Miyako-jima coast loop

Miyako is a limestone plateau whose highest ground reaches only 115 m, so a full circuit of its main body rolls over short rises. This loop leaves Hirara for Prefectural Route 83, which follows the north-east coast through Shimajiri and Gusukube with the sea on your left. Our route data counts 432 m of climbing, spread over many short rises where the road dips to the shore and back.

The cape at Higashi-Hennazaki runs 2 km into open ocean and is never wider than 250 m, and the spur road out to the lighthouse has sea on both sides and no trees, because the wind won't let them grow. You can climb the lighthouse for the view over about 320 degrees of water.

From the cape Route 235 swings west along the south shore past Boraga and Imgya to Ueno and Shigira, where the soba stops cluster. Maruyoshi Shokudo on Route 390 sells out of its garlicky soki soba, so time your lunch for when it opens. The last leg turns north from Yonaha Maehama on Route 390 and brings you back into Hirara.

The All Japan Triathlon Miyakojima uses much of this loop for its bike leg every April, so you'll find riders training on Route 83 and the south shore through the winter months. The race course itself adds the Ikema Ohashi and a second pass through Hirara, and our triathlon course page traces it in full.