10 Guesthouses in Yonaguni Island! Introduced by village!

What is the difference between a guest house, inn, and hotel?

There are various types of accommodations, of which the three most representative types are minshuku, ryokan, and hotels.

When actually looking for a place to stay before a trip, you will often choose from these types of accommodations to meet your needs.

However, when asked about these three types of lodgings, "What is the difference between them?" I suspect that some of you may not know for sure.

Therefore, for those who are considering a trip to Yonaguni Island, we will introduce various information such as the difference between minshuku, ryokan, and hotels, recommended accommodations on Yonaguni Island, and recommended model courses, etc. Please refer to the following pages!

 

What is a guest house?

The Ryokan Business Law is a prerequisite for knowing the classification of guest houses, inns, and hotels.

The Ryokan Business Law is a law designed to govern the lodging industry, and the classification of lodging facilities is determined by creating facilities that comply with this law.

Two of the major features of this law are the two rules that are defined for hotels and inns.

Accommodations that meet the requirements of having an entrance desk (front desk) and other similar facilities, and, in the case of shared restrooms, that they are separated for men and women, are classified as hotels or ryokan.

Conversely, if an accommodation does not meet these two conditions, it will be classified as a guest house.

The rule for operating as a guest house is that the total floor space of the guest room must be at least 33 square meters, and there is no requirement for the number of guest rooms or whether or not there is a front desk.

 

What is an inn?

A clear definition of the difference between an inn and a hotel also exists.

Many people may have the impression that ryokans are Japanese style and hotels are Western style, but this is not an appropriate division between the two types of lodging facilities.

The first definition of a ryokan is that it has at least five guest rooms and that each room has a floor space of at least 7 square meters.

And the inn must also have bathing facilities of an appropriate size to meet the demand of guests and an appropriate number of toilets.

In light of these conditions, we can basically say that ryokan are accommodations that are larger in scale than minshuku.

 

What is a Hotel?

Of the various lodging facilities, to be classified as a hotel, it must meet even more stringent requirements than an inn.

First of all, there must be at least 10 guest rooms, each room must have a floor space of at least 9 square meters, and guest rooms must be separated from each other and from the corridor by a wall.

To operate as a hotel, the number of guest rooms must be larger and the guest room floor space must be larger than that of a ryokan.

The bedding must be Western-style, there must be an adequate number of Western-style bathrooms or shower rooms to meet the needs of the guests, and the toilets must be flush and sit-down type.

In light of these conditions, it may be understood that hotels are always Western-style accommodations.

However, it is important to keep in mind that ryokans are not always Japanese style.

 

Recommended Guest House in Yonaguni Island

After learning about the differences between minshuku, ryokan, and hotels, we will now look at lodging information on Yonaguni Island.

Yonaguni Island is located on the western side of Okinawa Prefecture, the westernmost point of Japan, and is characterized by its nickname "border island.

As the westernmost point that can generally be visited in Japan today, this alone is worth the trip to Yonaguni Island.

Yonaguni Island is well known as a tourist destination with a beautiful location, and although it is a remote island, it is also a tourist destination with many guesthouses in operation.

For those who are planning to travel to Yonaguni Island, we have picked out some recommended guest houses for you to check out in advance!

Click here for a quick list of hotels on Yonaguni Island!

 

Five recommended guest houses in Sonai

The center of Yonaguni Island is Sonai, where the village where the Yonaguni Town Hall is located is located.

Since it is the most prosperous of the three villages on the island, many visitors will stay in Sonai when they come for sightseeing.

Here are five recommended guest houses in Sonai.

 

1) Yonaguni Island Munbu Stay

Yonaguni Mumbu Stay is operated by Mumbu Resort,in front of airportandpayment of taxes, ,white sandy beach, ,Nanta BeachThere are four convenient locations to choose from according to your travel plans!

All check-ins are at the Mumbu Kitchen in front of the airport. Mumbu Kitchen also has a cafe & bar where you can enjoy a meal.

Free Wi-Fi is also available at all four facilities.

 

Yonaguni Guest House Fiesta

Yonaguni Guesthouse Fiesta is a guest house featuring a stylish white building handmade by the owner.

Fiesta means "cattle drive festival" in Spanish, and the building, which was formerly a cattle barn, offers a beautiful view of the ocean from its rooftop.

Fishing rods and snorkeling equipment can be rented free of charge, and the fish caught can be cooked and eaten in the museum, so you will surely be able to enjoy the best part of sightseeing on remote islands.

 

Guest House Sakihara-so

If you are thinking of staying at a homelike guest house on Yonaguni Island, we recommend Sakihara-so Guest House, where you will be greeted by a cheerful and kind hostess.

The clean and well-appointed building is equipped with Wi-Fi and will provide a satisfactory base for sightseeing and support.

The inn has a reputation for its delicious homemade, hearty meals, and if you make a reservation in advance, you can be picked up from the airport, making it a good candidate for lodging on Yonaguni Island.

 

SAKURA HOUSE

SAKURA HOUSE is a home-stay where you can enjoy the rich natural environment of Yonaguni Island and spend your stay as if you were living in an old private house on the island.

This unique facility is a general store and residence of SAKURA YONAGUNI, a popular brand for its Yonaguni weaving and dyeing works, which has been converted into an inn and continues to be renovated by the owner with great care.

The well-appointed facilities provide a comfortable stay, and with restaurants and stores for shopping within walking distance, it is a convenient and comfortable place to stay.

 

red tile inn okokuya

Located in a residential area in Sonai village, the red-tiled inn Okeya is a charming place to stay where you can rent an entire old private house.

Even though it is an old private house, it has been renovated over and over with the opinions of guests, making it a comfortable place to stay and relax in a comfortable environment.

Experience an extraordinary and healing stay in a tranquil space while fully experiencing the nature of Yonaguni Island.

 

5 recommended guest houses in Kubura

Kubura village, located on the west side of Yonaguni Island, is the gateway to the island with Kubura Port, which has a regular ferry service to and from Ishigaki Port.

Due to its accessibility to Yonaguni Island, Kubura is another frequently visited place along with Sonai.

Here are five recommended guest houses in the Kubura area.

 

Yoshimaru Villa

Yoshimaru-so is located right in front of Kubura Port, and is an attractive guest house because of its convenient location, just a 10-minute walk from Nishizaki Lighthouse, the westernmost point of Japan, one of the most popular tourist spots on Yonaguni Island.

The terrace inside the building has an excellent view, and you can fully enjoy the beautiful sunset, the slowest in Japan.

This is a recommended guest house where you can enjoy a stay in comfortable surroundings, with meals prepared with love and a large bathtub where you can take your time to rest your body.

 

Guest House Teidan

Teidan" means "sun" in the dialect of Yonaguni Island, and the inn has a reputation for the beauty of the sunsets that can be seen from the inn.

From the Teidan guest house, on a clear day, you can look out over Taiwan and enjoy the exotic view that only the westernmost tip of Japan can offer.

The facilities in the guest house also provide a relaxing atmosphere, allowing guests to stay at ease.

 

Guest House Seaside Inn Taromaru

Seaside Inn Taromaru is a popular new apartment-type inn in the Kubura community, located right in front of Kubura Port.

From the veranda, you can see Kubura Port, and from the rooftop, you can see the Nishizaki Lighthouse and the sunset, a wonderful view.

In addition, fresh sashimi and side dishes can be purchased and enjoyed at the Tamaki Fresh Fish Store on the first floor, making this a recommended guest house where you can enjoy not only a comfortable lodging environment but also a convenient one.

 

Pension Southern Smile

Pension Southern Smile is listed as a guest house conveniently located a 10-second walk from Kubura Fishing Port and a 10-minute drive from the airport.

There is also a post office with ATM and a fishing tackle store nearby, making it a convenient base for sightseeing and fishing.

The hotel is also well equipped as an accommodation facility, and can be greatly utilized not only for regular lodging, but also for long-term stays.

 

scarcity of seats

For those who prefer to stay at a hotel-type guest house, we recommend staying at Hadonan, located right next to Kubura Port.

The rooms are completely private with air conditioners, baths, and toilets, providing a comfortable and relaxing environment.

Since the hotel only offers overnight stays with no meals, there are no meals available, but there are restaurants nearby, so there is no need to worry.

 

3 recommended guest houses in Hikawa

Hikawa, located in the southern part of Yonaguni Island, is a village where Yonaguni horses are grazed, prawns are farmed, and salt is produced.

Although smaller in scale than the above two villages, Higawa was used as a location for a popular Fuji Television drama series called "Dr. Koto Clinic," and an open set is available for viewing.

We would like to introduce three recommended guesthouses about Hikawa, which is in high demand as a sacred sightseeing spot for dramas.

 

Ryokyuku Satoya

Located in the village of Higawa, Tabiyado Satoya is a lovely guest house with a local flavor, built in a renovated private home.

A total of four single and twin type rooms are available, providing a comfortable stay in a room suited to the number of people.

In the evening, the owner performs a yuntaku live performance using sanshin (Okinawan traditional instrument), so you can feel the unique travel atmosphere of Yonaguni Island at this inn.

 

Guest House Tsuki no Hama

Guest house Tsuki no Hama is the closest inn to the open set of the Dr. Koto Clinic, and is a favorite of many people, especially those who visit for the purpose of pilgrimage to the sacred site.

In addition to being a simple guest house with no meals, the reasonable pricing is a great point for remote island tourism to Yonaguni Island.

In the past, there used to be a problem with meals when staying with no meal, but recently several stores and restaurants have opened nearby, so you can spend a relaxing time without feeling inconvenienced.

 

The Sansui Inn

Sansuiso, located at the entrance of Higawa Beach, is one of the most popular guest houses in Higawa.

It used to be open as a restaurant as well, but now it is open only as an inn and is basically an overnight stay with no meal.

If you are looking to save a little money during your visit to Yonaguni Island, please check out this hotel.

 

Introducing a model course to enjoy Yonaguni Island by staying at a guest house!

There are many remote islands in Okinawa Prefecture, but some people may feel that sightseeing on Yonaguni Island, the westernmost island in the country, is difficult due to accessibility.

If you are a seasoned traveler, you may be able to plan smoothly, but if you are not, many people find it difficult to envision their trip in concrete terms.

Due to the location of Yonaguni Island, it is basically necessary to make a sightseeing plan based on the assumption that you will stay overnight on the island.

From here, we will introduce a model course for enjoying Yonaguni Island, assuming you stay at a guest house, for one night and two days or two nights and three days!

 

Easy to enjoy! 2-day/1-night model course

There are two ways to get to Yonaguni Island: by plane or by ferry, but whichever route you choose, you must go through Okinawa Island or Ishigaki Island.

Therefore, many people incorporate sightseeing on the main island of Okinawa or Ishigaki Island into their itinerary in conjunction with sightseeing on Yonaguni Island, and in such cases, many people stay on Yonaguni Island for one or two days.

Below we have created a model course for one example of a 2-day/1-night stay on Yonaguni Island, which we will introduce in detail.

 

Day 1 Easy with a rental car! Tourist Attractions

When one hears the word "Japan's westernmost island," one tends to imagine a small island, but Yonaguni Island is quite large, with a circumference of 28 km, and it takes about one hour to drive around the island.

Since tourist attractions are scattered at several points on the island, it is advisable to rent a car to enjoy the attractions to the fullest.

Fortunately, there are several rental car stores on the island, both major and local, so you can make a reservation in advance to ensure a smooth rental experience.

For a night or two, we recommend first securing a rental car and touring the various parts of the island.

↓Click here to book a rental car in Yonaguni.

 

At the guest house Sakihara-so, we were treated to the proprietress's cooking!

If you are renting a car, you may find it convenient to stay in Sonai, the most developed area.

All of the five inns I have just introduced are recommended, but here I would like to make a plan based on staying at the "Guest House Sakihara-so".

When staying at Sakiharasou, you can request transportation to and from the airport, making all transfers in sightseeing seamless.

Another great attraction is that you can have your meals in the guest house, and the homemade dishes prepared by the landlady will make your trip to Yonaguni Island even more wonderful.

 

Day 2 Easy tour by sightseeing boat! Underwater Ruins Tour

Yonaguni Island has mysterious attractions not only on the island but also in the surrounding waters.

The most popular of these tours is the Undersea Ruins Tour, which allows visitors to view the mysterious undersea topography, which is thought to be man-made undersea ruins.

The undersea may sound difficult to reach, but since a semi-submersible undersea ruins sightseeing boat is available from Yonaguni Island, visitors can view the undersea ruins without having to dive into the sea.

It takes only 18 minutes from the time you board the ship to reach the area where the underwater ruins are located, and you can encounter beautiful underwater scenery just by sitting in the ship's observation deck.

When visiting Yonaguni Island, we recommend taking a tour of the underwater ruins.

 

Play to the fullest! 3-day/2-night model course

A model course recommended for those who want to enjoy Yonaguni Island more in-depth is to take a relaxed schedule of 3 days and 2 nights.

If you are mainly sightseeing in Yonaguni Island, you can fully enjoy the island even if you stay one night, but if you are planning to enjoy the southern sea around the island, it is better to stay more nights.

However, it is difficult to arrange a tour for a period of 10 nights or 20 nights, so we will introduce a model course for a period of 2 nights and 3 days.

 

Day 1 Photogenic sunset from Dannes Beach!

If you have 3 days and 2 nights available, you can afford to stay at each spot for a longer period of time.

At such times, the sunset of Yonaguni Island is definitely worth your attention.

You can fully enjoy the late sunset, which is unique to Japan's westernmost island and the slowest sunset in Japan.

The island is dotted with numerous sunset spots, and you will be able to enjoy the best sunset view from anywhere on the island.

However, when taking photogenicity into consideration, Dannes Beach is a particularly good spot to visit.

On a beautiful beach called Dannu Beach, there exists a photo spot that can show the beach and the ocean in a rounded shape.

In fact, this is not a place prepared as a photo spot, but rather the entrance to a building with public restrooms on the beach, but it has become a popular spot because it is so photogenic anyway.

The beach itself is also a great spot for beachcombing.

 

Let's have fun with other divers at the guest house Yoshimaru-so!

If you are planning a 3-day/2-night stay, you will want to include activities at the beach on the second day, when you have the full day.

One inn that strongly supports such a plan is the guest house Yoshimaru-so located at Kubura Port.

Yoshimaru-so is a favorite inn for divers and a place to exchange information on marine activities.

Since the lodge is frequented by many people who are familiar with diving, beginners can obtain useful information, and experienced divers may be able to meet new people.

Of course, the inn is also well-equipped, making it an ideal base in many respects.

 

Day 2 Explore underwater ruins! Diving Tour

On the second day, when you have more time at your disposal, try the diving tour to the underwater ruins that we introduced earlier in the 2-day/1-night plan.

The undersea ruins of Yonaguni Island can be viewed from a sightseeing boat, but if you dive in and get right up close to them, you are sure to experience an even more exciting sense of adventure.

Diving is an activity that originally required certification to participate.

However, on Yonaguni Island, where marine activities are popular, participation is possible in the form of experience diving.

Experience diving means that even beginners can participate in diving with an instructor, allowing them to enjoy safe and secure underwater swimming.

The waters of Yonaguni Island are renowned for their clarity, and diving, in which you can stay underwater for long periods of time by wearing a variety of equipment, will allow you to encounter unimaginable beauty.

 

Day 3: Tour by rental car! Island sightseeing!

On the third and final day, the day after a full day of diving in the ocean, another option is to enjoy sightseeing on the island using a rental car.

You may have the impression that it is difficult to use your time in a drastic way on the last day, due to the convenience of your return flight.

However, Yonaguni Island is attractive because of its moderate size (only one hour for a round trip by car), and it is easy to play here and there on the island, even on the last day, taking into account time constraints.

Therefore, while considering the time of your return flight, please plan your trip so that you can enjoy sightseeing in Yonaguni Island until the last day.

 

summary

In this issue, we have introduced recommended accommodations and a recommended model course on Yonaguni Island, a remote island located at the westernmost tip of Okinawa Prefecture.

Yonaguni Island is closer to Taiwan than the main island of Okinawa, and you will encounter attractions that can only be experienced here on an island with a subtropical climate.

We hope you will enjoy your visit to Yonaguni Island by referring to this article.

Thank you very much for taking the time to read this report to the end.