Kohama-jima
小浜島Kumoo24°20′ N 123°59′ EYaeyama Islandssugar canehillsChurasan
Kohama-jima is a 7.9 km² island of about 800 people that lies 25 to 30 minutes by boat from Ishigaki, and it is known for cane-field lanes like the Sugar Road and for the view from 99 m Ufudaki over almost every island in Yaeyama. Hills make an e-bike or a car the easy way round.
Photo shig2006 · Flickr · CC BY 2.0 and others, credited in the gallery
Kohama is called the navel of Yaeyama, and from the top of Ufudaki at 99 m the town says you can see eight islands, and only Yonaguni stays out of sight. The island became famous across Japan in 2001 as the setting of the NHK morning drama Churasan, and the Sugar Road through the cane fields still draws people who remember it. The town register counted 802 residents at the end of August 2026, with 704 in Kohama village and 98 in Hosaki.
The village keeps many red-tiled houses and a strong festival life. The performing arts of Kohama's festivals, Tanadui among them, became Important Intangible Folk Cultural Properties in 2007. Hosaki fishing hamlet at the west tip faces Iriomote across a narrow channel, and Uminchu Park there has a lookout shaped like a manta.
Haimurubushi and Risonare Kohamajima are the island's two resorts, and Haimurubushi sends a shuttle to the port. On a bike the best hours go to the Sugar Road and to the banyan grove at Koki-baru, where trees about 300 years old wrap their roots over bare limestone and the town protects them as a natural monument.
Getting there
High-speed boats from Ishigaki's island terminal reach Kohama port in 25 to 30 minutes. Yaeyama Kanko Ferry and Anei Kanko both serve the route several times a day in the October 2026 to February 2027 timetables. Yaeyama Kanko Ferry's high-speed boats do not load bicycles.
Getting around
Kohama has hills, and the local rental firms steer visitors toward a car or a scooter. Kohama Sogo Annaijo, 50 m from the ferry, rents cars, scooters and bicycles, and Kohama Kanko rents cars by the hour. The village lies inland from the port, and Hosaki fishing hamlet sits at the far west end.
Riding on Kohama-jima
Kohama is full of short ups and downs, according to the local rental firms, and Ufudaki tops the island at 99 m. The Sugar Road runs straight through cane fields and served as the school route in the NHK drama Churasan; it gives the island's best riding, and the run out to Hosaki ends looking straight at Iriomote. An e-bike flattens the climbs.
Kohama Sogo Annaijo, 50 m from the ferry, rents bicycles, scooters and cars.
December to March
Kohama sits in the middle of the Yaeyama group with Iriomote close to the west, and its boats run on the October 2026 to February 2027 winter timetables. The north-north-east wind that JMA's normals give Ishigaki in winter blows across the cane fields, so the hill roads feel cool under cloud. At Hosaki the west shore looks across a narrow channel at Iriomote.
Worth knowing
- Ride the Sugar Road late in the day, when the cane fields catch the low sun and the road runs straight at the sea.
- Book dinner in the village ahead, because several of the island's izakaya close on set weekdays.
- The Churasan lookout on a private ranch in the west has been closed since February 2012 to keep foot-and-mouth disease out.
- Bring cash; several village places take nothing else.
1 route
Ride Kohama-jima走る
Where to base
Towns and villages on Kohama-jima町
FAQ
Quick answers about Kohama-jimaよくある質問
How long is the ferry from Ishigaki to Kohama?
About 25 to 30 minutes. Yaeyama Kanko Ferry and Anei Kanko both run high-speed boats from Ishigaki's island terminal to Kohama port.
Is Kohama Island hilly?
Yes. The village climbs from the port and Ufudaki reaches 99 m, so local rental firms recommend a car or a scooter, and an e-bike makes cycling easy.
What is the Sugar Road on Kohama?
The Sugar Road is a straight lane between sugar cane fields that the 2001 NHK drama Churasan used as a school route. The Taketomi Town Tourism Association recommends it for cycling.
How big is Kohama-jima?
Kohama-jima covers 7.86 km² and is home to about 802 people.
Can you cycle on Kohama-jima?
Kohama is full of short ups and downs, according to the local rental firms, and Ufudaki tops the island at 99 m. The Sugar Road runs straight through cane fields and served as the school route in the NHK drama Churasan; it gives the island's best riding, and the run out to Hosaki ends looking straight at Iriomote. An e-bike flattens the climbs.
What is Kohama-jima like in winter?
Kohama sits in the middle of the Yaeyama group with Iriomote close to the west, and its boats run on the October 2026 to February 2027 winter timetables. The north-north-east wind that JMA's normals give Ishigaki in winter blows across the cane fields, so the hill roads feel cool under cloud. At Hosaki the west shore looks across a narrow channel at Iriomote.
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