Shiraho Coast on Ishigaki Island has one of the world's best coral reefs!! What is the 'Shiraho Sunday Market'?
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🌺What you'll learn in this article🌺
・What is Shiraho Coast?
・How can you enjoy Shiraho Coast?
・What is the Shiraho Sunday Market?
・How do you get to Shiraho Coast?
What kind of place is Shiraho Coast?
It's a world-class diving spot where you can see a 'blue coral colony' that is said to be one of the largest in the Northern Hemisphere!!
At first glance, Shiraho Coast looks like an ordinary, beautiful Okinawan beach.
If you drive by without knowing anything, you might just think,“It’s a pretty nice beach,”and pass right by (._.)
However,【if you peek under the water, a world just like the Dragon Palace awaits】spreads out before you!!
A【natural white sandy beach】stretches for about 10 km.
If you take a leisurely stroll along the coast, you can see coral fragments scattered everywhere (^o^) / Looking around at the coral pieces and seashells is sure to be fun too♪
It is a beach that looks like it has been paved with coral and other materials.
The greatest appeal of Shiraho Coast is, above all, the rare blue coral!!
In addition to blue coral,【Montipora coral, Porites coral, and Acropora coral】and over 70 other types of coral live here, making it a【popular spot visited by many tourists from both Japan and abroad】(*’▽’)
How can you enjoy Shiraho Coast?
Since it is a place where you can see a lot of coral, the best ways are【snorkeling and diving】(*’▽’)
【The coastline is not particularly developed】so it is not suitable for swimming!
The area where you can see the large colonies of blue coral is 500m to 1km away from the sandy beach.
Swimming out there is extremely dangerous. 【Many marine accidents occur on Ishigaki Island in waters that are not maintained and have no lifeguards】(._.)
If you want to see the blue coral, please use a snorkeling tour or similar service to enjoy this wonderful sea safely♪
There is also a popular tour where you go to the blue coral spot by kayak and then [dive from the kayak to enjoy snorkeling] (lol)
Don't you think that's wild? I'd like to try it too (^o^) /
The price for a snorkeling tour is [around 6,000 yen for one adult and around 5,000 yen for a child (12 years old and under), including rental fees]
Please check the websites of the shops that offer tours and choose the plan that suits you best♪
■Snorkeling Tour Shops■
・Shiraho Snorkeling Tour | SEATOP Ishigaki Island
・Snorkeling Tour Information | Blue Coral in Shiraho, Ishigaki Island
You can see many sea creatures at low tide♪
Another way to enjoy Shiraho Coast is that [at low tide, a path called a watanji appears].
Even if you don't go into the water, it's recommended because you can see sea creatures up close! You can see fish, shellfish, coral, starfish, and more♪
When walking, [beach sandals are dangerous, so be sure to wear safe shoes or wet boots].
Why don't you all enjoy Shiraho Coast while walking on the watanji? (^^)
What is Shiraho Coral Village?
In the spring of 2000, to preserve the coral reefs of Shiraho, Ishigaki Island, the WWF established the WWF Coral Reef Conservation and Research Center "Shiraho Coral Village" (^o^) /
There was a time when [the Shiraho Coast, where world-class blue coral colonies can be seen, and the coral reefs of Ishigaki Island's sea continued to bleach and die out] (._.)
Causes include outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish, red soil runoff during development, and rising seawater temperatures, which are thought to be linked to global warming.
To protect the coral reefs from this critical situation, the 'Shiraho Coral Village' is currently working with local people in Shiraho to carry out activities related to research, public awareness, and environmental conservation to promote sustainable community development ('ω’)ノ
I think it will be even more meaningful if you learn about the past and present situation of the coral reefs before actually seeing them at Shiraho, so please feel free to visit.
And if you agree with these activities, please consider making a donation.
The location of Shiraho Coral Village is easy to find if you look at Google Maps (^^)
About a 5-minute walk or a 2-minute drive from Shiraho Coast.
◆Basic Information for Shiraho Coral Village◆
Address: 118 Shiraho, Ishigaki City
Phone: 0980-84-4135
Opening hours: Mondays and Thursdays, 1:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Admission fee: 100 yen
Parking: Available
Website: Coral Reef Conservation and Research Center 'Shiraho Coral Village' | WWF Japan
What is the Shiraho Sunday Market?
【Held every Sunday on the grounds of Shiraho Coral Village】 ('ω’)ノ
It is a flea market-style event where 【freshly harvested island vegetables and special local products perfect for souvenirs】 are lined up♪
Many of the products are sold directly by the producers, and 【there are many items you can buy at better prices than in the city or at the airport】 (*’▽’)
A great point is that there is a roof, so you can enjoy walking around even on rainy days, and chairs are provided so you can eat and drink what you have bought♪
You're curious, aren't you? It's definitely Instagram-worthy.
I want to try it too!! Hibiscus nectar is certainly sweet, isn't it (lol).
It's also great that they hold live performances of traditional dances and folk songs for tourists.
A portion of the Sunday Market's sales is used for the activities of "Natsuhana," an NPO working on community development, such as preserving and passing on the traditional culture and natural environment of the Shiraho village, as well as regional revitalization.
I would be happy if you all bought a lot and contributed to their charity work as well.
The Sunday Market is held every Sunday at "Shiraho Coral Village" from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
Many items sell out quickly, so I recommend going as early as possible.
*It seems that it may be canceled due to various circumstances, so please check the Facebook page below!
(20+) Shiraho Sunday Market | Facebook
How to get to Shiraho Coast and basic information
✅ About 10 minutes by car from Ishigaki Airport, and about 25 minutes from Ishigaki city center.
Location: Shiraho, Ishigaki City, Okinawa Prefecture
Parking: Available, 6 spaces (be careful as it is narrow)
Restrooms: Available at "Shiraho Coast Pier Gazebo and Restrooms"
I recommend going to Shiraho Coast by car (^^)/
The location is easy to understand if you look at the Google Map below.
🚌 If traveling by local bus 🚌
From the Ishigaki Bus Terminal in Misakicho, you can get there by [taking routes 2, 3, 5, 6, or 8 and getting off at 'Shiraho Elementary School' → about an 8-minute walk].
While each route has 1 to 3 buses running, the intervals are long at 2 to 3 hours, so it is not highly recommended.
Azuma Transport Co., Ltd. ← Check routes and timetables on their website ♪
Summary
In this post, I introduced the "Shiraho Coast", home to a massive colony of blue coral that Ishigaki Island is proud to share with the world.
Why not enjoy the sea, where the largest colony of blue coral in the Northern Hemisphere grows, by joining a snorkel tour? ('ω’)ノ
Swimming out to the open sea is extremely dangerous, so please absolutely do not do it.
Even if you don't go into the water, the [Watanji/Sunday Market] is a great way to enjoy the area on foot, and I highly recommend it ♪
I would be happy if as many people as possible could learn about the wonderful sea of Shiraho!
Thank you all for reading until the end, Niifaiyu~ (^^)/~~~🎶 (Yaeyama dialect: Thank you)