Nishihama Beach

Overview

Nishihama Beach is a shoreline spreading across the northern part of Hateruma Island in Taketomi, Yaeyama District, Okinawa Prefecture. As the signature beach of Hateruma, known as Japan's southernmost inhabited island, it features a long stretch of white sand fronting shallow, exceptionally clear water. Reachable on foot from the village, it still holds the quiet found only on an island at the far southern edge of the country.

Highlights

• ●Shallow, remarkably clear water with beautiful gradations of blue
• ●A long sweep of white sand and an open, expansive view
• ●The special setting of a beach on Japan's southernmost inhabited island
• ●The ease of reaching it on foot from the port and village

History

In the Okinawan language, Nishi means north, so the name simply refers to the beach on the island's northern side. It is written with characters meaning north beach, and the gap between the reading and the writing neatly reflects the local dialect. Long a shoreline woven into island life, it sits close to the port that serves as the gateway for visitors to Hateruma.

Map

24.0644, 123.7621 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Take a high-speed ferry from Ishigaki's ferry terminal to Hateruma Island
2. 2On arriving at the port, head to Nishihama in the island's north
3. 3Swim or simply relax along the shallow shoreline
4. 4After sunset, enjoy Hateruma's clear, star-filled sky

Did you know?

💡 Hateruma is Japan's southernmost inhabited island, and with little light pollution it is also famed as a place for stargazing. The blue sea of Nishihama by day and a sky full of stars by night mean you can enjoy two contrasting spectacles on a single island, a charm unique to Hateruma.

Nearby spots