February at a glance
| Item | February |
|---|---|
| Average temperature | 19.4°C (highs 22.0°C, lows 17.2°C) |
| Rain | 124.0 mm |
| Sunshine | 91.3 hours |
| Wind | 5.4 m/s, mostly north-northeast |
| Sea temperature | 23.4°C (south of Ishigaki) |
| Typhoon approaches | none in the normals (Okinawa region, 1991–2020 normal) |
| Visitors | 86,306 in February 2025 · 97,203 in February 2026 |
| Ferry timetable | Winter (October 1 to March 31): fewer departures; Hateruma 2 boats a day |
| Lifeguards | Sukuji Beach (city-run, Kabira): no lifeguards or jellyfish nets; its season is April 1 to September 30. Fusaki Beach (hotel-run) allows swimming on sunny days and posts a lifeguard on request in winter. Snorkeling tours run all year in 5 mm wetsuits |
Weather
Average 19.4°C (highs 22.0°C, lows 17.2°C), 124 mm of rain, the least of any month, 91.3 hours of sunshine and a north-northeast wind of 5.4 m/s. It is marginally warmer and sunnier than January but still grey and breezy by Ishigaki standards. The cherry blossoms are at their best.
The sea
February has the lowest sea temperature of the year, 23.4°C, still 4°C warmer than the air. Swimming is for wetsuits and guided tours; the city beach has no lifeguards until April 1 and Fusaki Beach posts one only on request.
Ferries and which islands to pick
The winter ferry timetable runs from October 1 to March 31 with fewer departures than summer. Taketomi, Kohama, Kuroshima and Iriomote's Ohara Port are reached through water sheltered by islands and reefs, and both ferry companies say these routes are rarely affected by swell. Uehara Port on Iriomote, Hatoma and Hateruma cross open sea: when the north wind blows, the Uehara and Hatoma boats are often cancelled, and Hateruma, which has only two boats a day in winter (8:00 and 14:30 out, 9:50 and 16:20 back), can be cut off for several days. Put the outer islands early in the trip, keep a spare day, and check both companies' operating-status pages each morning. Every departure is on the ferry timetable page.
Crowds and prices
86,306 visitors in 2025, the quietest month of the year (97,203 in February 2026). Flights and hotels are at their lowest prices and there are no holiday peaks. Boats to Kuroshima fill on the day of the cattle festival.
What is on in February
- Chiba Lotte Marines spring training at the city baseball stadium from February 1.
- Yamaneko Marathon on Iriomote, second Saturday of February.
- Kuroshima Cattle Festival, last Sunday of February, on an island with more cattle than people.
- Juurokunichi (lunar January 16): families gather at the graves; some shops close.
- Kanhizakura cherry blossoms continue through February.
Festivals on the lunar calendar move every year; the island tourism associations publish the dates a month or two ahead.
What to pack
Long sleeves plus a jacket; a windproof layer for the boats. Sunglasses for the bright days.
Is February a good time to visit?
The month for a budget trip: empty beaches, cheap rooms, no typhoons. Same rule as January: inner islands, spare day for Hateruma, wetsuit for the sea.
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.
