Local Guide
 5 recommended souvenirs of TaketomiIsland to decorate your travel memories

TaketomiIsland is blessed with beautiful townscapes with red-tiled roofs, rich culture such as traditional performing arts, and nature that soothes the soul. Here are five souvenirs that you can take home with you when you visit TaketomiIsland. The makers are inspired by the rich island life and create heartwarming handmade products unique to TaketomiIsland.

Eco-friendly bags dyed from plants native to TaketomiIsland

 The eco-bag (1,600 yen) of
The eco-bag (1,600 yen) of "Ayoi TAKETOMI color" in calm tones will naturally make your step more relaxed.

The eco-friendly bags of "TAKETOMI color," a product of Ayoi, a women's unit living in TaketomiIsland, are carefully and time-consumingly dyed one by one from plants native to Taketomi Island such as Fukugi, Momotamana, and Gecko. The color varies depending on the season and the condition of the plants, but since the color is a gift from the plants, the colors of the moment are used as they are in the products. The colors produced by the plants growing vigorously in the bright sunshine and pleasant southern winds have the charm of TaketomiIsland's nature as it is.

There is a workshop on the island, but you can buy them only at "Tetodon Karyushikan" in Taketomi Port. It is convenient to choose souvenirs on your way to and from the island.

The eco-bag is useful for both daily life and travel. The gusseted design allows them to hold a large amount of luggage, and they are compact when folded, making them easy to carry around. Choose your favorite one and enjoy the encounter with your own unique TAKETOMI color.

Local Guide Comment
Although I am attracted to the soft peach color and bright yellow, I cannot give up the pleasure of finding the gray gradation that I like best.
Tetodon Kariyushi-kan (NPO Takidon)
  • address (e.g. of house) Inside Taketomi Higashi Port, Taketomi Town, Yaeyama County, Okinawa MAP
  •  Direction Inside Taketomi East Port
  •  Business hours 7:30~last boat time (depends on the season)
  •  Closed During typhoons and Tanedori Festival
  •  TEL 0980-84-5633
  •  Parking Available

Pi-yashi" island pepper made from plants growing wild on a masonry wall

 Just a sprinkle of aromatic and spicy
Just a sprinkle of aromatic and spicy "Piyashi" (600 yen) on your dishes will make you feel like you are in the tropics in no time!

The original island pepper is produced and sold by a café/shop that sells island products. A popular product that has been loved by many customers for many years is "Piyashi. It is the fruit of a pepper plant called hihatsu-modoki, which grows wild on masonry walls, and is hand-picked in spring and fall when it turns red, dried in the sun, and ground into powder.

The handmade spices, the result of painstaking work, are a perfect match for Yaeyama soba noodles. It can also be used in the same way as pepper in stir-fries, grilled meat dishes, cookies and other sweets, and dressings. A sprinkle of piyashi will surely give you a spicy aroma and a tropical feeling.

Local Guide Comment
Yaeyama soba is also known for its "piyashi. It is not so spicy, but its spicy aroma is addictive.
Tea House Takanya
  • address (e.g. of house) 518 Aza Taketomi, Taketomi Town, Yaeyama County, Okinawa MAP
  •  Direction 10 min. walk from Taketomi East Port
  •  Business hours Open 10:00-17:00
  •  Closed Closed on weekends and holidays
  •  TEL 0980-85-2980
  •  Parking Available
  •  Memo Payment in cash only

T-shirts and bags dyed with motifs of Okinawan plants and animals

 T-shirts (from 2,500 yen) and bags (from 1,600 yen), dyed using originally designed molds, are all one-of-a-kind!
T-shirts (from 2,500 yen) and bags (from 1,600 yen), dyed using originally designed molds, are all one-of-a-kind!

The small workshop and store that produces and sells original products, such as stencil-dyed T-shirts and bags. At "Handmade Studio KUMA," all processes from designing to mold making and dyeing are done in the studio. Design motifs include animals and plants present in TaketomiIsland life, such as sea turtles, hermit crabs, bougainvillea flowers, and banyan trees. Each product is dyed by hand, so all of them are one-of-a-kind original products.

If you superimpose your encounter with animals and plants in TaketomiIsland on the stencil-dyed designs, you will find your own unique and special product. In the store, handmade aroma gels and shell accessory holders are also available.

Local Guide Comment
The patterns and colors are like illustrations from a picture book, and I would like to use them to tell my own story.
Handmade Workshop KUMA
  • address (e.g. of house) 353 Taketomi, Taketomi Town, Yaeyama County, Okinawa MAP
  •  Direction 20 minutes walk from Taketomi East Port
  •  Business hours Open 10:00-17:00
  •  Closed Sundays (and irregular holidays)
  •  TEL 0980-85-2377
  •  Parking None

Accessories reminiscent of the sea and sky of TaketomiIsland

 Glass accessories with star sand (from 1,650 yen) and luminous shell accessories (from 3,850 yen)
Glass accessories with star sand (from 1,650 yen) and luminous shell accessories (from 3,850 yen)

Original accessories made of materials from the Yaeyama sea. You can wear the nature of the island. Luminous shell accessories with a soft luster are carefully cut out one by one by hand, then molded, polished, and crafted before being displayed in the store. Depending on the part of the shell and how it is polished, even the same design will have a different look. Wearing your own original accessory will make your travel time special.

The star sand accessories, trapped in light-permeable glass, look as if the stars of the night sky have wandered into the sea of TaketomiIsland.

In addition to selling the store's original T-shirts, the store also offers an accessory-making experience (reservation required). The store also displays a collection of beautiful shells collected by the owner.

Local Guide Comment
The floor of the store is covered with coral, and large giant giant clam shells and carved wooden fish are also on display, creating a wonderful space where you can feel the owner's attention to not only accessories but also everything.
ISLAND
  • address (e.g. of house) 164-5 Taketomi, Taketomi-cho, Yaeyama-gun, Okinawa MAP
  •  Direction About 10 min. by bicycle from Taketomi Higashi Port
  •  Business hours Open 10:00-17:00
  •  Closed Closed on weekends and holidays
  •  TEL 0980-85-2403
  •  Parking None

Yachimun of TaketomiIsland that enriches your life

 From mugs (from 3,800 yen) to bowls, buckwheat noodle cups, small plates, and large plates, you can find Yachimunun with a lot of individuality.
From mugs (from 3,800 yen) to bowls, buckwheat noodle cups, small plates, and large plates, you can find Yachimunun with a lot of individuality.

Yachimun" is an Okinawan word for pottery. Atelier Gokaya is a pottery that aims to create pottery rooted in island life. The "chrysanthemum design" pottery using two colors, gosu glaze and ameyu glaze, which are used in Okinawan folk art, is a popular item that continues to be loved by many customers. The boldly drawn, generous design evokes the strength of Okinawa's vital plants and makes a vivid impression on the dining table.

Atelier Gokaya's Yachimun enlivens and enriches daily life. In addition to cups and plates, we also recommend sake cups and flower vases. Why not choose your favorite vessels and create a relaxing island time in your daily life?

Local Guide Comment
The deep and vivid blue color is reminiscent of the sky and sea of TaketomiIsland, and the bold and generous touch of the brush is truly Okinawa itself.
The information in this article is current as of the date of the update. Please check before visiting as they are subject to change.