We recently flew from Narita Airport to Okinawa with Jetstar Japan. It was our first time flying with a low-cost carrier, so we had a few concerns. Would the seats feel too cramped? Would we have to wait forever for our checked baggage? In the end, we were very satisfied with the experience. We chose Jetstar's highest-tier fare bundle available at the time, Shikkari Max, and our checked baggage appeared surprisingly quickly. On the outbound flight, our bag was the fifth one to come out. In this article, I will share what I learned as a traveler in my 60s, from navigating Narita Airport Terminal 3 to baggage collection, boarding, and onboard food. If you are considering Jetstar Japan for a trip to Okinawa, here is our firsthand experience. Flying Jetstar from Narita to Okinawa: Terminal 3 Is Farther Than Expected Jetstar Japan flights depart from Narita Airport Terminal 3. It was our first time using the terminal, and we immediately discovered one of the less convenient sides of flying LCC. After leaving Terminal 2, we followed a walkway with flooring that almost looked like a running track. The walk was approximately 640 meters. For travelers who are comfortable walking, it may not be a problem. But for older travelers, people with mobility concerns, or anyone carrying a lot of luggage, the distance can feel tiring. This was one of the moments when we really noticed the trade-off that can come with lower-cost air travel. Narita Airport Terminal 3: Food Court, Shops and Check-In This ...
We visited Fuji Safari Park during a short family trip to Shizuoka with my husband, daughter, son, daughter-in-law and grandchild. Fuji Safari Park is different from a traditional zoo because you can drive through the Safari Zone in your own car and see large animals at close range. Being able to watch lions, elephants and giraffes without walking long distances made the experience especially comfortable for our multigenerational family. This guide is based on our 2023 visit, with admission fees, opening hours and selected attraction information updated for September 2026. Drive Through the Safari Zone in Your Own Car One of the best features of Fuji Safari Park is the drive-through Safari Zone. Visitors can use their own car, and one circuit currently takes approximately 50 to 60 minutes. There is no additional charge for the drive-through safari beyond regular park admission. During our visit, both male and female lions were relaxing very close to the road. It was a warm, sunny day, so many of the animals were taking it easy, but seeing lions from this distance was still impressive. We also saw elephants at close range. One elephant was even playing with leaves on its head, which was especially cute. There were plenty of giraffes too. Animals can appear on both sides of the road, so passengers on either side of the car have opportunities to see them up close. We also saw deer relaxing in the water. For travelers in their 60s and beyond, one major advantage is being able to enjoy ...
During our trip to Ishigaki Island, we joined a VELTRA optional day tour! We chose this tour: ✅Taketomi Island + Ishigaki Island Sightseeing Tour with Buffalo Cart Ride and Okinawan Home-Style Lunch It is a popular full-day plan that lets you explore both islands efficiently in a single day. After actually joining the tour, we were surprised to find that most of the participants were older travelers like us! Even though I was in my 60s and a little concerned about stamina, I was able to enjoy the tour comfortably. At the same time, however, we also discovered a few unexpected things you should know before joining. In this article, I’ll share our honest experience of the tour from the perspective of travelers in their 60s. 2026 Ishigaki & Taketomi Island Day Tour: Overview and Price We joined a tour that picked us up directly from ANA InterContinental Ishigaki Resort. Tour: Taketomi Island + Ishigaki Island Sightseeing Tour with Buffalo Cart Ride and Okinawan Home-Style Lunch Price: ¥8,400 Transportation: Sightseeing bus + ferry Ishigaki Island: Four Popular Stops on an Efficient Day Tour First, I’ll introduce the sightseeing spots and lunch we enjoyed on Ishigaki Island. I especially liked that we had plenty of time at Kabira Bay, which was the main highlight of the Ishigaki portion of the tour. First Stop: About 15 Minutes at Tojinbaka The weather looked like it might start raining at any moment that morning. Feeling a little nervous about the weather, we arrived at our first sightseeing stop, Tojinbaka. ...
Where do you spend your evenings on Ishigaki Island? The restaurants at ANA InterContinental Ishigaki Resort are lovely, but if you want to experience the lively local atmosphere, heading into the center of town is a great option. This time, we visited the area around Euglena Mall, one of the main shopping areas in central Ishigaki, for local food and souvenir shopping. However, we also experienced one unexpected surprise as travelers in our 60s. If you are planning to visit, I hope you can learn from our mistake! Souvenir Shopping at Euglena Mall — Plus an Important Shopping Tip We first stopped at Ishigakijima Omiyage Ichiba, a large souvenir shop. The store offers tax-free shopping, so eligible visitors can save 10% on their purchases. There is a wide selection of products, including sweets, seasonings, alcohol, decorative items, miscellaneous goods and clothing. If you are looking for classic Ishigaki souvenirs, you can probably find most of what you need here. Euglena Mall has many different shops, so simply browsing for souvenirs is part of the fun. How to Get to Ishigakijima Omiyage Ichiba Ishigakijima Omiyage Ichiba Address: 207 Okawa, Ishigaki, Okinawa 907-0022, Japan Phone: 0980-83-7111 Hours: 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. Closed: Open year-round Important: Euglena Mall Closes Surprisingly Early at Night! There is one thing I definitely recommend knowing before planning an evening around Ishigaki. Euglena Mall can become surprisingly quiet quite early at night. If you are thinking, “Let’s have a leisurely dinner at an izakaya and shop for souvenirs afterward,” you might end up disappointed ...
We stayed at ANA InterContinental Ishigaki Resort and enjoyed everything from the breakfast buffet to the swimming pools. This resort is incredibly spacious. We had breakfast, spent time at the pools, walked through the gardens, and even enjoyed some adorable sweets. There is so much to do that you can have a wonderful time without even leaving the resort. Our Editor-in-Chief Mamarin, who is in her 60s, even took on the waterslide! It was a fun chance for adults to feel like kids again. In Part 1, we honestly reviewed our Ocean Wing room, amenities and the beach. In this second part, I’ll introduce the breakfast buffet, pools, gardens and PALETTE cafe in the Bay Wing. ※This article is based on our experience during our stay and was updated in September 2026 after checking information on the hotel’s official website. Breakfast venues, available pools, opening hours and services may vary depending on the accommodation wing, plan and season. Bookings from outside Japan are available here↓ Suncoast Cafe Breakfast Buffet Review We enjoyed the breakfast buffet at Suncoast Cafe on both mornings of our stay. There was a wide variety of food, including fruit, vegetables, bread, egg dishes and Okinawan specialties! There were so many choices that it was hard to decide what to eat each morning. For guests staying in the Ocean Wing, where we stayed, Suncoast Cafe is currently the main breakfast venue. For guests staying in the Bay Wing, SALTIDA is generally the main breakfast venue. Available breakfast venues may vary depending on ...
On the second and third days of our Okinawa trip in our 60s, we stayed at ANA InterContinental Ishigaki Resort. We chose this hotel because it looked beautiful, it is relatively close to Ishigaki Airport, and the breakfast buffet looked delicious. In this review, I’ll share our firsthand experience of staying at the hotel. There is quite a lot to cover, so I’ve divided the review into two parts. In this first part, I’ll introduce our guest room and the beach in front of the hotel. Bookings from outside Japan are available here↓ Inside ANA InterContinental Ishigaki Resort and the Lobby At the entrance of ANA InterContinental Ishigaki Resort, there were marine-inspired decorations in various places. They were stylish and gave the hotel a lovely resort atmosphere. Sanpin tea, a popular Okinawan jasmine tea, and detox water were available near the entrance. Summers in Okinawa are hot and humid, so it was very refreshing to have a drink after arriving at the hotel from the airport♡ ANA InterContinental Ishigaki Resort has two wings: the Ocean Wing and the Bay Wing. We stayed on the eighth floor of the Ocean Wing. Honest Review of Our Ocean Wing Room The room was very clean and beautiful! However, the bed felt a little short. My husband is about 180 cm tall (5 ft 11 in), and his feet were almost at the end of the bed. I even wondered whether taller international guests might find it too short. We would have preferred a slightly larger bed. If you ...
On the second day of our Okinawa trip in our 60s, we joined a Hamajima (Phantom Island) tour departing from Kohama Island. At first, we booked a tour through Kohama Island Tours. Hamajima landing tour departing from Kohama Island, with the option to continue to Taketomi Island or finish in Ishigaki The tour was scheduled to depart at 8:30 a.m. We thought it would be very convenient to visit Hamajima first and then continue sightseeing on Taketomi Island, but unfortunately, the tour was canceled by the operator. We reorganized our schedule and booked another tour through Kohama Island Tours. Hamajima (Phantom Island) Landing Tour departing from Kohama Island The price at the time was ¥4,900 per person. There are more Hamajima tours and departure times available from Ishigaki Island, so Ishigaki can be convenient if you want more choices or need to fit the tour into a specific schedule. On the other hand, staying on Kohama Island allows you to enjoy quiet beaches and, when the weather is good, a beautiful night sky filled with stars. For that reason, if you are already staying on Kohama Island, joining a Hamajima tour directly from Kohama can be a very convenient option. What Is Hamajima, Also Known as Phantom Island? Hamajima is a small sandy island located between Ishigaki Island and Kohama Island. It is often known as “Phantom Island” because its appearance changes with the tides. There are almost no buildings on the island, and its main attraction is the simple scenery of white sand ...
On the first day of our Okinawa trip in our 60s, we stayed on Kohama Island. At the time, we stayed at Canaan Coffee & Hotel. ※Canaan Coffee & Hotel has since closed. In this article, I’ll introduce some of the places we visited during that stay, including Coral Beach, SANUFA, and the beautiful night sky we were lucky enough to see on Kohama Island. Coral Beach, which was the closest beach to our hotel at the time, had beautifully clear water and was also recommended to us by local people. We also visited SANUFA, which was located on the same property as Canaan Coffee & Hotel when we stayed there. The night sky we saw late at night was also unforgettable, so in this second part of our Kohama Island travel report, I’ll share all three experiences (*´ω｀*) If you are currently looking for a hotel on Kohama Island, you can check the latest accommodation options, prices and availability on Rakuten Travel. Coral Beach on Kohama Island: Quiet, Natural and Beautiful The first place I want to introduce is Coral Beach. When we stayed on Kohama Island, it was about a five-minute walk from Canaan Coffee & Hotel. The path down to the beach includes a slope, so beach sandals or other easy-to-wear footwear are useful. Beyond the trees, the beach suddenly appears! The water was incredibly clear! There were also hardly any people there that day (*´ω｀*) Because it was such a hot day, the sea was warm, almost like swimming in a ...
After arriving on Kohama Island by ferry, we rented a car from Kohama Island Rental Shop Gami SUN♪ We then drove around the island and visited several sightseeing spots. We rented the car for three hours for ¥3,000, including a ¥500 discount. The shop also rents bicycles, electric bicycles and scooters. If you are visiting during summer, for travelers in their 60s, I strongly recommend renting a car! If you are already comfortable riding a scooter, that could also be a good option. However, I do not recommend a regular bicycle in the summer heat. That day, we saw a young couple riding rental bicycles from another shop, and even they looked exhausted. It was so hot that I found myself hoping they would not end up arguing about the bicycle choice later (T_T) Summer temperatures can also increase the risk of heat exhaustion or heatstroke, so even if it costs a little more, I recommend choosing the transportation option that puts the least strain on your body. Exploring Kohama Island by Rental Car: Beautiful Views from Nishi-dake Observatory Our first stop was Nishi-dake Observatory, where you can enjoy panoramic views of Kohama Island. After climbing a short set of stairs, we reached the observation deck. From here, you can enjoy beautiful views of Kohama Island’s lush natural landscape. Kohama Island is known for its beautiful blue ocean, but the green scenery and vegetation are just as lovely. Because the observation deck is elevated, the sunlight can feel very strong on clear days. Wearing ...
On the first day of our four-day trip in our 60s, we visited Kohama Island. To reach Kohama Island, we took a ferry from Ishigaki Island. In this article, I’ll share what the ferry experience was actually like and some useful tips we learned along the way. From Euglena Ishigaki Port Remote Island Terminal to Kohama Island: Tips Before Boarding This is Euglena Ishigaki Port Remote Island Terminal. From here, you can travel from Ishigaki Island to nearby islands such as Kohama, Taketomi and Kuroshima. The terminal shops sell bottled water, tea, Blue Seal ice cream and light snacks. There are very limited shopping options on Kohama Island, so it is a good idea to buy anything you may need while you are still on Ishigaki Island. (Some drinks were also available at our hotel.) If you are buying food at the terminal to take to one of the islands during summer, I recommend choosing foods that are less likely to spoil in the heat. Medical facilities on the smaller islands are also limited. For travelers in their 60s, reducing unnecessary risks is an important part of planning a comfortable trip. There is a timetable inside the terminal, so check your departure and head to the correct ferry boarding area. Because I did not want to feel rushed, I reserved our ferry tickets in advance. You can make an advance reservation through the Yaeyama Kanko Ferry reservation page. When you are in a hurry, small mistakes and problems are more likely to happen. For ...
