National Parks · Okinawa
Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park
西表石垣国立公園いりおもていしがきこくりつこうえんIriomote-Ishigaki Kokuritsu KōenMangrove rivers, a wild cat and Japan's greatest reef
Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park is Japan's southernmost national park, covering the jungle-clad island of Iriomote, parts of Ishigaki and Sekisei Shōko, the largest coral reef in Japan. Designated as Iriomote National Park on 15 May 1972, the day Okinawa returned to Japan, it took its present name in 2007.
Overview
Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park lies in the Yaeyama Islands at the south-western end of the Japanese archipelago, closer to Taiwan than to Okinawa Island. Its core is Iriomote, the second-largest island in Okinawa Prefecture and almost entirely covered by subtropical forest, cut by rivers lined with the most extensive mangroves in Japan. Between Iriomote and Ishigaki stretches Sekisei Shōko, the largest coral reef in the country, and on Ishigaki the park takes in Omoto-dake, the highest mountain in Okinawa Prefecture, Kabira Bay and the wetland of Nagura Amparu.
Iriomote was designated a national park on 15 May 1972, the day Okinawa reverted from US administration to Japan. In 2007 parts of Ishigaki were added and the park was renamed Iriomote-Ishigaki. In 2018 it became Japan's first International Dark Sky Park, and in 2021 Iriomote was inscribed as part of a natural World Heritage Site.
Iriomote is famous above all for the Iriomote cat, a small wild cat unknown to science until 1965 and found nowhere else on earth.
Landscape and formation
Iriomote is a rugged island of sandstone and older rocks with steep, forested hills rising to around 470 m and many rivers, including the Urauchi River, the longest in Okinawa Prefecture. Waterfalls such as Pinaisāra, the tallest in the prefecture, and Mariyudu and Kanpire on the Urauchi, drop over sandstone ledges. At the river mouths, tidal mangrove forests fill broad estuaries, most extensively on the Nakama River.
Sekisei Shōko, the reef lagoon between Iriomote and Ishigaki, measures some 20 km by 15 km and is dotted with low coral islands, including Taketomi, Kohama and Kuroshima. Ishigaki, by contrast, has granite and metamorphic mountains in the centre and north, with Omoto-dake (526 m) at their heart, and the enclosed, emerald waters of Kabira Bay on its north-west coast.
Highlights
Urauchi River
浦内川Urauchi-gawaThe longest river in Okinawa, navigable by boat through mangroves to the trail to the Mariyudu and Kanpire waterfalls.
Nakama River mangroves
仲間川Nakama-gawaThe largest mangrove forest in Japan, lining the lower Nakama River in southern Iriomote.
Pinaisāra Falls
ピナイサーラの滝Pinaisāra no TakiThe tallest waterfall in Okinawa Prefecture, reached by kayak and forest trail.
Sekisei Shōko
石西礁湖Sekisei ShōkoJapan's largest coral reef, a lagoon between Ishigaki and Iriomote with hundreds of coral species.
- 竹富島Taketomi-jima
A small coral island in the reef lagoon with a preserved village of red-tiled houses and sandy lanes.
- 川平湾Kabira-wan
An emerald bay with small islets on Ishigaki, a nationally designated Place of Scenic Beauty.
Omoto-dake
於茂登岳Omoto-dakeThe highest mountain in Okinawa Prefecture (526 m), a forested peak in the centre of Ishigaki.
Nature
Ecology
The Yaeyama Islands mark the northern edge of the tropics in Japan. Iriomote's forests, mangroves and reefs harbour many species found nowhere else, having been separated from Taiwan and the continent for long periods. The island has no introduced mongooses, and its top predators are the Iriomote cat and the crested serpent eagle. Road traffic is the main direct threat to the cat, and speed limits and underpasses aim to reduce collisions.
Flora
Mangroves
ヤエヤマヒルギyaeyama hirugiOne of seven mangrove species on Iriomote, with stilt roots, forming thick stands on river banks.
Nipa palm
ニッパヤシnippa yashiA mangrove palm that reaches the northern limit of its range on Iriomote; a natural monument.
Yaeyama palm
ヤエヤマヤシyaeyama yashiA tall palm endemic to Ishigaki and Iriomote, growing in groves in moist valleys.
Fauna
Iriomote cat
イリオモテヤマネコIriomote yamanekoA small wild cat living only on Iriomote, one of the rarest cats in the world; a special natural monument.
Crested serpent eagle
カンムリワシkanmuriwashiA raptor of Ishigaki and Iriomote, often seen perched on roadside poles; a special natural monument.
Yaeyama flying fox
ヤエヤマオオコウモリyaeyama ōkōmoriA fruit bat seen at dusk feeding in fig and fruit trees.
Reef corals
サンゴsangoSeveral hundred species form the reefs of Sekisei Shōko, among the most diverse in Japan.
Culture
The Yaeyama Islands developed a distinct culture within the Ryukyu world, with their own language, songs and village rituals. Taketomi's village of stone walls, red-tiled roofs and coral-sand lanes is protected as a historic townscape, and the Shitsu festival of Sonai on Iriomote is an important intangible folk cultural property. Settlement on Iriomote was long held back by malaria, and parts of the island were worked for coal from the late 19th century into the 20th; the ruins of the Utara mine have returned to forest.
Kabira Bay on Ishigaki was the site of pioneering black pearl culture. The Ishigaki skies, among the darkest in Japan, and Iriomote's status as a Dark Sky Park make the islands a place for stargazing.
- 竹富島の集落Taketomi-jima no shūraku
A preserved Ryukyuan village of stone walls and red-tiled roofs, explored on foot, by bicycle or water-buffalo cart.
Yubu-jima
由布島Yubu-jimaA tiny island off eastern Iriomote reached across the shallows by water-buffalo cart.
Shitsu festival of Sonai
節祭ShitsuA festival marking the turn of the year in the old calendar, with boat races and processions in the village of Sonai.
Utara coal mine ruins
宇多良炭坑跡Utara Tankō-atoRemains of a coal mining settlement on the Urauchi River, overgrown by banyans.
History
late 19th–mid 20th century
Coal is mined on Iriomote, largely by contract labourers under harsh conditions.
1965
The Iriomote cat is discovered; it is scientifically described two years later.
1972
Iriomote National Park is designated on 15 May, the day Okinawa returns to Japan.
2005
The mangrove wetland of Nagura Amparu on Ishigaki is listed as a Ramsar site.
2007
Parts of Ishigaki are added and the park is renamed Iriomote-Ishigaki.
2018
The park becomes Japan's first International Dark Sky Park.
2021
Iriomote is inscribed on the World Heritage List with Amami-Ōshima, Tokunoshima and northern Okinawa.
Through the seasons
Spring
Warm from March; reef life is active, the Southern Cross appears low in the southern sky late at night, and the rainy season arrives in May.
Summer
Hot and humid, with strong sun and calm seas between typhoons; the best months for diving the reefs and kayaking the rivers. Coral spawning takes place in early summer.
Autumn
Typhoons are most frequent in August and September; later the weather becomes drier and very pleasant.
Winter
Mild, with north winds and more cloud; clear nights between weather fronts are good for stargazing.
Routes and trails
Urauchi River to Kanpire Falls
A boat up the Urauchi River followed by a jungle trail to the Mariyudu viewpoint and Kanpire Falls.
Pinaisāra by kayak
Guided kayak trips up the mangrove river from Funaura Bay, then a trail to the foot or the top of the falls.
Nakama River cruise
Boats run upstream through the mangrove forest to a giant sakishima-suō tree with buttress roots.
Sekisei Shōko snorkelling
Boat trips from Ishigaki to reef sites in the lagoon, often combined with manta ray sites off Kabira and Iriomote.
Practical notes
- Ishigaki Airport has direct flights from Tokyo, Osaka, Naha and other cities; fast ferries run from Ishigaki to Iriomote's Ōhara and Uehara ports in about 40 to 50 minutes and to Taketomi in about 15 minutes.
- Some rivers and forest areas of Iriomote are subject to visitor limits or require a registered guide under the island's ecotourism rules; check the Ministry of the Environment and Taketomi Town.
- Drive slowly on Iriomote, especially at night, to avoid hitting Iriomote cats; report sightings.
- The Sakishima habu, a venomous snake, lives in the forest; stay on trails and use a torch after dark.
Frequently asked questions
Can I see an Iriomote cat?
Sightings are rare, as the cats are nocturnal and shy. The Iriomote Wildlife Conservation Center near Kōmi explains their ecology.
What is the largest coral reef in Japan?
Sekisei Shōko, the reef lagoon between Ishigaki and Iriomote, which lies within this national park.
When was the park designated?
As Iriomote National Park on 15 May 1972, the day Okinawa returned to Japan. It was renamed Iriomote-Ishigaki in 2007 when parts of Ishigaki were added.
Is Iriomote part of a World Heritage Site?
Yes. Since 2021 it has been part of the natural World Heritage Site with Amami-Ōshima, Tokunoshima and northern Okinawa.
Is the park good for stargazing?
Yes. In 2018 it became Japan's first International Dark Sky Park, and in spring the Southern Cross, invisible from most of Japan, can be seen low in the south.
Related
Sources
- 1.環境省_西表石垣国立公園 (opens in a new tab) — 環境省 (Ministry of the Environment)
- 2.環境省_国立公園_国立公園一覧 (opens in a new tab) — 環境省 (Ministry of the Environment)
- 3.Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, Northern part of Okinawa Island, and Iriomote Island (opens in a new tab) — UNESCO World Heritage Centre
- 4.National Parks of Japan (opens in a new tab) — Ministry of the Environment, Government of Japan