Southwest of Ishigaki Half-day

In Ishigaki, we will cover important scenic spots, which are missed by sightseeing bus, by a half-day tour and a full-day one.
This article introduces the half-day tour section. The half-day tour mainly covers two scenic spots in the southwest of Ishigaki: Torin Temple (桃林寺 in Japanese) and Ishigaki Stalactite Cave (石垣島鍾乳洞 in Japanese). These two attractions are not covered by sightseeing buses.

From the hotel where I live, it takes only 9 minutes to walk to Torin Temple, 700 meters away. However, Google Maps has a serious mistake. The destination of the navigation is pointed to the back door of Torin Temple. So, at the end, please follow the red line marked by me.

Torin Temple is famous for its outstanding sculptures and works of art. Travellers who are interested can stop to enjoy, and other can take a break here. Although the sightseeing bus will cover this attraction, there is no arrangement for getting off the bus, only on bus introducing.

The second stop is the Ishigaki Stalactite Cave (石垣島鍾乳洞 in Japanese). This is a famous attraction. Tickets cost 1100 yen for adults and 550 yen for children.

It takes 31 minutes, 2.3km, to walk from Torin Temple there, and it is mainly uphill. Calling a taxi in Ishigaki can be done by phone, or you can use the DiDi app. However, the scenery along the way is good, and the road is better. You may want to try walking before calling a taxi.

It takes more than 30 minutes for go through the stalactite cave. The interior uses ordinary light illumination to maintain the natural color, rather than the strange style of colored light staining. Due to the dark interior lighting, the real scene is more magnificent than the photos below.

After the visit, the half-day scenic spot has been completed. You can travel to any other place you want. Unfortunately, there is no bus coverage here. You can call a taxi to send you to other places or enjoy a happy walk. If you complete this trip in morning, you can head to the restaurant called 一休食堂 for lunch. The restaurant is open daily from 11:00 to 19:30 and rest on Mondays. You can also let the waiter call a taxi for you while dining.

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