Oritori Ishigaki City Official Tourism Information Site
White sandy beaches and highly transparent emerald green seas,
Small islands floating in the blue sea and the Omoto mountain range surrounding them.
People from all over the world gather here to visit this sea.
We will introduce you to Kabira Bay, a famous spot on Ishigaki Island, along with photos taken by a photographer from Ishigaki Island!
The sparkling emerald sea, the green of Obama, and the white sandy beach are the defining elements of Kabira Bay.
3:00 pm / @kei_ishigaki_okinawa
There are numerous coral reefs in the sea around Ishigaki Island. They are an important habitat for marine life and play an important role in regulating the marine environment. This coral and shells are crushed into white sand, which is washed up by the waves, creating the sparkling white sandy beaches of Kabira Bay.
The pure white sand extends to the seabed, reflecting the sunlight from the sky, making the sea surface sparkle with an emerald glow. Kabira Bay also has a sudden drop in depth. This is also the reason for the beauty of Kabira Bay, where the beautiful gradation of vivid blue and deep blue stands out.
This photo shows the smooth waves reflected on the white sand and highly transparent seawater.
3:30 pm / @smile_pii
It is said that the blue of the sea changes depending on the intensity of the sunlight and the angle of the sun.Around noon on a sunny dayWhen there are no clouds blocking the sunlight and the sun is directly overhead, the sea surface becomes even more vibrant. At night, the starry sky shines beautifully, and on windless days, the sparkle of the stars is reflected on the water's surface.
The Milky Way season on Ishigaki Island is from July to October. Kabira Bay is separated from the city by mountains, so there is little light pollution. 8:00 pm / @ooppiiiiii
Located in the northwestern part of Ishigaki Island, in the village of Kabira, is Kabira Bay, a scenic spot that is one of Japan's 100 most scenic spots and boasts the highest number of visitors in the prefecture. The surrounding area is equipped with a large parking lot and promenade, and there are also souvenir shops and restaurants, making it a spot where many people can enjoy watching the beautiful sea.
Before the typhoon, the glass-bottom boats disappeared, leaving only an empty beach.
3:00 pm / @mi1_moonstagram
30 minutes by car from New Ishigaki Airport and Ishigaki Port Remote Island Terminal
Kabira Bay is located in the northwestern part of Ishigaki Island. It's about a 30-minute drive from the airport or Ishigaki city center, over the mountains. You can enjoy the drive through the lush natural scenery along the way. There are few convenience stores or supermarkets along the way, and the shops in Kabira village are only open on weekends and have limited stock. Be sure to bring everything you need with you when you head out.
①Kabira Park 1st Parking Lot
This is the closest parking lot to Kabira Bay.
[Available hours] 7:00-17:00
[Parking Fee] 200 yen for the first hour, 100 yen for each additional hour thereafter
[Parking capacity] Approximately 50 cars
②Kabira Park 2nd Parking Lot
This parking lot is located right next to Parking Lot No. 1. If Parking Lot No. 1 is not full, it may not be available.
[Available hours] 7:00-17:00
[Parking Fee] 200 yen for the first hour, 100 yen for each additional hour thereafter
[Parking capacity] Approximately 30 cars
Tips for those going by car!
Neither parking lot at Kabira Bay accepts cash payments, only credit cards and electronic money payments.
~Payment methods you can use~
[Credit cards] Visa / Mastercard / JCB / American Express / Diners Club
[Electronic money] Rakuten Edy / WAON / iD / nanaco / QUIC Pay
[Transportation electronic money] Suica / PASMO / Kitaca / TOICA / monaca / ICOCA / SUGOCA / nimoca / Hayakaken
[Code payment] PayPay / d payment / auPAY
Kabira Bay is visited by many people. Sometimes the parking lot is full and you can't find a place to park. In such cases, parking on the road, even if it is a wide road, can cause problems for large tourist buses, and lead to trouble for local residents. To have a good time, please do not park on the road and follow traffic rules!
The nearest bus stop, Kabira Park, can be reached by bus, mainly on the Kabira Resort Line (Route 9), but also on buses heading towards Kabira and Yoshiwara (Route 7) and Kabira and Maibara (Routes ②, ⑧, and 11). There are about 10 round trips per day. Route 11 Maibara Campground Line, departing at 12:15 and 15:00, is the only route that goes directly from the airport to Kabira.
▽For the latest information, please visit the Azuma Bus website
http://www.azumabus.co.jp/
About 4,500 yen from the airport
About 4,000 yen from the remote island port terminal
When going from Kabira Bay to the city center, there are few taxis on standby, so it may be a good idea to request one by phone or ask for a round-trip taxi instead of a one-way one.
Right in front of the second parking lot is a charging station for the electric bike service "GO SHARE."
In the morning, when the sun is not yet directly overhead, the surface of the water appears soft and gentle.
10:30 am / photo by @nemu__uizz
When talking about Kabira Park, the first thing that everyone visits is the observation deck that offers a panoramic view of the bay. On the left you can see the white sandy beach and the glass-bottom boat dock, and in front of you the small islands that are characteristic of Kabira Bay, and on the right you can see the black stones dotting the pads where black lipped oysters are cultivated, the only ones in Kabira Bay. Black lipped oysters are known for producing beautiful black pearls, and Kabira Bay was also the first place in the world where black lipped oysters were successfully cultivated.
Kabira Village is considered to be one of the oldest areas on Ishigaki Island. Nakama Mitsukeima is a hero who is said to have once lived in the village. His descendants erected a monument to his birth in a park overlooking Kabira Bay. On the back of the monument are written the lyrics of an ancient song called "Washinu Yunta," written by Nakama Sakai, who is believed to be his mother.
Amidst the hustle and bustle of people, Kabira Kannon-do is a place where tranquility seems like another world.
9:30 am / @akito_aizato
The Kannon Hall, a wooden building at the top of a flight of stone steps, is an ancient temple said to have been built in the 17th century.
The beginning of Kannon-do
It is said that in the past, ships from various countries across the sea would dock at Kabira Bay. One day, a monk from a temple on Okinawa's main island disembarked from a ship anchored in the bay, but unfortunately missed the departure. As he watched the ship drift away, he prayed for a headwind to occur so that the ship would return to Kabira Bay. The wind immediately changed direction, and the ship returned as prayed, allowing the monk to safely board the ship and return to the temple. Several years later, the monk, now an even more accomplished monk, never forgetting his experience, returned to the island with an incense burner and a vase, and legend has it that he built a Kannon hall on the spot where he had once prayed facing the sea.
Anyone can enter the Kannon Hall and pray. Why not come and pray for a safe journey at Kabira Kannon Hall, located in a position overlooking Kabira Bay?
There are two restrooms in the park and three in the community facilities near Kabira Bay.
There are two restrooms in the park and three in the community facilities near Kabira Bay.
There are also restaurants and shops scattered throughout Kabira Park. Many locals have a routine of "When I visit Kabira Bay, I always eat this!" Here are some of the delicious foods you can eat in Kabira Park.
Yaeyama Soba is the soul food of Yaeyama. There are several restaurants around Kabira Bay where you can eat Yaeyama Soba. The soup and ingredients vary slightly depending on the restaurant, so be sure to find your favorite.
If you're feeling a bit hungry after walking around Kabira Park, we recommend trying sata andagi. The salted sata andagi is especially popular, with as many as 1,500 sold in a single day! You can eat it right away, piping hot, fresh from the frying pan. It also makes a great souvenir.
You can also enjoy Ishigaki beef kebab sandwiches and a variety of other foods from food trucks that visit daily.
For dessert after your meal, there are delicious shaved ice and other sweets, including Blue Seal Ice Cream, a famous Okinawan ice cream brand, which you can enjoy while looking out over Kabira Bay.
*There are no trash cans within Kabira Bay, so please be sure to dispose of your trash at the store you visit.
Shops, restaurants, and glass-bottom boat ticket offices within Kabira Scenic Park sell island sandals, which are convenient for enjoying the sea, as well as souvenirs from the island. Some items are only available at Kabira Bay, so be sure to check them out thoroughly.
When you step onto the sandy beach, you can take photos with the beautiful ocean as a backdrop.
3:00 pm / @kei_ishigaki_okinawa
Kabira Bay has a deep water depth and fast currents, so you can walk along the shoreline.No swimmingFor this reason, activities such as SUP and kayaking are prohibited within Kabira Park. However, you may be curious to see what kind of world is under this beautiful ocean. If you are curious, we recommend you try the glass-bottom boat.
The bottom of a glass-bottom boat is made of glass, allowing you to see the underwater world as if you were swimming. You won't get wet, so you don't need a swimsuit or towel. Anyone, from small children to adults, can board the boat.
Board a boat anchored on the sandy beach and set sail for Kabira Bay! You'll encounter large corals that have taken hundreds of years to grow, colorful fish, sea snakes, and sea turtles.
There are several companies that operate glass-bottom boats in Kabira Bay, all costing 1,300 yen for adults and 650 yen for children. The trip takes about 30 minutes. Trips depart every 15 to 20 minutes, so no reservations are necessary and you can purchase tickets at the boarding information desk in the Kabira Community Facility, located right next to the parking lot. For a smoother experience, it's best to complete the boarding procedures before stepping off at the beach.
The green acts as a frame, making the sky with clouds look like a painting.
11:30 am / @chikasooooon.photo
Within Kabira Scenic Park, there are many nature-rich walking paths where you can stroll leisurely under the shade of the trees. Depending on the spot, the view of Kabira Bay shining beyond the trees changes, and this is another enjoyable aspect of the park.
We will introduce you to some strange scenery in Kabira Scenic Park. Please try and find it.
In one place, there is a manta ray made from a banyan tree. The manta ray is always beautifully shaped and is a very popular photo spot for children.
The wave pattern is clearly visible.
@fill.toyo
The water is so clear that you can take pictures of the mysterious shadow patterns of the waves. Swimming is prohibited, but if you look at the shoreline, you can see the fish.
In one area of the park, there are shisa statues scattered around that can be used as chairs to sit on. They have been there for decades and have been watching over Kabira Bay for a long time.
There are several roads that lead to Kabira Bay, including a tunnel that will make you want to run out onto the sandy beach.
Kabira Bay looks like a scene from a movie. A special seat.
@ryo0913
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