April at a glance
| Item | April |
|---|---|
| Average temperature | 23.4°C (highs 26.0°C, lows 21.3°C) |
| Rain | 146.9 mm |
| Sunshine | 130.3 hours |
| Wind | 4.9 m/s, mostly north-northeast |
| Sea temperature | 24.8°C (south of Ishigaki) |
| Typhoon approaches | 0.0 (Okinawa region, 1991–2020 normal) |
| Visitors | 131,192 in April 2025 · 125,912 in April 2026 |
| Ferry timetable | Summer (April 1 to September 30): more departures on every route |
| Lifeguards | Sukuji Beach: lifeguards 9:00–18:00 (April 1 to September 30); nets from July. Fusaki Beach: lifeguards March 1 to October 31 |
Weather
Average 23.4°C (highs 26.0°C, lows 21.3°C), 147 mm of rain, 130.3 hours of sunshine and the lightest wind of the year at 4.9 m/s. Most days are fine and warm, and the rainy season has not started.
The sea
24.8°C, warming at last. Sukuji Beach opens on April 1 with lifeguards from 9:00 to 18:00. Swimming without a wetsuit is possible on warm afternoons, but the water is still cool and tours use 3 mm suits. The Southern Cross season on Hateruma, when the constellation is visible in the evening, runs from late April to early June.
Ferries and which islands to pick
The summer ferry timetable runs from April 1 to September 30 with more departures on every route, and the north wind that cancels the Uehara, Hatoma and Hateruma boats in winter has eased. The risk in this season is typhoons: when one approaches, every boat and flight stops, usually for one to three days, and routes with one to three flights a day have no same-day alternative. Keep a spare day at the end of the trip and book fares that can be changed. Every departure is on the ferry timetable page.
Crowds and prices
131,192 visitors in April 2025 (125,912 in 2026), one of the busiest months, because Golden Week begins on April 29: rental cars, flights and hotels for April 29 to May 5 sell out months ahead. The Ishigaki Triathlon, on the second or third Sunday, fills hotels and rental cars in town for that weekend too, and the port adjusts cruise-ship calls around it.
What is on in April
- Ishigaki Triathlon: April 18, 2027 (entries opened in late October 2026).
- Funauki Music Festival on Iriomote, third Saturday.
- Golden Week from April 29.
- Southern Cross season on Hateruma from late April.
Festivals on the lunar calendar move every year; the island tourism associations publish the dates a month or two ahead.
What to pack
Short sleeves with a light layer for the evenings; sun protection starts to matter.
Is April a good time to visit?
April before Golden Week is one of the best windows of the year: warm, dry, summer ferries, no typhoons, beaches open and prices still normal. From April 29 only if you booked long ago.
For the whole year on one page, see Best time to visit; for the number of nights, How many nights do you need.
Other months
Sources
- Japan Meteorological Agency: climate normals for Ishigakijima, 1991–2020 (temperature, precipitation, sunshine, wind, cloud amount)
- Japan Meteorological Agency: sea-surface temperature for the sea area south of Ishigaki (monthly means of the daily normals)
- Japan Meteorological Agency: typhoon normals 1991–2020, approaches to the Okinawa region
- Ishigaki City: monthly visitor estimates, 2025 and January–July 2026
- Ishigaki City Tourism Association: Sukuji Beach (lifeguard and net dates); Fusaki Beach Resort FAQ; Okinawa Prefecture: box-jellyfish advisory
- Anei Kanko and Yaeyama Kanko Ferry: winter timetables (October 2026 to March 2027) and notices on the Uehara, Hatoma and Hateruma routes
- Ishigaki City official tourism site (annual events), Taketomi Town Tourism Association (event list), Yonaguni Tourism Association, Ishigaki Island Marathon, Ishigaki Triathlon and Ishigaki Hula Festival official sites, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (Southern Cross)
Climate figures are 1991–2020 normals, so any given year differs. Visitor numbers are city estimates. Festival dates on the lunar calendar change every year; confirm with the organisers. Checked in October 2026.
