My name is Kishikoro and I live in Yonaguni.
Yonaguni is an even more remote island than the others. Even though it is part of the Yaeyama Islands, it is about 117km away from Ishigaki.
There are unique characteristics of such remote islands, and if you don't take care when traveling there, you may come to Yonaguni and end up starving to death.
After spending a year in Yonaguni, I've narrowed it down to three things that I think you should be careful of when traveling there, so please use this as a reference and enjoy your trip to Yonaguni.
Three things to be aware of when traveling to Yonaguni
Accommodation and rental cars will be booked
Be sure to make reservations for accommodation and rental cars before coming!
There are currently no hotels in Yonaguni (they are closed), but there are private lodgings and guesthouses scattered around, but it is really hard to get a reservation lol
Since Dr. Koto's new movie is released and winter is the peak season for diving, it can be extremely difficult to find accommodation once you arrive in Yonaguni.
Sleeping outdoors is prohibited and there are no campsites. Even if you want to go back, the planes are often full, so make sure you book a hotel and a rental car before you come.
There is a good chance that the gates will be open just before the break if you go on a motorbike, but Yonaguni gets a lot of rain in the winter, so it's not a good place to go on a motorbike.
Furthermore, the sun is so strong from spring to autumn that I don't recommend riding a motorcycle. It's not uncommon to be unable to find accommodation when traveling in Japan, but in Yonaguni it's the norm.
This is really the first thing you need to be careful about.
By the way, it is rarely listed on Rakuten Travel etc. (Even if it is listed, it is fully booked), so it is best to call and ask.
Beware of stormy weather in winter
Yonaguni often experiences severe storms in the winter.
The weather turns out to be very rough in the winter, when the plane is usually packed with divers, so many passengers move their planes to the rear.
If this happens, seats will shift back when the plane is already full, which could mean you can't fly for days.
By the way, in 2022, my flight from Ishigaki to Yonaguni was canceled, and the next four days were fully booked, so I ended up going to Yonaguni via Naha lol
It's rare for flights to be cancelled for an entire day, but it can happen, so please allow some leeway in your travel schedule. It's similar to the probability of flights being cancelled due to a storm in Hokkaido.
Also book meals
There are very few places to eat in Yonaguni.
Even on business days, there are no options but to close the shop if the sea or sky is rough and food cannot be delivered.
If a refrigerator breaks, it takes time to repair, so stores are often forced to close, and Google Maps is not very reliable.
Many restaurants do not take reservations for lunch, but try giving them a call.
By the way, make sure to make a reservation for the evening! If you just show up, you probably won't be able to get in.
Take measures against sunburn in summer
Sun protection is essential in the summer. Just 10 minutes outside can burn you to a crisp lol
Local people rarely go out during the day, and rarely go into the sea. Sunburn can be very dangerous, so please bring sunscreen, sunglasses, hats, etc. with you or purchase them in Yonaguni.
For information on the best season to visit Yonaguni, please see the article below.
summary
We have narrowed it down to three things you should be careful of when traveling to Yonaguni.
Especially lodging. There are really no vacancies, so I recommend you make a reservation at least one month in advance in winter.
Please enjoy Yonaguni.
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