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-