Escape the cold winter and enjoy a 2-day/1-night bicycle trip on the ever-Summery island of Miyako. Starting from an old traditional house with a red tiled roof, we enjoyed a lunch full of seafood, the emerald green sea, and a popular local bakery! It was a very exciting ride at the beginning of the new year.

Kenta-san's Travel Bookmarks

6:30 Departure from Haneda Airport
10:30 Arrival at Miyako Airport
11:30 Assemble the bicycle and ride it to the inn on your own.
12:15 Leave your luggage at the inn "Kataaki no Sato" and start the ride!
12:30 Lunch at Noodle House Summer Sun
13:00 After-dinner coffee at Moja's Bakery
13:30 Pray for safety at Miyako Shrine
13:50 Crossing the Irabu Bridge to Irabu Island
14:50 Toriike Pond
15:30 Sawada Beach
16:30 Makayama Observatory
17:00 Protein break at Monteador
17:30 Arrival at the inn
18:30 Dinner at the inn

DAY 1 is over!

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Straight from Tokyo to the tropics with no connections

A direct flight from Haneda to Miyako Airport, 2000km away, took about 3.5 hours.

Arriving at Miyako Airport, we quickly assembled our bicycles. We looked for a pump, but couldn't find one. I was glad I had brought a portable inflator. Kenta and Tsucchi used Ostrich's OS-500 folding bag. One large coin-operated locker at the airport could hold two people's luggage (600 yen per 24 hours).

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First, let's get acclimated to the lodge!

After changing into a bike jersey in the airport restroom, it's time to go!

With a change of clothes and other belongings on our backs, we headed for today's inn, ""Kataaki no Sato,"" about 4km away. The inn is an old traditional Okinawan house in the center of the island. There are nine red-tile-roofed old houses on the premises, and they are all available to rent. After checking in and leaving our luggage at the inn, we started our first day's ride!

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Sopped early to have a rich tasting shrimp and soba lunch

Noodle Shop Summer Sun

It was almost lunchtime, so we first rode about 10 minutes to "Menya Summer Sun" to work up an appetite. Tsucchi had found out about this restaurant in advance and wanted to try it, and ""Miyako Shrimp Soba"" was on the menu. The ingredients looked gorgeous, the shrimp-flavored broth, and the thick, homemade Okinawa soba noodles were very satisfying. I enjoyed the prawns to the last with the help of the instructions on how to peel them.

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Cute and friendly bakery

Moja's Bakery

We stopped by a bakery recommended by word of mouth in the city for an after-meal coffee. It is a popular bakery with customers constantly stopping by. We had freshly baked chocolate bread and freshly brewed coffee. Tsucchi was so excited by the deliciousness of the bread. Kenta, whose nickname in school was ""Moja,"" felt a strong affinity with the bakery.

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Pray for safety at Japan's southernmost shrine

Miyako Shrine

After stopping by Miyako Shrine, Japan's southernmost shrine located behind Moja's Bakery, to pray for safety during the trip, we headed for today's main destination, Irabu Island. On this day (mid-January), the temperature was around 20°C, a comfortable temperature for riding. It was hard to believe that it was 3°C in Tokyo this morning.

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The best 3.5km between the blue

Irabu Bridge

We arrived at the Irabu Ohashi Bridge, which connects Miyako and Irabu Islands. It is the longest bridge in Japan (3,540 meters) that can be crossed free of charge. Moreover, both sides of the bridge are turquoise blue, which is characteristic of the tropics! If the weather is clear, you can enjoy an exhilarating view. It is a privilege of bicycle travel to be able to stop pedaling in the middle of the bridge and look out over the ocean.

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Miyakojima's Yurukyarakara stares off into the distance

Miyakojima Mamoru-kun

Mannequins dressed as police officers stare into the distance at an intersection just after crossing to Irabu Island. Miyakojima Mamoru-kun, a specialty of Miyako Island, is a symbol installed at intersections and roads around the island to raise awareness of traffic safety. Each one has its own name, and the one I photographed this time was called "Takaya-kun."

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Round and round in paradise with no traffic lights or cars in sight.

Irabu Island (port island)

Leaving Miyakojima Mamoru-kun behind, the tour will continue counterclockwise around the outer circumference of Irabu Island (about 30km). The outer circle includes Shimojishima Island, which is adjacent to Irabu Island. The outer circumference is sparsely populated and there is not a single traffic light, making it a pleasant and relaxing ride!

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Through a mangrove tunnel to a mysterious pond

Toriike Pond

Stop by "Toriike Ponds" for a break at a sightseeing spot on Shimoji Island. Park your bicycle in the parking lot and walk through a jungle-like tunnel of trees for about five minutes until you come to two huge ponds. The two ponds are connected underwater and lead to the ocean. They are also popular diving spots.

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A spot where you can see airplanes taking off over the fence.

17END

We stopped by "17END" (a combination of aviation terms meaning the orientation and end of a runway), a spot behind Shimojijima Airport. We were told that we could see planes taking off, so we waited excitedly, expecting to be treated to a powerful view, but the planes took off from the front. However, the plane took off from the front. Since no cars were allowed to enter, it was a relaxing spot where one could take it easy.

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Mysterious beach dotted with huge rocks

Sawada Beach

Proceeding southwest from 17END, you will arrive at a mysterious beach with numerous giant rocks lying here and there offshore. They were carried in by the Meiwa tsunami of 1771, and were used as the location for the promotional video for Jyoshi Junirakubou. Kenta performing on his musical road bike

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Closing of Irabu Island round trip

Makayama Observatory

A round trip around Irabu Island, including Shimoji Island, takes about 2 hours and 30 minutes. Finally, we went to the Makiyama Observatory, the highest observatory on Irabu Island. From the observatory, you can see the Irabu Bridge and Miyako Island, and get a bird's eye view of the day's itinerary.

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Last stop of the day to inject energy

Banana cake Monte d'Or

We are back on Miyakojima again. I was hungry, so it was time for my last café. I happened to visit "Banana Cake Monte d'Or" and had their most popular "Fresh Banana Cake". The fluffy chiffon sponge is filled with a whole ripe banana. I choose a "banana juice with protein" as my drink of choice in preparation for the second day's ride.

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Back at the inn, the first day's ride is over!

We arrived at the inn "Kataaki no Sato" before dark.

The ride was intense for a half-day ride, with occasional sprinkles of rain, as is typical of the island weather. We left our bicycles under the eaves of the building and finished the day's ride. When we returned to the inn, we were greeted by the delicious smell of food. In the kitchen, a woman by the kappo-gai (Japanese cooking stove) is preparing dinner. These women are Anna (mothers) who have come to the inn as part of the "Anna Gohan" service, a local home cooking service. The warm hospitality of the freshly prepared dishes was a welcome treat.

For more information on Anna-Gohan, click here.

A bath where you can enjoy the stars in the sky

Kataaki no Sato

The exterior of the inn looks old-fashioned, but the rooms are new, wooden and modern, with a full range of amenities and a washing machine (with detergent!). The amenities and washing machine were perfect. We were especially impressed with the Arita-yaki open-air bath. On a clear night, you can gaze up at the starlit sky. While dinner was cooking, we soaked in the hot water to relieve the fatigue of the ride. I'm not too keen on long baths, but I really enjoyed this one.

A night on Miyako Island spent sipping awamori

After getting out of the bath, local Okinawan dishes such as Somen Chanpuru, Vegetable Chanpuru, Sanpai Meat, Mozuku, etc. are lined up on the table. No need to go out of town for dinner after a tiring ride, the mood is completely relaxed! Surprised by the sheer volume of food, the night went by with the optional addition of Orion beer and "Taragawa" awamori from Miyako Island.

Places we stopped this time

Miyako Airport

Noodle Shop Summer Sun

Moja's Bakery

Miyako Shrine

Irabu Bridge

Miyakojima Mamoru-kun "Takaya-kun"

Pond in a garden

17END

Sawada Beach

Makayama Observatory

Banana cake Monte d'Or

Where we stayed

Kataaki no Sato

View Ride Course

ROUTE

Outline of the route and recommended spots for DAY 1 of the "Miyako Island Round Trip - 2 Days & 1 Night". After assembling the bicycles at Miyako Airport and checking in at the "Kataaki no Sato" inn, this is a 60km sightseeing-centered ride across the Irabu Bridge, around Irabu Island, and back to Miyako Island again.