Ride on a Water Buffalo Cart, Semitropical Botanical Garden, in Yubu Island

Yubu island is located next to Mihara hamlet and 20 minutes driving/riding a bus away from Ohara port in Iriomote Island.

How to get there is by Water Buffalo Cart!!



Speed of the cart is totally up to the water buffalo. It takes about 10 minutes to ford  400 meters while listening to Sanshin live music on the cart.



All area of Yubu island is semitropical. Variety of colorful flowers are blooming and a lot of water buffalos are there.



Yubu island is 2km around, so that you can walk around to see butterfly garden, shops, restaurants, and teahouses. It is really relaxing atmosphere and time goes slow.



Pond where family of water buffalos cool down.



A coffee shop at opposite side of Yubu island. Original coffee and gelato made from seasonal local foods are available.



View of Kohama island



Old school gate site. Over 100 people had used to live in this island and there used to be schools until 40s of the Showa period. All the people were forced to evacuate to Iriomote island due to the typhoon and flood except 3 families.

Mr. Masaharu Iriomote and his family, the one of the 3 families has kept planting one by one. It was opened as a Semitropical Botanical Garden in 56 of the Showa period. His grandson is running and maintain the garden.



After spending slow time in Yubu island, you can ford by yourself with enjoying the view of Iriomote mountain when low tide.


Semitropical Botanical Garden Yubu Island
Address: 689 Komi, Taketomi-cho, Yaeyama-gun, Okinawa
Tel: 0980-85-5470
Opening hours: 9:00 - 17:00 (Last cart of water buffalo 16:15)
Close: none
Entrance fee: 1400 yen (Including cart fee)
Web site: http://www.yubujima.com/english/index.html

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Okinawa CLIP Photographer/Writer Masami Sasamoto