Minshuku Yaeyamasou

The inn’s atmosphere was just like it looked in the photos, and it was clean and well kept. There’s a shared shower room and toilet, which gives it a guesthouse feel. I usually stay in guesthouses and had been interested in this place for a while, so I chose it for the atmosphere I saw in the photos during my one-day visit to Ishigaki Island. You can get there by bus from the museum or with a 5-6 minute walk from Euglena Mall. There are plenty of restaurants and convenience stores nearby, and the remote island terminal is easy to reach too.

The entrance was spacious, and there was a large aquarium, which made sense when I learned it had originally been a ryokan. The landlady was friendly and smiling, and we had a nice conversation. My room was plenty big enough for one person, and I was happy with it. It had a refrigerator too. Curfew is 22:00, when the entrance shutter apparently closes, so I was given a back door key as well as my room key. I rented a room with a shower. Hot water is only available from 17:00 to 22:00, which was a little inconvenient, but I was satisfied with the inn for a relaxed stay. I also had a nice encounter at a nearby izakaya. I’d like to stay here again when I visit Ishigaki.

I stayed for two nights. The room had enough space for one person, and I was pleased with it. It also came with a refrigerator, and free hot and cold water was available from a dispenser. Since it’s a guesthouse, you can’t expect hotel-style service. The bathroom only had a shower, and the laundry dryer didn’t work.

It’s a clean, tidy guesthouse with fully private rooms of about 6 tatami mats, and the price is reasonable. I rented a room with a shower, but the hot water is only available from 5pm to 10pm. That was inconvenient when I got back around 3:30pm after marine sports and couldn’t shower straight away. The Wi-Fi doesn’t reach the second floor either, so you have to go to the lobby for a signal. The futons were thin and flat, and my back and waist hurt, so I didn’t sleep well. If you’re used to sleeping on futons, that might not bother you. Even with those small hassles, I think the place is good for the price and cleanliness.