Major city · Japan
Miyako, Okinawa宮古島
Go for 3 nights if you want beaches and diving; skip if you want sightseeing, nightlife or car-free travel — you need a rental car here.
Miyako is a flat coral island of white sand and clear water, 50,000 residents and almost no sights. The point is the sea: snorkelling, diving and long empty beaches on Miyako plus the connected islands of Ikema and Kurima. Buses run every couple of hours, so a rental car is the difference between a good trip and a wasted one. Three nights is the working minimum; five is better.
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- JPY
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Oct–Nov
- avoid Jul–Sep (typhoon season, hottest water and air), Golden Week
- Airports
- MMY · SHI
- Nights
- 3–5
Rules in force · 5
- East Asia ↗Every border in East Asia is a full international border, Hong Kong and Macau included: an entry permission for one never covers the next.
- East Asia ↗Ferries between Korea, Japan and China cancel in rough seas and typhoons; keep a flight or a spare day behind every sea leg.
- Japan ↗IC cards (ICOCA/Suica) are topped up with cash at station machines.
- Japan ↗Smoking while walking is banned in most city centres; use designated areas.
- Japan ↗Shinkansen bags 160–250 cm (L+W+H) need a seat reserved with the oversized-baggage area.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Miyako, Okinawa110 ▾
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Miyako, Okinawa, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.Japan-wide
- SIM or eSIMData-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.Japan-wide
- Tap waterSafe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.Japan-wide
- TippingRestaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.Japan-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets A/B. US/Canada (A/B): fits · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 100 V: UK and AU 230 V-only devices need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.Japan-wide
- SafetyVery low crime; the real risks are the sea, the sun and the roads.
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsFree, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet.Japan-wide
- Emergency numbers110 police · 119 fire and ambulance (not 911, 999 or 000)
- Sundays & holidaysMuseums close on Mondays (Tuesday when Monday is a holiday); many family restaurants close one weekday, often Tuesday or Wednesday…Japan-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportMMY Miyako Airport (Direct flights to Tokyo Haneda, Naha and Ishigaki on JTA and ANA; many trips connect through Naha.).
- Getting aroundRental car is the default: agencies at the airport charge from about ¥5,000 (≈ US$35) per day…
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- Coffee¥400–600 (≈ US$3–5)
- BeerOrion beer: can at a supermarket / draught in a bar¥250–350 (≈ US$2–3)¥500–700 (≈ US$4–5)
- Taxi, about 5 km (3 mi)Taxi, about 3 mi (5 km)Taxi, Hirara to MaehamaArrange the return.about ¥2,000 (≈ US$14)
- Budget bedGuesthouse dorm bed, a night, per person¥2,500 (≈ US$17)
- Mid-range bedGuesthouse private room, a night, per room¥8,000 (≈ US$55)
- High-end bedGuesthouse private room, a night, per room¥12,000 (≈ US$85)
A day, not counting the bed: Budget ¥8,000 (≈ US$55) · Mid ¥15,000 (≈ US$110) · High ¥28,000 (≈ US$190)
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- MMY Miyako Airport (Direct flights to Tokyo Haneda, Naha and Ishigaki on JTA and ANA; many trips connect through Naha.) · SHI Shimojishima Airport (On Irabu island, about a 25-min drive away; used by low-cost carriers.)
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
not flagged
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
Feb
not flagged
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
Mar
not flagged
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
Apr
Best
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
May
Best
27°C (81°F)81°F (27°C)
Jun
Best
30°C (86°F)86°F (30°C)
Jul
Avoid
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
Aug
Avoid
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
Sep
Avoid
30°C (86°F)86°F (30°C)
Oct
Best
28°C (82°F)82°F (28°C)
Nov
Best
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
Dec
not flagged
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
Best: Apr–Jun, Oct–Nov. Avoid: Jul–Sep. Month by month →
Warmest Jul (32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)), coolest Jan (15°C (59°F)59°F (15°C) low), wettest Jan (12 rain days), driest Oct (9). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
Miyako, Okinawa: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
15°C (59°F)59°F (15°C)
12 rd
Feb
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
15°C (59°F)59°F (15°C)
11 rd
Mar
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
12 rd
Apr
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
11 rd
May
27°C (81°F)81°F (27°C)
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
12 rd
Jun
30°C (86°F)86°F (30°C)
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
11 rd
Jul
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
27°C (81°F)81°F (27°C)
10 rd
Aug
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
26°C (79°F)79°F (26°C)
12 rd
Sep
30°C (86°F)86°F (30°C)
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
11 rd
Oct
28°C (82°F)82°F (28°C)
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
9 rd
Nov
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
9 rd
Dec
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
10 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
Rental car is the default: agencies at the airport charge from about ¥5,000 per day, and you need an International Driving Permit plus your home licence. Scooters (50cc, about ¥2,000/day) and bicycles (about ¥1,500/day) are cheaper but slow in heat and rain. Buses are cheap (max about ¥500 one way) but run every couple of hours. Taxis work for one fixed run, e.g. Hirara to Maehama about ¥2,000; arrange the return.
Nearest full guides
Straight-line distance, not travel time
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Ikema Island
goDoor to door: About 40 min
Drive Route 83 north over the Ikema bridge, about 30 min from Hirara
Sunayama viewpoint for the photo, then the small beaches a kilometre further on; no signs, park where cars are parked.
Kurima Island
goDoor to door: About 30 min
Drive west over the Kurima bridge, about 20 min from Hirara
Tako beach via a 10-min stone path, and Nagamahama; lunch at the hilltop place on the right after the bridge.
Shigira and southern coast
goDoor to door: About 30 min
Drive Route 235 south from Hirara
Sheltered cove, good when the wind is up or with children; manicured but open to the public.
Tarama
overnightDoor to door: About 1 h with airport time
Island-hopper flight from Miyako Airport
Small island with its own beaches; better as a night than a same-day return.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Hirara
Main town: shops, izakayas, supermarkets and most guesthouses. No beach at the door, but the practical base without a car.
Maehama / Yonaha
Next to the island's best-known beach; guesthouses and kite schools. Needs a car or scooter for everything else.
Shigira
Resort strip in the south with manicured beach and hotel facilities; highest prices, everything on site.
Ikema and Kurima
Quiet guesthouses and small pensions on the connected islands; a car is essential.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- ¥8,000–13,000 (≈ US$55–90) excl. bed
- Mid
- ¥13,000–22,000 (≈ US$90–150) excl. bed
- High
- ¥22,000 (≈ US$150)+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Guesthouse private room1 × 3 nights × ¥8,000 | ¥24,000 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 3 days × ¥15,000 | ¥90,000 |
| Rental car, one day1 × ¥5,000 · check; airport agencies from about ¥5,000, local operators less | ¥5,000 |
| Fuel for a day of island driving1 × ¥1,000 · check | ¥1,000 |
| Two guided dives2 × ¥15,000 · check; boat dives cost more | ¥30,000 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × ¥2,500 | ¥5,000 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | ¥15,500 |
| Trip total≈ ¥28,420 per person per day, bed included | ¥170,500≈ US$1,200 |
2026 estimate in yen; flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Miyako soba (bowl) | ¥500–900 (≈ US$4–7) |
| Coffee | ¥400–600 (≈ US$3–5) |
| Orion beer: can at a supermarket / draught in a bar | ¥250–350 (≈ US$2–3) / ¥500–700 (≈ US$4–5) |
| Awamori, bottle at a shopAged kuusu costs more. | ¥1,500–3,000 (≈ US$11–25) |
| Taxi, Hirara to MaehamaArrange the return. | about ¥2,000 (≈ US$14) |
| Beach parking at some beachescheck | ¥500 (≈ US$4) |
| Rental car, one daycheck; IDP required | from ¥5,000 (≈ US$35) |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- Typhoons: Jul–Sep can close flights and ferries for a day or more. Keep a buffer day before an onward international flight.
- Strong currents at some beaches, including near Block and the rocky points; ask locally before swimming.
- No scheduled ferries from outside the Miyako Islands as of 2024: check current sailings before planning an island hop.
- Drink-driving is treated seriously; use the local daiko service (a sober driver takes you and your car home) for about ¥2,000 (≈ US$14).
- Sun and heat: reef shallows give little shade; rash guards and water shoes help.
Emergency numbers
- Police
- 110
- Fire and ambulance
- 119
Pocket card
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Miyako, Okinawa宮古島
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
ここまでお願いしますTo this address, please
Emergency
- Police110
- Fire and ambulance119
Embassy
No embassies on Miyako; the US consulate-general is in Naha, and most other countries keep embassies in Tokyo.
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Taxi Hirara → Maehama: about ¥2,000 (≈ US$14) (check)
- Bus, longest island run: max about ¥500 (≈ US$4) (check)
- Rental car, one day: from about ¥5,000 (≈ US$35) (check); IDP required
Say or show
- すみません — Excuse me / Sorry (sumimasen)
- ありがとうございます — Thank you (arigatō gozaimasu)
- いくらですか？ — How much is it? (ikura desu ka)
- ビーチはどこですか？ — Where is the beach? (bīchi wa doko desu ka)
- カードで払えますか？ — Can I pay by card? (kādo de haraemasu ka)
- レンタカーです — I have a rental car (rentakā desu)
Cash is still useful at small beaches and guesthouses; carry some yen.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Miyako, Okinawa. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Apr–Jun, Oct–Nov · avoid Jul–Sep (typhoon season, hottest water and air), Golden Week · month by month →
- 2 airports and 4 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 4 day-trips, door to door
- 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Airport-to-bed contract for MMY: last flight banks from Haneda and Naha, taxi fallback, Hirara hotel rung.
- Four driving clusters with rescue anchors: Hirara town, Maehama and Yonaha, Ikema, Kurima and Shigira.
- Place pages with verified access and parking notes for Maehama, Sunayama, Aragusuku, Tako and Nagamahama.
- Typhoon and hostile-arrival fixtures so gates A–D can go green.