October at a glance
| Item | October |
|---|---|
| Average temperature | 26.0°C (highs 28.8°C, lows 23.9°C) |
| Rain | 211.2 mm |
| Sunshine | 157.6 hours |
| Wind | 5.8 m/s, mostly north-northeast |
| Sea temperature | 27.6°C (south of Ishigaki) |
| Typhoon approaches | 1.1 (Okinawa region, 1991–2020 normal) |
| Visitors | 130,479 in October 2025 |
| Ferry timetable | Winter (October 1 to March 31): fewer departures; Hateruma 2 boats a day |
| Lifeguards | Sukuji Beach: no lifeguards or nets from October 1. Fusaki Beach: lifeguards until October 31, then on request. Wetsuit for snorkeling |
Weather
Average 26.0°C (highs 28.8°C, lows 23.9°C), 211 mm of rain, 157.6 hours of sunshine and the windiest month of the year at 5.8 m/s from the north-northeast. Humidity drops to 73 percent. Typhoon approaches fall to 1.1, and the ones that come tend to be late-season storms that move quickly.
The sea
27.6°C, warm enough to snorkel in a 3 mm wetsuit. Sukuji Beach has no lifeguards or nets from October 1; Fusaki Beach keeps its lifeguards until October 31. From now on, go with a tour, bring a windproof layer for afterwards, and wear a life jacket where no one is watching.
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
130,479 visitors in October 2025. The first half stays busy with Japanese long weekends; the second half is quieter and prices fall. On October 1 the ferries move to the winter timetable and the Iriomote bus timetable changes too, so a trip spanning the change needs two sets of times.
What is on in October
- Yaeyama Industry Festival (October).
- Kohama-bushi folk-song contest on Kohama (October 24, 2026).
- Ishigaki Hula Festival, October or November (November 14, 2026).
- Kitsugansai on Kohama and Shichi on Iriomote (lunar), October or November depending on the year.
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 plus a light layer; a wind layer for boats and capes.
Is October a good time to visit?
A good compromise month: warm sea with a wetsuit, thinner crowds, lower prices and fewer typhoons than September. Plan the outer islands with spare days from here on.
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.
