Yubu Island 由布島
| Island group | Yaeyama Islands |
|---|---|
| Prefecture | Okinawa |
| Region | Okinawa |
| Municipality | Komi |
| Area | 0.15 km² (0.06 mi²) |
| Highest point | 2 m |
| Coordinates | 24.345° N, 123.935° E |
| Official site | https://yubujima.com/ |
Getting there: the article below outlines this island's usual ferry and flight routes. Timetables change with the season and sailings are cancelled in rough weather — always confirm the current schedule with the operator or the municipality before you travel.
Yubu Island (由布島, Yubu-jima; Yaeyama:Jubu) is an island of the Yaeyama Islands of Japan, it is located about 0.5 miles east of Iriomote Island. The "Subtropical Botanical Garden" encompasses most of the island.
Geography and transport
Yubu Island is a small island with a total area of 0.15 km and a circumference of 2.0 km. It is located 0.5 km east of Iriomote Island. The water level between Yubu Island and Iriomote Island is usually no more than around knee deep, even during high tide the maximum depth is around 1 meter. Water buffalo carts are used as a means of transportation between Yubu Island and Iriomote Island, and have become an important tourist attraction for the island. When it is low tide and the waves are calm, it is possible to cross between islands on foot. Utility poles are built in the sea from Iriomote Island to Yubu Island in order to guide foot traffic. A botanical garden encompasses most of the island.
History
After the Pacific War, in 1947, people who migrated from Taketomi Island and Kuroshima Island to Iriomote Island, established a settlement on Yubu Island. Fruit trees and sugar canes were cultivated, and water buffaloes were raised.
On September 26, 1969, Typhoon Elsie struck Yubu Island and most of the island's inhabitants moved to Iriomote soon after.
On April 1, 1981, the "Subtropical Botanical Garden" was opened on the island. The garden has gradually expanded over time to encompass most of the island. The island is a popular tourist attraction to visitors of Iriomote because of its botanical garden and water buffalo cart rides. In 2017, approximately 201,600 tourist visited Yubu, with a peak day of 1,117.
Text adapted from the English Wikipedia article Yubu Island by its contributors, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Population, area and location facts from Wikidata (CC0).