Miyako Islands · OgamiNo.902★★Open in map →

Ogami Island

— An island of prayer off northern Miyako

cultureOff the trail — and worth it

A small island off the north coast of Miyako, reached by a short ferry. Outside its single village most of the ground is sacred and closed to visitors, so a trip here is shaped less by sights than by what stays private.

FromShimajiri Port, Miyako Island
~15 minFerry from Shimajiri Port, four return sailings a day
Get off atOgami Port (Ogami Kaiun ferry)
On foot
Ogami Island

Directions ↗

The sweet spot

This is not an undiscovered island. The prefectural travel guide lists it and a scheduled boat serves it every day. It stays quiet because the island is small and lived in, because most of it is closed on purpose, and because the timetable, not the visitor, sets the length of the day.

Where it is

4 more notes in Okinawa · open the map →

What to look for — in walking order

Ogami Portthe quay where the boat ties up, with a floating pier and a small rest house
The village lanesthe island's one settlement, spread up the slope behind the harbour
Tomidai lookoutthe island's high point and a Sakishima beacon site, closed while the rites are on
The notch rocksmushroom-shaped limestone on the western shore, undercut by the sea

How to actually get there

Miyako Airport or Hirara → Shimajiri Port on the north coast (car or taxi; there is no rail on Miyako).
Shimajiri Port → Ogami Port (Ogami Kaiun ferry; four return sailings a day, no reservations).
From the quay, walk up through the village and on to the Tomidai lookout, unless the rites are on.
Come back along the western shore for the notch rocks, then take a sailing back to Shimajiri.

Ogami Kaiun ferry from Shimajiri Port: The crossing runs between Shimajiri Port, on Miyako's north coast, and Ogami Port, with four return sailings a day. Seats cannot be reserved, and the operator asks passengers to be aboard five minutes before departure. Whether a sailing runs is decided on the day according to the weather, so telephone ahead when the sea looks rough.
Back on the same crossing: The last sailing of the day is the last way off the island — there is no bridge. Fix your return before you leave the quay, and keep a margin in case wind cancels a departure. On Miyako the north-coast roads are quiet after dark, so allow for the drive back as well.

Directions from my location (Google Maps) ↗

About the place

Ogami lies in open water north of Miyako Island, low and green, and it can be seen from the north shore and from Ikema. One settlement stands at the harbour, and the households there have long lived by fishing and farming. Beyond the village the island turns private: much of the interior and the shoreline is treated as sacred ground, and entry is restricted, in some places for outsiders and in others for everyone. A ring road was begun and never finished, so the lanes end rather than loop. The prefecture's own travel guide suggests going round with an island guide, which is the plainest description of how the place works.

How to enjoy it

Take a morning boat over and a later one back: with four return sailings a day, the island sets your clock rather than the other way round. Ask at the harbour, or go round with an island guide, before walking anywhere beyond the village, and turn back where a sign or a rope says so. There is one small eatery and nothing else in the way of shops, so bring water with you.

Background & history

In the local speech the island is Ugan-jima, the island of prayer, and faith is the thread that runs through its history. Its rites, known as Uyagan, fall in the second half of the lunar year and belong to the community rather than to visitors; while they are on, the ground open to outsiders shrinks further. The high point of the island carries a lookout that formed part of the Sakishima beacon network, a chain of hilltop stations built to pass warnings along the southern islands. That lookout is a national historic site, and it is closed during the rites.

Before you go

Cash: Fares are paid at the port, as a single or a return, and the boat takes no bookings, so carry cash. There are no banks or convenience stores on the island and only one small eatery, so buy what you need on Miyako first.
Good to know: Most of the island outside the village is sacred ground and closed to visitors; signs and ropes mark it, and some places are closed to residents too. During the Uyagan rites the lookout is shut and further areas are put off limits, so check with the island guides or the Miyakojima tourism association before you sail. Sailings stop in rough weather.
Another way: From Miyako Airport or Hirara, drive or take a taxi to Shimajiri Port on the north coast. There is no railway on Miyako, and Shimajiri is the only departure point for Ogami.
After you get off: Ogami Port is the arrival point and the village begins at the quay. The lane climbs from the harbour toward the lookout, and the shore leads west to the notch rocks. Keep to the made lanes: the ring road was never completed and ends rather than loops, and the ground beyond the village is closed.