Tarama
多良間島24°40′ N 124°42′ EMiyako Islandsflatfarmingquiet
Tarama is a flat 19.81 km² farming island of about 1,000 people halfway between Miyako and Ishigaki, and a 20–25 minute RAC flight or a 2-hour ferry from Hirara reaches it.
Tarama is raised coral reef with no hills or rivers, and most of it is sugarcane and beef-cattle pasture. Its sugar mill is one of the few in Okinawa making unrefined brown sugar, and the island's brown sugar is the thing to bring home. The island's two villages are Shiokawa and Nakasuji.
The Hachigatsu Odori harvest festival, a nationally designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, runs for three days from the eighth day of the eighth lunar month. The rest of the year the island is quiet. Eat lunch at the curry counter inside the Sumamunutarama souvenir shop in Shiokawa, then ride out to the north coast and the Yaeyama Tomidai lookout.
Getting there
Ryukyu Air Commuter flies twice a day between Miyako and Tarama airports, a flight of about 20–25 minutes. Tarama Kaiun's ferry runs once a day from Hirara port to Futenma port on Tarama in about 2 hours, and it does not sail on Sundays.
Getting around
A village bus runs from Futenma port to the village. The island is flat raised coral reef, so a bike covers it easily.
Riding on Tarama
Tarama is a flat raised coral island with no mountains or rivers, mostly at 10–20 m and topping out at 34.2 m, with 19.0 km of coastline and two villages in the north. It is ideal for an unhurried ride between cane fields; check whether the ferry or the island bus will carry your bike before you go.
December to March
Mild and windy. The one daily ferry from Hirara skips Sundays, and the small RAC plane is the quicker way over when the sea is rough.
Worth knowing
- The ferry does not sail on Sundays; plan a day trip from Monday to Saturday.
- Little Minna island, also part of Tarama village, had four residents in 2025.
Where to base
Towns and villages on Tarama町
FAQ
Quick answers about Taramaよくある質問
How do you get to Tarama island?
Fly or take the ferry. Ryukyu Air Commuter flies twice a day from Miyako in about 20–25 minutes, and Tarama Kaiun's ferry from Hirara takes about 2 hours once a day except Sundays.
How many people live on Tarama?
About 1,000. Okinawa Prefecture recorded 1,036 residents on Tarama island on 1 January 2025.
When is the Tarama Hachigatsu Odori?
The Hachigatsu Odori runs for three days from the eighth day of the eighth lunar month.
How big is Tarama?
Tarama covers 19.81 km² and is home to about 1,036 people.
Can you cycle on Tarama?
Tarama is a flat raised coral island with no mountains or rivers, mostly at 10–20 m and topping out at 34.2 m, with 19.0 km of coastline and two villages in the north. It is ideal for an unhurried ride between cane fields; check whether the ferry or the island bus will carry your bike before you go.
What is Tarama like in winter?
Mild and windy. The one daily ferry from Hirara skips Sundays, and the small RAC plane is the quicker way over when the sea is rough.
Within 15 km
Eat and drink nearby食
Book it
Line up the trip around Tarama
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