What is "Street Pond," the most famous power spot in the marrow of Miyako Island? Introducing popular tours you can enjoy at the power spot.

What is Street Pond?

The Miyako Islands, located about 300 km southwest of the main island of Okinawa, are formed by eight islands: Miyako, Irabu, Shimoji, Tarama, Mizuna, Ikema, Kurima, and Ogami.

Also, Tori-ike refers to a tourist attraction on Shimoji Island, which is adjacent to Irabu Island.

The two lined ponds with absorbing deep blue water form a mysterious landscape that differs from the color of the surrounding ocean.

The pond on the ocean side is approximately 75 meters in diameter and 50 meters deep, while the pond on the inland side is approximately 55 meters in diameter and 40 meters deep.

These two ponds are actually connected underground, which is the origin of the name "Street Pond.

In this issue, we would like to introduce you to the street ponds of Miyako Island!

 

How to get to Street Pond from the city center

In the past, Shimoji Island, where Tori-ike is located, was usually reached by car by taking a ferry from Hirara Port on Miyako Island to Sarahama Port on Irabu Island, and then using one of the six bridges that cross the narrow channel between Irabu Island and Shimoji Island to get to Tori-ike.

However, in 2015 (Heisei 27), the 3,540-meter Irabu Bridge, the longest free bridge in Japan, opened between Miyako Island and Irabu Island, making it possible to go from downtown Hirara City on Miyako Island via the Irabu Bridge in about 30 minutes by car only (ferry service was discontinued when the Irabu Bridge opened). The ferry service was discontinued with the opening of the Irabu Bridge.

Another way to get there is by car from Miyako Shimojishima Airport, not from the main Miyako Island.

Miyako Shimojishima Airport is served by Jetstar from Tokyo (Narita) and Skymark from Tokyo (Haneda) and Kobe.

It takes about 10 minutes by car from Miyako Shimojishima Airport to Doriike.

There is also a free parking lot at the street pond where large tourist buses can park.

There are restrooms in the parking lot, so be sure to use them before you go for a walk.

From the parking lot, it is a five-minute walk along a tropical walking trail through a dense green tunnel to the pond.

 

Street Pond Attraction

The main attraction of Doriike is that it is not only a scenic spot but also a popular diving spot along with Yabiji on Miyako Island.

The most distinctive feature of diving in Dori Pond is that once you go out to the open sea by boat, you dive into the ocean and then surface at the pond surface via an undersea cave.

Therefore, diving is limited to the months of May through October when sea conditions are good.

Because the water temperature and salinity vary greatly depending on the depth, a wide variety of creatures live in the water, such as dogtooth tuna, nebulibuka, napoleon fish, manta rays, and butterflyfish, making encounters with these creatures a pleasure.

Note that cave diving, which has a maximum depth of over 40 meters, is a course for advanced divers and is not for beginners.

 

Beautiful scenery designated as a natural monument and a national scenic beauty

In 2006, the pond was also designated as a national scenic beauty spot and a natural monument.

Originally, Dori Pond was formed when seawater entered a cave called Dorine, which was formed when a stalactite cave on the coast was eroded by waves, grew larger, and its ceiling collapsed, forming a sinkhole.

The surface of the pond, glowing cobalt blue, has a mysterious atmosphere that captivates the viewer.

Doriike, also known as "Dragon's Eye," is one of the sacred places on Shimoji Island, as dragons are said to have eyes that can see everything in the world.

 

Change in water color with tide level

Another characteristic of the Street Pond is the change in water color with tidal level.

Specifically, the water level changes with the ebb and flow of the tide due to its connection to the ocean, and a boundary surface called a thermocline (water temperature dynamic layer) appears, which is formed when water of different temperatures meet.

This results in some areas where the light blue is clearly divided into blue and green.

When diving, you swim through the gradation, and when sunlight is added to this gradation, it changes into various shades of color, creating a fantastic experience beyond words.

 

The Legend of the Mermaid Now Told

The mysterious landscape of Doriike has several legends, one of which is the legend of Unaitama.

Long ago, fishermen living in the vicinity caught and tried to eat unaitama (dugong or man-fish), which are incarnations of sea spirits.

Panicked, Unaitama heads out to sea to seek rescue, only to be hit by a massive tsunami that takes Unaitama out to sea.

At that time, two large holes opened on the sites of two houses that were hit by the tsunami and became ponds, giving birth to the street ponds we know today.

There is also a "stepchild legend," an anecdote about a sinful mother who threw her own child into a pond because she mistook him for her stepson.

 

Activities to enjoy near Street Pond

Shimoji Island is considered a mecca for marine sports.

Here are some activities you can enjoy near the Street Pond!

 

diving

There are many diving spots in the Shimojishima area, but the most popular of them all is the "Devil's Palace" located near the Miyako Shimojishima Airport.

There are three rooms in the palace, making it a dive spot that all topographic divers should dive at least once.

The depth is about 25 meters, and the fact that it is not a very difficult point is another reason for its popularity.

First, begin your tour of the palace at the "Entrance Hall" inside the coral atoll.

The "Main Hall," where the Demon King is said to reside, is a fantastic room with blue light pouring down from the openings in the ceiling.

Further along is the final "bedroom".

This storybook terrain is like a role-playing game.

You can even feel like an explorer as you make your way through the pitch-dark corridors with the lights on.

The best time to visit is after October, when the northeast winds blow, and in the fall and winter.

In summer when the wind blows from the southwest, it is difficult to dive because of the high waves around the point.

 

snorkeling

For snorkeling on Shimoji Island, we recommend Nakanoshima Beach, a 5-minute drive from the street pond.

Located on the southwest shore of Shimoji Island, this shallow beach boasts outstanding clarity and can be enjoyed by snorkeling beginners and intermediate snorkelers alike.

Underwater, visitors can get up close to clownfish (the model for "Finding Nemo") and glittering corals, and are sure to be impressed by the dragon's palace-like setting.

Please note that there are no toilets, showers, changing rooms, or other facilities at Nakanoshima Beach.

For toilets and showers, use the commercial facilities at Watariguchi no Hama on Irabu Island, a 10-minute drive from Nakanoshima Beach (showers and changing rooms are available for a fee).

 

SUP

SUP stands for stand-up paddle, which was sparked by Hawaii's loco surfers and has now become a standard marine sport.

Standing on a board larger than a regular surfboard, the paddler enjoys a walk on the water while paddling.

At Miyako Shimojishima Airport, a 10-minute drive from Doriike, SUP school is held in the lagoon off the airport, and even beginners can easily participate.

If the timing is right, you can even see airplanes taking off and landing at the airport at close range, which makes for an impressive view.

There are no restrooms, showers, or changing rooms here either, so use the restrooms at Miyako Shimojishima Airport and showers at the commercial facilities at Watariguchi no Hama on Irabu Island.

 

Popular Spots near Street Pond

Here are some popular spots near Street Pond.

All of these spots are highly recommended, so please check them out!

 

pond in a pot

Nabesoko Pond is located a little further back from Street Pond, a popular spot on Shimoji Island.

Located at the end of the broken promenade of the Street Pond, it is, like the Street Pond, a doline sunken pond, connected to the open sea at the bottom of the pond.

 

Highlights and things to do

Considered sacred on the island along with Street Pond, it is located about 50 meters from the end of the wooden deck, at the end of the walk over the craggy stalactites.

It was named Nabosoko Pond because the bottom of the pot bubbles as if it were boiling when the waves are rough.

Nabeshi Pond is a sacred place where the three gods of fire, water, and wind reside. It is considered a reincarnation pond, a place of return to the womb, because the sound echoed by the waves inside the pond is similar to the sound heard in a mother's womb.

We invite you to experience the mysterious landscape of Shimoji Island at Street Pond and Nabesho Pond.

 

Directions from the city center

It takes about 30 minutes by car from downtown Hirara, Miyako Island, via the Irabu Bridge.

It is a 10-minute drive from Miyako Shimojishima Airport.

Free parking is available at the Street Pond.

 

Shimojishima megalith (obi stone)

Shimojishima megaliths are located on the coastal plateau on the west shore of Shimojishima Island, south of the Street Pond.

As a Shimoji Island megalith (obi stone), it is a historical site of Miyakojima City.

 

Highlights and things to do

A tsunami generated by the Yaeyama earthquake in 1771 (Meiwa no Otsunami) during the Edo period washed large rocks onto the land.

It is a huge rock, about 12 meters high, 60 meters in circumference, and weighing an estimated several tens of tons.

It is called obi-ishi because the rock has a neck that looks like a tightened obi.

There is a torii gate in front of the rock, which is revered by the people of Shimoji Island as a place to pray for domestic safety and a great catch of fish.

 

Directions from the city center

It takes about 30 minutes by car from downtown Hirara, Miyako Island, via the Irabu Bridge.

It is a 10-minute drive from Miyako Shimojishima Airport.

Free parking is available.

 

17END

 

This sightseeing spot is located at the taxiway light at the end of the runway of Miyako Shimojishima Airport, which was built as Japan's only commercial jet pilot training airfield.

The name "17END" comes from the fact that the runway faces 170 degrees when north is 0 degrees, and the runway identification number is 17.

Furthermore, the term "runway end" is derived from the aviation term for the end of a runway.

 

Highlights and things to do

To get to the taxi lights at the end of the runway, access the west side from the Street Pond area.

Driving along the west side of the runway, there are about 10 parking spaces before the roadblock, and from here to 17 END is about 700 meters, or about a 10-minute walk.

Outside of the car, another recommended approach is to rent a bicycle at the Miyako Shimojishima Airport Terminal.

Currently, as already mentioned, regular flights are in service, so if you check the times, you can take pictures of the aircraft and the taxiway lights stretching out to the cobalt blue sea.

However, planes do not always come from the ocean side; depending on the wind direction, they may come down from the other side of the runway.

As a preliminary knowledge, it is useful to remember that basically, in summer, they tend to come down from the 17 END side and in winter from the opposite side.

Another famous attraction is the beach commonly known as 17 END Beach, which appears at low tide.

Many people visit 17END for this fantastic and spectacular beach.

 

Directions from the city center

It takes about 35 minutes by car from Miyako Island and Hirara City via the Irabu Bridge.

Free parking is available.

 

summary

In this issue, we have introduced you to the street ponds of Miyako Island.

Shimoji Island was a difficult tourist destination to visit until the opening of the Irabu Bridge between Miyako Island and the main Miyako Island in 2015 (Heisei 27) and until regular flights began to service Miyako Shimojijima Airport in 2019 (Heisei 31).

However, the flow of tourists visiting the Miyako Islands is changing as the number of rental cars and sightseeing buses are increasing dramatically to catch a glimpse of the Miyako area's representative tourist attractions, the Street Pond and 17 END.

If you are considering a trip to the Miyako Islands in the future, why not add Shimoji Island's sightseeing spots to your course?

Thank you for taking the time to read this to the end.