Shimoji
下地島Shiimujii24°49′ N 125°09′ EMiyako Islandsairportrunwaysinkholes
Shimoji is a 9.68 km² island of 99 people beside Irabu, and Shimojishima Airport's 3,000 m runway fills most of it.
A channel 40–100 m wide separates Shimoji from Irabu and looks like a river from the air, and six bridges cross it. Okinawa Prefecture opened the 3,000 m runway in 1979 as a pilot-training airfield, and for decades airline crews practised touch-and-go landings there while photographers watched from 17END. Jet training ended in 2014, and on 30 March 2019 a passenger terminal opened.
On the west coast two sinkholes at Toriike join underwater and open to the sea. Obiiwa is a huge boulder thrown up by a tsunami, and islanders now pray there. The seabed off this coast is Miyako's most famous cave-diving ground.
Getting there
Shimojishima Airport has scheduled Skymark flights to Tokyo Haneda, Kobe and Naha, plus Fukuoka in summer, and international routes to Seoul and Busan (Jin Air), Taipei and Taichung (Starlux) and seasonal Hong Kong. By road, cross the Irabu Ohashi to Irabu and take any of the six channel bridges.
Getting around
By car or bike from Irabu. Since 30 March 2019 vehicles may not use the airport perimeter road, so 17END is reached on foot from the terminal car park.
Riding on Shimoji
Shimoji is almost all airport: the 3,000 m runway takes up the island's flat middle, with the Toriike ponds on the west coast and the 17END shoreline at the north end. Ride it as part of an Irabu loop. The highest point is 21.6 m, so the wind decides how hard the ride feels.
Shimasora Pottering rents folding bikes and folding e-bikes from the airport information counter.
December to March
The airport runs its winter timetable from late October to late March. Offshore, the cliffs shelter the west-coast dive sites from the north wind, so Toriike, Antonio Gaudi and Maou no Kyuden form the winter diving area. Bring a windproof for the walk to the open runway end.
Worth knowing
- Walk to 17END from the free terminal car park; the café inside is open to non-flyers.
- Treat Obiiwa as a place of worship.
Where to base
Towns and villages on Shimoji町
FAQ
Quick answers about Shimojiよくある質問
Can you fly directly to Shimojishima?
Yes. Skymark flies to Shimojishima from Tokyo Haneda, Kobe and Naha, and international routes come from Seoul, Busan, Taipei, Taichung and seasonally Hong Kong.
Is Shimoji connected to Miyako-jima?
Yes, through Irabu. Six short bridges link Shimoji to Irabu, and the Irabu Ohashi links Irabu to Miyako-jima.
How big is Shimoji?
Shimoji covers 9.68 km² and is home to about 99 people.
Can you cycle on Shimoji?
Shimoji is almost all airport: the 3,000 m runway takes up the island's flat middle, with the Toriike ponds on the west coast and the 17END shoreline at the north end. Ride it as part of an Irabu loop. The highest point is 21.6 m, so the wind decides how hard the ride feels.
What is Shimoji like in winter?
The airport runs its winter timetable from late October to late March. Offshore, the cliffs shelter the west-coast dive sites from the north wind, so Toriike, Antonio Gaudi and Maou no Kyuden form the winter diving area. Bring a windproof for the walk to the open runway end.
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