ON / OFF
Thorough commentary on mountain climbing in Ishigaki
The charm of Kabira and Maetake
"What is the view from the summit?"
"How long does it take to climb?"
Maetake is a place where you can enjoy a forest bath surrounded by gentle sounds overlooking Kabira Bay, which is the best sea on Ishigaki Island. In recent years, people who seek abundant nature and culture have come to visit the natural charm of nature.
On this page, we will thoroughly explain Kabira and Maetake from among the many tourist destinations on Ishigaki Island. We hope that you will have a new option of climbing a mountain on Ishigaki Island and that your precious time on Ishigaki Island will be meaningful.
menu
1. 1. Kabira Bay, the most famous sea on Ishigaki Island
2. Overlooking Kabira Bay from Maetake at an altitude of 263m
3. 3. Maetake mountain climbing is an advanced course of about 45 minutes one way
Four. The best mountain trail for those who are accustomed to nature experience
Five. Many bamboos grow naturally on the summit of Maetake.
6. Target age for mountain climbing is 5 to 60 years old
7. 7. Various ways to enjoy Kawahira
Kabira Bay, the most famous sea on Ishigaki Island. Kabira Bay has been transformed into a tourist destination under the name of Kabira Park, and has an observatory.
Visitors are impressed by the beauty of Kabira Bay, such as "The sea is transparent!", "Beautiful than you can see in the photo!", "Emerald green even if it is cloudy".
Coral reefs are greatly involved in the blue sea and white beaches of Ishigaki Island. When a coral reef dies, it causes a bleaching phenomenon, and the coral reef that has caused the bleaching phenomenon becomes sand for many years and forms a white beach. The white sand extends to the bottom of the sea and reflects off the emerald green when sunlight shines through it.
On Ishigaki Island, there is Mt. Omoto, the highest mountain in Okinawa Prefecture. Mt. Omoto is located almost in the center of Ishigaki Island, and is dotted with small mountains surrounding Mt. Omoto.
Since Mt. Omoto is a blindfold, you can enjoy different scenery from north, south, east and west on Ishigaki Island.
From the summit of Maetake, Kabira Bay can be seen unsatisfyingly, and the tide lines that go back and forth between Kabira Bay and the open sea and the difference in contrast depending on the depth of the sea are clear.
In addition, since the view is open mainly in the north, you can see the sea that extends to the horizon and the land in the northern part of Ishigaki Island.
The mountain climbing course of Maetake climbs from the foot of Maetake. You can reach the summit at a slow pace from the foot of the mountain in about 45 minutes one way.
The front volume has a distorted shape with several tops instead of one.
Of the several summits, there is one that overlooks Kawahira Bay and one that has a radio tower, and these two climbing courses partially overlap.
Since the radio tower is regularly maintained, materials are brought in and the grass on the mountain trail is cut by a contractor. Therefore, the part where the two climbing courses overlap is relatively easy to walk.
Near the top of the mountain climbing course overlooking Kawahira Bay, it is a difficult road that would be distressed without a guide. This is an advanced course where there are places where the slope is steep enough to climb with a rope, and the road is narrow enough to rub against the leaves.
Maetake is a mountain that is not well known to the islanders, so there are few people coming and going, and fallen trees remain as it is.
A river flows through the forest, the sound of water spreads, and you can enjoy forest bathing. It is a comfortable space.
Since the distance from the city area of Ishigaki Island to Maetake and the tourist attractions Kabira Park and Maetake are blocked by forests, the Maetake mountain trail is basically free of artificial sounds. It is a place where you can feel the realism of nature.
There are some steep places, but if you are accustomed to nature experience, you can enjoy the adventure.
You cannot see the open view from the mountain trail. This will be a good production, and you will be more impressed when you see the scenery from the summit.
Click here for other mountaineering courses recommended by Utakuna Ishigakijima
Many bamboos grow naturally on the summit of Maebaru. The name of this bamboo is "Ryukyuchiku", which is an elongated bamboo with a diameter of about 2 cm and a height of about 2 m.
Ryukyuchiku is a wood that is indispensable for an old folk house with a red tile roof, which is a traditional Okinawan building, and the roof and floor of the traditional building are covered with Ryukyuchiku abundantly.
Until around 1940, it was natural for Ishigaki Island to be built by itself with the cooperation of neighbors. Ryukyuchiku is one of the plants that was closely related to daily life in the good old days when nature was received by human hands.
Maetake is a magma-shaped mountain located in the western part of Ishigaki Island, but about 1.3 million years ago it was an independent island. You can feel the history of human beings who have coexisted with nature until now after a long time.
Many children in the Yaeyama Islands are naturally comfortable and use their limbs as well as in a jungle gym, climbing to the front volume with their own feet from around the age of five.
However, there are many people who are training around the age of 60 and are not good at climbing steps, although flat roads are okay. It depends on the physical strength of the individual, but if you dare to say it, based on the above, the target age for mountain climbing is 5 to 60 years old.
It is better to think that the mountain trails of the Yaeyama Islands are generally poorly maintained. There are places where the slope of the mountain trail is steep, so please consider your physical strength especially when the weather is unseasonable.
The area near the summit is small and can be filled with about 10 adults because of the overgrown Ryukyuchiku. The view from the summit is open mainly in the north, but there is a rock in one corner of the summit that can be climbed by one person, and if you climb on this rock, you can see the scenery from a wider angle.
Since Kabira Bay faces Kawahira Village, it is named Kabira Bay. Kawahira Village has an old book that paid its annual tribute about 400 years ago, so it is thought that it was established as a village at least about 400 years ago.
The folk song that has been handed down in Kawahira Village is still known as a classic song that is sung at celebrations. People in the old days sang their lives, and people face each other and are handed down. The history, culture, and timbre that can be unraveled from the lyrics of folk songs make you realize the charm behind the beautiful scenery.
It will be an unforgettable time for a lifetime if you experience the nature of Maetake, which overlooks the sea of coral reefs that extends to the horizon, and the rich culture that remains in Kabira Village, with Kabira Bay under your eyes.
Activities are based on safety and security. By avoiding the risk of injury or accident in advance, such as collecting information, equipment, emergency equipment, insurance, and tour guides, you can enjoy mountain climbing in front of the mountain.
We hope that having a new option of climbing a mountain on Ishigaki Island will make your time on Ishigaki Island meaningful.
