Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 12
THE YAEYAMA ISLANDS 沖縄諸島
Idyllic beaches, fascinating nature
1 Ishigakijima 石垣島
2 Taketomijima 竹富島
3 Hamajima 浜島
4 Kayamajima 嘉弥真島
5 Kohamajima 小浜島
6 Kuroshima 黒島
7 Aragusukujima 新城島
8 Hatomajima 鳩間島
9 Iriomotejima 西表島
10 Haterumajima 波照間島
11 Nakanouganjima 仲ノ御神島
12 Yonagunijima 与那国島
Beginning approximately 75 miles (120 kilometers) southwest of Miyakojima and the Miyako
Islands, and very different from them, are the Yaeyama Islands ( 八重山諸島 ; Yaéyama-shotō),
the most southerly island group in the Ryukyus and in Japan. They are different because the
Yaeyamas are volcanic in origin, not coral-based as are the Miyakos. They contain mountains
with heavily forested areas, completely unlike the flat coral islands of the Miyako chain. The
word Yaeyama (pronounced with four syllables) means “Eightfold Mountains” and refers to
their peaks visible from far away at sea.
As a group, the Yaeyama archipelago is quite diverse and spreads out over more than 20
islands and islets. From the most eastern point on the northern shore of Ishigaki to the most
western point on Yonaguni, it's 88 miles (140 kilometers). From the most northern point on
Ishigaki to the southern end of Hateruma, it's 51 (82 kilometers). Altogether, the surface area
of all the Yaeyama Islands combined equals approximately 224 square miles (581 square kilo-
meters). The chain includes two fairly large islands, Ishigaki and Iriomote, which together ac-
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