Most of the island is pasture where the cows live. The calm and quiet mood spreads all across the island. Beyond the Kuro Island Fishing Port, a paradise for the cows grazing under the radiant sun spreads across. The continuous pastoral scenery of the land is what brings out the kindness in all of the visitors.
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Located close to Kuroshima Port and excellent for swimming and snorkeling. Be careful and keep an eye out for turtles eggs. Mothers frequent these areas between the months of April and September.
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There is a small village among the cow pastures. In the mornings and at sunset, some cows come to the front yard for their daily walk. Ride around such a calm and quiet island with your bicycle at your own pace.
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Long ago, the people of the island went to Ishigaki and Iriomote Islands from this bridge. It is no longer being used but it is still adored as a tourist spot.
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Learn more about the islands people and history through this center. The center is located close to a limestone mountain called Fuzumari. In the past, this mountain was used as a lookout and as a place to signal ships.
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The fuzumari was eventually replaced by this newer lighthouse on the southermost tip of Kuroshima Island. The view around this lighthouse makes for a perfect picture.
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Built in 1935, this boat was once the main dock for boats travelling between Kuroshima and Ishigaki Island. This pier also gives you a view of Ishigaki Island. Many locals fish here and also gather “ahsa” which is a type of seawood that is used as food.
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There are so many cows on the island that there are reasons to celebrate! The island hosts its cow festival each year with live music, dance, games, and the chance to win a real cow (worth about $1800 US). Usually held in February, the island becomes filled with people from all over Japan and the World. The day also features a tug of war in which teams try to pull a cow. The usual outcome is the cow winning and the people being dragged along kicking and screaming. The steak and soup dishes are especially tasty.
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Yaeyama Underwater Park Research Institute was established for the operation management of 1973 underwater park zones. Although five kinds of sea turtle are looked in the sea near Japan, three kinds of them lay eggs in Yaeyama Islands. Because this is an also globally rare area, it receives commission from Okinawa Prefecture and Taketomi town, and is doing investigation and research of a sea turtle and coral. The data of the coral, a shell, and a sea turtle are exhibited in the exhibition room of this research institute, and there is also a stuffed animal of a sea turtle.
Green Sea Turtles, Loggerhead Turtles, and Tortoises come up to the island to lay their eggs. You can observe the ecological research and preservation activity for these. A tortoise egg-laying tour is also available, so make a call.
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Aka sea turtle belongs to the department of sea turtle, and the bodily length is 100cm from 70cm, temperate ocean area is inhabited from the tropical zone. The bodily color is yellowish-brown from reddish-brown, and the staple food is the hard things, such as shellfish and the crustacean. It does not go up to land immediately after birth and other than at the time of egg-laying time. The breeding season continues until around August from the beginning of April, and about 100 eggs from 60 eggs are produced at one time in the sands of the seashore that were dug. The Washington Treaty forbids commercial dealings because this turtle is a rare species.
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Zuaka-aobato belongs to the department of a pigeon, and is a peculiar subspecies of the Ryukyu islands which inhabits south of Tokara islands. The bodily full length is 35cm, and at the evergreen broad-leaved tree is inhabited as sedentary bird. A tree fruit and the herbal seed are liked and eaten. The color of the body is deep green, and it is called also “ Oobato” from this color.
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Kyanguchi Underwater Park is located on the circumference of southeast of Kuroshima. This underwater park belongs to Kuroshio Current, is Precious Park, which has the area of 45.5ha in one place. There are gregariousness of branch coral, and the stone corals such as Midoriishi and Kikumeishi and Hama- coral, and also the fish peculiar to coral reefs, such as Suzumedai and chochouo inhabit. Moreover, it is known also as a point of diving.
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Miyazato Beach is located on west coast of Kuroshima and there is a promenade along the seashore. In the reef, a wave is quiet and suitable for swimming. Because tropical fish is fed, here is suitable also for snorkeling place, and also because outside of the reef is a way of Manta( ray), it can look by the snorkel. When it becomes in June of the lunar calendar, the harvest festival is performed on this seashore. Here is a marvelous view, to looking the setting sun.
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Purazumari is the remains of the lookout, and is left behind of Seji-Utaki, and it was made by the Ryukyu limestone accumulated. Around 17th century, it functioned as the surveillance tower for watching movement of a ship. When something happened, the method of raising and connecting a signal fire to Kuramoto of the Ishigaki Island was taken, and the connection by the signal fire was told from the island on the island. This place is the best viewpoint in the island, and can see a whole view of the island.
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Nakamoto Beach is located on west of Kuroshima, and at the time of ebb tide, a coral reef like the bridge surrounded by the reef appears. The spectacle of it looks like a natural pool, and because various tropical fish are seen there, here is also the point suitable for the snorkeling. The outside of a reef is not suitable for swimming, because the flow of tide is quick.
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Kuroshima jungle is on the north tip of Kuroshima, and the way, which follows both communities from the Kuro-shima port, is growing the subtropical woods strong against protection against the tide, protection against wind. Because this circumference is grazing land, it can enjoy a natural scene fully.
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Kuro-shima is the aggregate of a detached island on the small island located in a place about 15km southwest of the Ishigaki Island. The road of the community chosen as the 100th selections of the road in Japan is in Agarisuji. Plain nature is left, such as the houses of red tiled roof, and the stone wall of the Ryukyu limestone, the road of pure white sand of coral, and tropical flowers.
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Purple Heron belongs to the department of Heron, and the bodily total length is 80cm. The bodily color on the whole is the purplish brown. A male has clear lines of yellow and black, which appeared on the back of the head, and from cheek to neck. A beak is yellow and the leg is blackish. Yaeyama Islands are the northern limit of breeding distribution, and it inhabits the marshy ground and paddy field, grasslands.
