 km from the terminal and linked by a passenger shuttle.
Can I walk across Ikema Ohashi?
The bridge has a 1.5 m footpath in the prefecture's design sheet, and a travel directory says it can be crossed on foot or by bicycle. On a port call the distance from the terminal makes it impractical; the plaza at the island end is the usual stop.