Hidenori Tanaka picks up trash every day.
Inspired by the problem of marine debris, Ms. Tanaka has been doing "earth cleaning" every day in between work since July 2020. She goes to the sea before sunrise, visits the harbor in the evening, and picks up trash near her home on rainy days. Of all the places she goes, she shared five of her favorite beaches with us.
Located near the Shiraho settlement on the east side of the island, it offers views of the sun rising over the horizon. "The sunrise is beautiful, but the pre-dawn glow before it is also stunning, so I recommend arriving about 20 minutes before sunrise."
Approximately 5 minutes by car
This is another beach that Tanaka often visits at sunrise. "I like the way the rocks are lined up," says Tanaka. Since it's near the airport, he also likes the sight of airplanes suddenly appearing amidst the greenery.
I pick up one garbage bag full of trash every day. It only takes about 10 minutes to fill it up.
Approximately 10 minutes by car
Hoshino Beach is praised for having almost no man-made structures. However, it always has a lot of washed-up trash, and people frequently come here to pick it up.
This is also the place where we've previously cleaned up the beach twice, removing 10,000 plastic bottles.
Approximately 30 minutes by car
This beach is located within the city limits and is a popular spot for islanders to relax. People often come here because trash tends to accumulate right next to the breakwater, but it's also a place of tranquility where people come just to do nothing.
Approximately 30 minutes by car
Nagura Bay, located on the west side of the island, is a popular spot for watching the sunset. "The sunset is beautiful, but the magic hour after the sun goes down is also amazing. Ishigaki Island is wonderful because you can gaze at the unobstructed sky for both the sunrise and sunset."
Hidenori Tanaka
Originally from Aichi Prefecture. After commuting to the Yaeyama Islands for about five years, I have been living on Ishigaki Island since 2019. I am the representative of Jomon Kikaku, which operates a tent sauna business. Schedules for regularly held beach cleanups can be found on Instagram.