What is Yubu Island?
Yubu Island, located in the eastern part of Iriomote Island, is one of the most popular spots for sightseeing on Iriomote Island.
On Yubu Island, you can enjoy a buffalo cart going through the sea and a subtropical botanical garden.
To get to Yubu Island, first, you need to take a ferry from Ishigaki Island to Iriomote Island.
Then, from the port of Iriomote Island, it takes about 20 to 30 minutes by bus or car to get to “Tabibito-no-Eki,” the entrance of Yubu Island, and take a buffalo cart to reach Yubu Island.
Yubu Island is a spot that can be reached by day trip from Ishigaki Island and is visited by many tourists throughout the year.
Yubu Island has a historical background.
In the past, people living on Taketomi Island and Kuroshima were worried about their islands, which were unsuitable for farmland.
However, since the nearby Iriomote Island was a source of malaria infection, they avoided it. They settled on the nearby Yubu Island, which is said to be the beginning of the culture of this island.
How to get to Yubu Island
The distance from “Tabibito no Eki” in Iriomote Island to Yubu Island is about 400m. Although it is across the sea, it is possible to cross on foot or by bicycle because the water depth is only about 1m, even at high tide.
However, most visitors take the famous Yubu Island buffalo cart.
There are more buffaloes living on Yubu Island than the population.
Each buffalo has its name, and since they have been living with humans since they were small, they are gentle to people and have a very calm personality, which is why tourists love them.
What is the “Subtropical Botanical Garden” on Yubu Island?
Yubu Island is a small island with a circumference of about 2 km, so it takes about one hour to go around it, even if you hike.
Even if you visit various places, the time required is about 2.3 hours.
Despite its small size, there are a variety of sightseeing spots on the island, so you can fully enjoy yourself.
“The Subtropical Botanical Garden” is a particularly recommended sightseeing spot.
Typical tropical “palm trees,” “Adan trees” the favorite food of coconut crabs seen on night tours of Iriomote Island, as well as brightly colored “Boukenvillas,” and the golden willow of the “Oogomadara,” the giant butterfly in Japan, can be seen.
