【March-June】Firefly Viewing & Stargazing tour with Official Guide

I was taken to a spot where fireflies were dancing wildly, and I had an inspiring experience. I went on the tour without checking the phases of the moon, and I was very happy that even for such a novice starry sky participant, he managed to enjoy the starry sky on a night when the moon was shining. Thank you very much.

I joined this tour at the end of May. I thought it would be a small number because the firefly season is over... but the results are great! I went on this tour to Golden Week last year and the year before last, in the middle of the firefly season, and it was such a big orgy that I feel like I was flying more than I did then. (Maybe the timing was good!) I was really moved by what I saw that exceeded my expectations. Also, the guide was so amazing! He knows a lot about fireflies, of course, but he knows a lot about other natures, and he knows a lot about stars, and he's like, "What star is that?" He will answer immediately when I ask him, "What is this?" They taught me a lot of things that even adults don't know, It was always exciting and fun from start to finish. I thought it would be great for families with children as it would be fun to learn about the wonders of nature.

This was an amazing experience! Wata was a great guide and showed us where the fireflies were and it was awesome! He was knowledgeable about fireflies and taught us at the same time. It was super convenient as we were picked up and dropped back off from the hotel. Also, after seeing the fireflies we went near the beach to look for (and we found) a coconut crab. It was huge! He also gave us some information on the constellations that we could see. We highly recommend this tour!

This was a fantastic trip! Our guide knew exactly where to see the fireflies and it was quite the experience! It was a nice secluded spot! Very friendly and knowledgeable guide. Afterward we went to see a large coconut crab. Our kids had a great time. I highly recommend this tour!

It was amazing! The guide was so knowledgeable and I learned a lot about fireflies and he was a great at showing us the stars and Planets! It was a great experience!

+1

Wataru was a fantastic guide and spoke English very well. We learned a lot about the fireflies of this island. He picked us up from our accommodation around 7pm and we drove with our small group to a remote part of the island. Once we arrived, we could see hundreds of the fireflies flashing in the jungle. Afterward we went stargazing and learned how to take pictures of the starry night sky. We hope to do another tour with Wataru in the future, it was a great experience!

It was really wonderful to see the fireworks in the dark mountains. It was a really good experience. The guide, Mr. Saito, was also very friendly and had a very enjoyable tour. If you come to Ishigaki, I would like you to take a glowing tour...! It was nice to see the hotal in a bright mountain. Really very good experience. ガイドであるSaitoさんもとても親切でとても楽しくツアーをしました. ぜひ石垣に来たらホタルがツアーに推薦です.

Saito gave us a wonderful tour on Ishigaki. Local guide with great knowledge of where to find the fireflies. Communication was really good, and in English since we didn’t speak Japanese. He picked us up and drove us to a mountain path where we walked a short distance before the fireflies started appearing like wisps in the forest. Truly a magical moment. My wife was in awe, and the tour was kind to the animals, not to disturb them. After that he drove us to a star gazing spot and showed us the constellations in the sky which was fascinating. We didn’t see that many because of the clouds, but he showed us the blue coconut crabs as a bonus! This tour is really for everyone, whether old or young, or with kids. Saito is so friendly and will adapt to the group in the best way possible. He is easy to talk to, and truly passionate about his tours. Can truly recommend this tour for anyone visiting Ishigaki! It’s definitely an experience you’ll remember, and an exciting way to see a what a tropical island like Ishigaki has to offer.

Magical experience seeing the fireflies come alive at night. Our guide (Saito) was helpful, knowledgeable and friendly. Stargazing is weather dependent.

The fireflies were brighter and faster than I imagined, and I truly felt the mystery of nature. There were too many glowing at once to even count—it was like a natural illumination. The stars in the Dark Sky Reserve were also incredibly magical. Both the fireflies and the stars were so beautiful, it’s hard to say which was more impressive. The hotel pickup and drop-off were also very helpful. The guide gave us so many great recommendations for things to do in Ishigaki, and it really made the trip special. I'm very thankful!