On Miyako, put the beaches and the bridges on different days.
With 2 nights: Yonaha on arrival day, Sunayama and Kurima the next day, and departure on the morning of the last day. With 4 nights: split the days into Yonaha, Irabu, Ikema and Cape Higashi-Hennazaki, then lunch in town before you leave.
Yonaha beach is about 7 km long, Cape Higashi-Hennazaki about 2 km, and Irabu Bridge, opened in 2015, is 3,540 m. Don't convert these figures into driving minutes. There is no railway.
Leave the cape and Irabu out of your departure day and pack the night before. Have lunch in town, and check your rental contract for which of the two airports you return to.
Visa and entry requirements for Japan
Whether you need a visa, how long you can stay and which pre-arrival forms apply all depend on your nationality and the purpose of your trip. Check the official source below, and your own government's travel advice, before you book.
- Visa information and exemptions (short-term stay) (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan)
- Visit Japan Web (online immigration and customs registration) (Digital Agency, Government of Japan)
- 2 nights: Yonaha, then Sunayama the next day
- 4 nights: Irabu, Ikema, the cape
- Irabu Bridge: Opened 2015, 3,540 m
Where should I go, and on which days?
2 nights: day one is the airport and Yonaha, day two Sunayama and Kurima, and departure on the morning of day three. 4 nights: day one Yonaha, day two Irabu Bridge, day three Ikema and Cape Higashi-Hennazaki, day four lunch in town and departure. Don't add Yonaha (about 15 minutes) and Sunayama (about 20 minutes) on the same day. Fit meals between moves: soba for lunch in town, Miyako beef for dinner when it is named on the menu (prices from the shop), and sea grapes and mozuku seaweed as side dishes before your meal.
There is no official ranking; choose a place that finishes before closing. Leave the cape out of your departure morning. View the Sunayama arch from outside the fence. Bridge lengths for Kurima and Ikema aren't given in the official information. Check jellyfish nets on site.
| Plan | Where |
|---|---|
| 2 nights, day 1 | Airport, Yonaha |
| 2 nights, day 2 | Sunayama, Kurima |
| 4 nights, day 2 | Irabu, 3,540 m |
| 4 nights, day 3 | Ikema, the cape (about 2 km) |
How do the airports and driving work?
Tell Miyako Airport and Shimojishima Airport apart. The Yonaha page gives about 15 minutes from Miyako Airport and about 35 minutes from Shimojishima Airport. Sunayama is about 20 minutes from Miyako Airport, according to a page dated 7 April 2026. Don't add these estimates together. Access times for Cape Higashi-Hennazaki date from 24 April 2018, so don't use them as today's times. For taxi fares, go by the meter.
Bus operators are Kyoei (0980-72-2414), Yachiyo (0980-72-0677), Kyowa (0980-78-5184) and Chuo Kotsu (098-851-4900). The transfer hub is behind the Hirara Port terminal (as of March 2015). The loop bus ran from 18 July 2025 to 28 February 2026 and has ended. To see Irabu, Ikema and Higashi-Hennazaki in one day, a rental car is the right choice; buses only reach beaches and islands on their routes.
How do I choose meals?
Choose soba by its thin noodles and pork broth, closing time, payment and a town-center lunch. Sea grapes are served cold as a side; if they are limp, switch to mozuku. Eat mozuku before your meal, and don't assume its season. Order Miyako beef for dinner only when the menu names it, going only by the shop's prices. There is no ranking of restaurants.
Follow the day's signs about swimming at Yonaha and the Sunayama arch; if there is a fence, view the arch from outside it. Don't plan a meal in the middle of a bridge drive. At cash-only places, follow the notice. Drivers shouldn't order drinks with dinner.
How should I plan my departure day?
Check in your rental contract whether you return the car at Miyako or Shimojishima airport. Check stay requirements for Japan and typhoon information before you travel. If signs on site or the timetable differ from this order, follow them.
Don't plan around ferry times, rainfall figures or fine amounts. For carrying food on board, check your airline's rules. Don't use times from old loop-bus leaflets. Check notices at cash-only kiosks the day before.
Before you leave for Miyako
- Check how you are splitting 2 or 4 nights
- Confirm Miyako or Shimojishima airport in your rental contract
- Check that the loop-bus period has ended
- Check typhoon information
Which plan suits my trip?
- 2 nights: Yonaha, then Sunayama and Kurima the next day, without Irabu.
- 4 nights: Irabu on day two, Ikema and Higashi-Hennazaki on day three.
- Renting a car: match the return airport to your contract and leave the cape out of your departure morning.
FAQ
Which day should I see Irabu?
On a 4-night trip, day two, with Ikema and Higashi-Hennazaki on day three. Leave it out of a 2-night trip.
Is there a railway?
No. The city transport plan says rental cars handle about 80% of tourist journeys.
How long is Irabu Bridge?
Japan’s Ministry of Finance publication says it opened in 2015, is 3,540 m long and is the longest toll-free bridge in Japan.
How do I fly there?
Miyako Airport (MMY) has domestic flights, including from Naha; check the airline timetable.
Sources
- Visa information and exemptions (short-term stay) · Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan · accessed 2026-10-30
- Visit Japan Web (online immigration and customs registration) · Digital Agency, Government of Japan · accessed 2026-10-30
- Yonaha Maehama Beach · Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau · accessed 2026-10-12
- Sunayama Beach · Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau · accessed 2026-10-12
- Miyako area guide · Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau · accessed 2026-10-12
- Miyako bridges (Finance magazine) · Ministry of Finance, Japan · accessed 2026-10-12
- City bus routes · Miyakojima City · accessed 2026-10-12
- Regional public transport plan · Miyakojima City · accessed 2026-10-12
- Loop bus period notice · Miyakojima City · accessed 2026-10-12
Information was checked against the official sources listed above. Opening hours, fees and fares can change; please confirm with the venue or operator before you visit.