Taketomi village townscape
竹富島重要伝統的建造物群保存地区24°20′ N 124°05′ EVillageSelected as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings in 1987; residents' charter adopted on 31 March 1986
The village on Taketomi Island off Ishigaki keeps its red-tiled houses behind coral-stone walls along white-sand lanes, and Japan selected it as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings in 1987. Its residents protect it under their own 1986 charter, which pledges not to sell, dirty, disturb or destroy the island.
Photo ajari · Flickr · CC BY 2.0 and others, credited in the gallery
Taketomi is a low, oval island raised from coral reef, and it lies about 6 km southwest of Ishigaki. Its three villages of Higashi, Nishi and Nakasuji sit near the middle, and they keep the look of an old farming settlement. Houses roofed in red tile stand behind walls of piled coral limestone and windbreaks of fukugi trees, and shisa sit on the roofs. White sand covers the lanes, with bedrock showing through here and there.
On 31 March 1986 the islanders adopted the Taketomi Island Charter. It sets out four principles, not to sell, not to dirty, not to disturb and not to destroy, and adds a fifth that asks them to make use of their culture and landscape as the island's resource. Its detailed rules call for buildings in the traditional style and garden walls of unworked coral stone. They also forbid swimsuits and bare skin away from the beach. The community revised the text in 2017 for its 30th anniversary and kept its spirit.
Japan selected the village as an Important Preservation District in 1987, and the town requires a permit for any change to a house or a wall. The biggest event of the year is the seed-sowing festival of Tanadui, which is an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property and runs over ten days in the ninth or tenth lunar month. Water-buffalo carts carry visitors through the lanes at walking pace while the driver plays the sanshin.
Visiting with care
The islanders wrote the Taketomi Island Charter themselves in 1986 to keep the village from being sold off or spoiled, and any change to a building or wall needs approval from the community hall and the town.
- Swimsuits and bare skin are not allowed in the village, outside the beaches; the residents' charter says so
- Walk or ride slowly on the white-sand lanes, and keep off the coral-stone walls (gukku), which are protected
- Stay out of house yards and gardens; every house in the district is a private home
- The Nagomi-no-to lookout tower has been closed to climbers since 17 September 2016
- Taketomi asks visitors to pay a voluntary island entry fee for conservation; the island page has the details
- Greet the people you pass in the lanes
- Ask before photographing people, houses or the inside of yards
- Keep your bike out of the way of the water-buffalo carts and the residents' vehicles
- During the Tanadui seed-sowing festival, watch the rites from where the islanders indicate
Worth knowing
- The village is about 5 minutes by car from Taketomi port, and most visitors rent bikes; the lanes are flat and sandy, so ride slowly.
- Bring a cover-up for the ride back from Kondoi beach; swimwear is out of place in the village.
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FAQ
Quick answers about Taketomi village townscapeよくある質問
What is the Taketomi Island Charter?
The Taketomi Island Charter is a set of rules the islanders adopted on 31 March 1986 to protect their village. Its principles are not to sell, not to dirty, not to disturb and not to destroy the island, plus making good use of its culture and landscape.
Can you wear a swimsuit in Taketomi village?
No. The Taketomi Island Charter forbids swimsuits and bare skin outside the beaches, so cover up before you ride into the village.
Why is Taketomi village protected?
Japan selected Taketomi village as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings in 1987 for its white-sand lanes lined with coral-stone walls and red-tiled houses. Any change to a building or wall needs a permit.
Can you visit Taketomi village townscape?
Open to visitors. Swimsuits and bare skin are not allowed in the village, outside the beaches; the residents' charter says so. Walk or ride slowly on the white-sand lanes, and keep off the coral-stone walls (gukku), which are protected. Stay out of house yards and gardens; every house in the district is a private home. The Nagomi-no-to lookout tower has been closed to climbers since 17 September 2016. Taketomi asks visitors to pay a voluntary island entry fee for conservation; the island page has the details.
How should you behave at Taketomi village townscape?
At Taketomi village townscape: Greet the people you pass in the lanes. Ask before photographing people, houses or the inside of yards. Keep your bike out of the way of the water-buffalo carts and the residents' vehicles. During the Tanadui seed-sowing festival, watch the rites from where the islanders indicate.
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