Many people may be planning a trip to Okinawa for the summer season. While the main island of Okinawa, with its attractions like International Street, Churaumi Aquarium, and American Village, is appealing, many travelers may go a step further and visit Ishigaki Island in the Yaeyama Archipelago. In this article, we’ll introduce the charm of the crested serpent eagles to enhance your experience on Ishigaki Island.
- What Makes Ishigaki Island, Okinawa So Charming?
- The crested serpent eagle, an endangered species
- Having knowledge about crested serpent eagles will keep you excited throughout your trip.
- If you rent a car, always obey the speed limit.
- In conclusion,
What Makes Ishigaki Island, Okinawa So Charming?
Ishigaki Island, situated 411 km southwest of Naha on Okinawa’s main island, is the third largest island in Okinawa Prefecture. What makes Ishigaki Island so appealing?
Gateway to the Yaeyama Islands.
Ishigaki Island is known as the “gateway to the Yaeyama Islands.” One of the island’s major attractions is its access to popular remote islands, such as Iriomote Island, a World Natural Heritage site; Taketomi Island, known for its traditional Okinawan scenery; and Hateruma Island, the southernmost inhabited island in Japan.
Kabira Bay, which has been awarded three stars in the Michelin Green Guide Japon
Kabira Bay is probably the most major and popular tourist spot on Ishigaki Island, and it’s not an exaggeration to say it’s the number one spot. Kabira Bay, awarded three stars in the Michelin Green Guide Japon, features some of the clearest and cleanest waters in the world, not just in Japan.
While swimming and snorkeling are not permitted, you can still enjoy viewing the underwater coral reefs and tropical fish from a glass-bottom boat.
Euglena Mall: Japan’s Southernmost Arcade Shopping Street
If you want to enjoy shopping and dining in Ishigaki Island, Euglena Mall, Japan’s southernmost arcade shopping street, and its surrounding area are highly recommended. You’ll find a wide variety of stores, including izakayas (Japanese pubs) with live Okinawan folk music, Okinawa soba restaurants, A&W (a hamburger chain), sweet shops, gift stores, apparel shops, and places to experience glassmaking. This area is likely to be a must-visit for most travelers.
Just enjoy nature.
In Ishigaki Island, which is rich in natural beauty, you can enjoy the great outdoors in many ways: meeting sea turtles by snorkeling, encountering manta rays while diving, stargazing, taking a kayak tour in Higata Bay and Nagura Ampal with their mangrove forests, or basking in the sunset at Cape Okansaki.
Ishigaki Island has many attractions, but a brief introduction would be as mentioned above. However, what I want to focus on this time is a bird called the crested serpent eagle.
The crested serpent eagle, an endangered species
The Yaeyama Islands are home to many creatures that can never be seen in urban areas such as Tokyo and Osaka, including the Iriomote wildcat, the coconut crab, the Yaeyama flying fox, the Ryukyu ruddy kingfisher, and the Yaeyama scorpion.
Among these, I personally pay particular attention to the crested serpent eagle, a bird of prey. The crested serpent eagle, a special natural monument of Japan, is an endangered species with only about 200 individuals living on Ishigaki and Iriomote Islands.
At about 55 cm in length, it is considered relatively small among raptors. However, it stands at the top of the food chain in the Yaeyama Islands along with the Iriomote wildcat and is well known as the “paeagle” character officially recognized by Ishigaki City.
Having knowledge about crested serpent eagles will keep you excited throughout your trip.
The reason why knowing about crested serpent eagles makes your trip to Ishigaki Island much more enjoyable is that you have the chance to encounter them in various places.
Crested serpent eagles can be found in different habitats such as the northern part of Ishigaki Island and near Nagura Ampal in the western part of the island. Therefore, while you are driving, you might see them flying gracefully in the sky, looking for prey from the top of utility poles, or eating frogs and snakes on the road.
In fact, I once spotted a crested serpent eagle perched on a telephone pole from the passenger seat of my car (drivers should concentrate on driving). I was able to observe three crested serpent eagles circling in the sky above, communicating with each other through their calls.
For example, while driving a rental car, if you spot a bird perched on a telephone pole, do you merely think, ‘Oh, it’s just a bird,’ or do you recognize it as, ‘Ah, that’s a crested serpent eagle, a natural monument of which only 200 remain!’? Those who know about the crested serpent eagle will undoubtedly find their journey more thrilling and enjoyable.
If you rent a car, always obey the speed limit.
There is no doubt that renting a car is a convenient way to see such a precious creature as the crested serpent eagle. However, one of the reasons why crested serpent eagles are endangered is because of traffic accidents, commonly known as ‘roadkill.’
Crested serpent eagles often fall victim to road accidents when they land on the road to eat frogs and other animals that have been run over by cars, or when they suddenly fly out from forests or grassy areas.
To encounter creatures like the crested serpent eagle and to protect both their lives and our own, we should always drive safely and observe the legal speed limit. In particular, be cautious in areas marked with signs that say ‘Crested serpent eagles frequently involved in accidents.’
Side note: Crested serpent eagles have crowns.
The crested serpent eagle has a white crest feather on the back of its head, which stands up when the bird is excited or threatened. This characteristic is said to be the reason behind its name.
Side note: Some crested serpent eagles have foot rings.
Crested serpent eagles that are rescued and protected due to traffic accidents or other reasons are treated and released back into the wild, but they are given a foot rings for identification. The crested serpent eagle I encountered had a blue foot rings.
If you photograph a crested serpent eagle with a foot ring, contact Crested Serpent Eagle Research, an avian research and conservation organization, to provide details and have it recorded as a confirmed sighting.
It was ‘Hokuto,’ a crested serpent eagle rescued in 2017.
Incidentally, when I contacted Crested Serpent Eagle Research with information on the crested serpent eagle I photographed, they informed me that it was a male named Hokuto, which was rescued as a juvenile in November 2017 and released in December of the same year.
Hokuto was rescued after entering the gymnasium of Hirakubo Elementary School and crashing into a window or wall. Since its release, it has been regularly monitored, and there have been frequent sightings at the location where I photographed it. However, it is often found along roads, raising concerns about traffic accidents.
Side note: If you definitely want to see crested serpent eagles, visit ‘Ishigaki Yaima Village.’
It may be a matter of ‘luck’ whether you can see crested serpent eagles in the wild. If you absolutely want to see crested serpent eagles and observe them up close, you should visit ‘Ishigaki Yaima Village,’ which is a 30-minute drive from Shin-Ishigaki Airport or a 20-minute drive from Ishigaki Port Remote Island Terminal.
The theme park, where visitors can enjoy attractions such as traditional Ryukyuan houses, a forest of squirrel monkeys, and a shisa coloring experience, is home to Yonna-kun, a crested serpent eagle that suffered a broken wing in a car accident and is now unable to fly properly.
For more information about Ishigaki Yaima Village, check the article below.
Side note: Is a golf resort being built in the crested serpent eagle’s habitat?
A large-scale golf resort is currently being planned on Ishigaki Island.
Various issues are being discussed, including the fact that crested serpent eagles have been confirmed to inhabit the planned site and surrounding areas, the impact on the Ramsar Convention wetlands of Nagura Ampal and Nagura Bay, and the large amount of groundwater that will be required to operate the golf course.
The rich natural environment of Ishigaki Island may undergo significant changes in the future. If you would like to know more about these issues, please visit the websites of the ‘Society for Protecting Crested Serpent Eagle Homes and Forests’ and ‘WWF Japan’ below.
In conclusion,
The crested serpent eagle, the apex predator of the Yaeyama Islands ecosystem, faces its greatest threat from vehicles driven by humans. Whether you see a crested serpent eagle or not, always drive safely and take your time to enjoy Ishigaki Island at a leisurely pace.
