Hateruma village

Everyone on Hateruma lives in one knot of lanes at the centre of the island. Wikipedia counts five hamlets: Fuka, said to be the first, on the west side, Mae and Naishi in the middle, and Minami and Kita to the east, and the hamlets keep small co-op stores. The island counted 442 people at the end of August 2026, and many houses still wear red Ryukyu tiles.

The hamlets have a community hall each, and the Hateruma Fureai Center hosts Mushama, the island's Obon festival. Shops keep island hours: the co-op stores close from about 12:30 to 15:00, the soba counters serve lunch only, and dinner means one of a handful of izakaya, best booked a day ahead.

From the village it is ten minutes on foot to Nishihama and a little longer to the port, while Takanasaki and the southernmost monument are about 15 minutes by car from the port. The star observatory beside the monument has been closed since July 2022, and the tourism association still lists it as closed.