Hoshino Resorts Risonare Iriomote — the only 5-star resort on a UNESCO rainforest island that actually makes you forget Wi-Fi exists

Getting here is part of the experience itself. From ISG Airport you drive or take a taxi to Ishigaki Port, board the passenger ferry to Ohara Pier on Iriomote Island — a 45-minute crossing (¥2,260 each way) — then the Hoshino shuttle meets you at the dock. This journey isn't an inconvenience; it's a deliberate boundary between everyday life and what comes next. The further you travel from the main island, the more clearly you feel you're entering a different world entirely — Iriomote Island is home to the Iriomote Wildcat, found nowhere else on Earth.

The Hoshino Risonare DNA is Japanese ryokan hospitality translated into a modern eco-resort. Staff speak multiple languages and attend to every detail from check-in onwards. Standard rooms are 38 sqm, styled with natural materials in a calm, uncluttered way. Crucially, the resort deliberately provides no in-room TV. The thinking is simple: they want guests out on the island, not watching Netflix on a screen. Guests say the first few hours feel strange, but by day two they wouldn't want it any other way.

The heart of the stay is the 30+ eco-tour programs run daily by Hoshino. There is jungle kayaking through green mangrove corridors, jungle trekking to Pinaisara Falls, snorkelling and diving among Yaeyama's corals and sea turtles, and night jungle walks to look for rare wildlife — all led by local guides who know this island better than anyone. There is no need to book outside; Hoshino handles everything in one place, from equipment to experienced naturalist guides.

The resort's pool is named the Sango Coral Pool — an infinity design that looks out over the East China Sea stretching to the horizon. It's the ideal spot for a quiet afternoon after a morning in the jungle. There is a pool bar for drinks. For those who want the ultimate version, the Iriomote Suite at ¥150,000 per night has an in-room private pool — rainforest outside the window, your own pool inside.

A few things worth being clear about. Rooms start at ¥38,000/night, and when you add the ferry fare of ¥2,260 each way for a two-night stay, the effective cost per night rises to roughly ¥45,000. Wi-Fi inside the rooms is slow — this is a remote island — and there is no TV, making the resort a poor fit for business travellers or anyone who needs to stay connected. During typhoon season (roughly July–September), the ferry can be suspended for several days at a stretch.

Hoshino Resorts Risonare Iriomote is a place designed for a minimum of two nights, not a quick stopover. The trip that many guests describe as the blueprint: three nights on Ishigaki Island, then two nights at Risonare on Iriomote. That combination, guests say, makes for a complete Yaeyama experience.

Is it worth the price? Those who have stayed say yes — if what you value is silence, raw nature, and service that makes you feel like staff remember your name. If you simply want a beach bed for daytime and a clean room at night, there are cheaper options on Ishigaki. But for an experience that cannot be replicated anywhere else, Risonare Iriomote is the answer.