Yagaji-jima
屋我地島26°40′ N 128°01′ ENago & Motobuquietmangrovesfarmland
Yagaji-jima is a low 7.82 km² island in Nago city, joined to the main island by the Yagaji and Warumi bridges and to Kouri-jima by the Kouri Bridge, with mangroves on its tidal flats.
Photo pelican · Flickr · CC BY-SA 2.0
Most people cross Yagaji without stopping on the way to Kouri, and the island is quieter for it. Five settlements share it: Sumuide, Jahana, Yaga, Untenbaru and Gabu. On the Jahana tidal flats, ohirugi mangroves grow more than 10 m tall, and three mangrove species live around the island.
Yagaji also holds a harder history. Okinawa Airakuen opened at Sumuide in November 1938 as a sanatorium for people with Hansen's disease and still operates as a national sanatorium, so treat the area as a community and a place of memory. The island was its own village from 1946 until it merged into Nago in 1970.
The Warumi Bridge rises about 37 m above the strait, and the road park at its foot is the place to stop and look across toward Kouri.
Getting there
Three bridges reach Yagaji: the Yagaji Bridge from Haneji in Nago, the 315 m Warumi Bridge from Amesoko in Nakijin, opened in 2010, and the Kouri Bridge north to Kouri-jima.
Getting around
Roads link the island's five settlements; bring a bike or car from Nago or Nakijin.
Riding on Yagaji-jima
Yagaji is the stepping stone on any ride from Nago to Kouri, low and mostly farmland, with its high point at only 55 m. The Warumi Bridge gives a second way off toward Nakijin, so you can make a loop instead of riding back the way you came.
December to March
The island is low and open, so the north wind blows straight across its fields in winter. The mangroves and the Kouri Bridge views carry on all year.
Worth knowing
- Make a loop: Nago to Yagaji by the Yagaji Bridge, across to Kouri and back, then off by the Warumi Bridge to Nakijin.
2 routes
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FAQ
Quick answers about Yagaji-jimaよくある質問
Which bridges connect Yagaji-jima?
Yagaji-jima connects to the main island by the Yagaji Bridge from Nago and the Warumi Bridge from Nakijin, and to Kouri-jima by the Kouri Bridge.
Is Yagaji-jima part of Nago?
Yes. Yagaji-jima belongs to Nago city; it was the separate village of Yagaji from 1946 until 1970.
How do you get to Yagaji-jima?
Three bridges reach Yagaji: the Yagaji Bridge from Haneji in Nago, the 315 m Warumi Bridge from Amesoko in Nakijin, opened in 2010, and the Kouri Bridge north to Kouri-jima.
How big is Yagaji-jima?
Yagaji-jima covers 7.82 km².
Can you cycle on Yagaji-jima?
Yagaji is the stepping stone on any ride from Nago to Kouri, low and mostly farmland, with its high point at only 55 m. The Warumi Bridge gives a second way off toward Nakijin, so you can make a loop instead of riding back the way you came.
What is Yagaji-jima like in winter?
The island is low and open, so the north wind blows straight across its fields in winter. The mangroves and the Kouri Bridge views carry on all year.
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