November at a glance
| Item | November |
|---|---|
| Average temperature | 23.6°C (highs 26.2°C, lows 21.5°C) |
| Rain | 138.1 mm |
| Sunshine | 115.3 hours |
| Wind | 5.5 m/s, mostly north-northeast |
| Sea temperature | 26.3°C (south of Ishigaki) |
| Typhoon approaches | 0.3 (Okinawa region, 1991–2020 normal) |
| Visitors | 123,307 in November 2025 |
| 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 23.6°C (highs 26.2°C, lows 21.5°C), 138 mm of rain, 115.3 hours of sunshine and a north-northeast wind of 5.5 m/s. Typhoon approaches drop to 0.3 and the air is dry and clear; this is the most comfortable sightseeing weather of the year.
The sea
26.3°C: snorkeling in a 3 to 5 mm wetsuit with a tour. No lifeguards at the city beach; Fusaki Beach posts one 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
123,307 visitors in November 2025. Off-season prices begin, but the festival days fill the boats to Taketomi and the guesthouses on the islands concerned. The north wind returns, so the Uehara, Hatoma and Hateruma boats can be cancelled.
What is on in November
- Ishigaki Island Festival, the city's own festival, first weekend of November.
- Tanadui on Taketomi, a ten-day seed-sowing festival and national important intangible folk cultural property; the two days of dedicatory performances at Yomochi Utaki were November 12 and 13, 2026 (lunar September, dates change every year).
- Kitsugansai on Kohama (November 21–23, 2026, performances November 22) and Shichi at Sonai and Hoshitate on Iriomote (November 21–23, 2026, main day November 22).
- Ishigaki Hula Festival (November 14, 2026).
- Yonaguni Round-island Marathon, second Saturday of November.
Festivals on the lunar calendar move every year; the island tourism associations publish the dates a month or two ahead.
What to pack
Short or long sleeves, and a windproof layer for boats.
Is November a good time to visit?
The best month for culture and comfortable sightseeing. The sea needs a wetsuit, and the outer islands need spare days.
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.
