Island, Observatory and Horses
-
Port
Miyakojima (Hirara), Miyako, Japan
-
Activity Level
Moderate Activity
-
Excursion Type
All
-
Wheelchair Accessible
No
-
Starting At (prices in USD)
$270
-
Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
-
Duration
Approximately 4½ Hours
-
Meals Included
Meals not included
A full-day adventure awaits when you board your motorcoach and set off to discover the highlights of both Irabu Island and the Miyakojima City Traditional Crafts Center.
Your coach crosses the Irabu Bridge – the longest toll-free bridge in Japan, spanning 4,310 meters.
Once on Irabu Island, proceed to the Irabuohashi Bridge Seaside Station, located right after the bridge. You’ll enjoy the views from observatory as well as local food and souvenirs at there.
Continue to Toriike Pond, a designated Okinawa Natural Monument created by two saltwater ponds.
Then head to Maehama Beach. Stretching out for 4½ miles, this is one of the Japan's favorite beaches, and the contrast of the white sand and the emerald-green water is truly beautiful.
After the beach, you will move on to Maipari Miyakojima Island Tropical Fruit Park. While there, you can interact with Miyako horses and get to know them, an essential part of life on Miyako Island. You can also experience Old-fashioned sugar cane squeezing by Miyako horse. The Miyako horse is a small-sized horse, with a height of about 120cm, and have gentle characters. It is unknown where they were brought here from, but over its long history, they were used for farming (especially sugarcane farming) and other tasks.
With changes toward the promotion of streamlining in farm work and others, as well as with the modernizing of farming equipment and rationalization of transportation measures, the population of the Miyako horse has rapidly decreased. To meet these challenges, the Miyako horse Preservation Society was established to address issues such as increasing the number of these horses.
Then, the tour concludes with a stop at the Miyakojima City Traditional Crafts Center, where you will learn about traditional high-quality hemp cloth called Miyakojima jofu.
Transfer back to the ship after your tour.
Please Note:
Participants must negotiate unpaved and uneven ground. Not advisable for guests with mobility limitations. Wear comfortable, sturdy walking shoes. At Miyakojima City Traditional Crafts Center, the weaver is not available on Sunday. Please bring sunscreen, hat or sun glasses. Bring local currency (yen) for additional purchases. No guarantee is offered with regard to visibility or views on any particular day, as weather and atmospheric conditions vary and are beyond the tour operator’s control. Tour order may vary.