Iriomote Culture Discovery. Indigenous culture on Iriomote Island

Overview

Available languages

English

Polish

Mobile ticket

This is a unique and only tour to discover Okinawan culture, history, customs, and local stories on Iriomote Island.

You will have access to distinctive knowledge of the indigenous culture that is not available elsewhere. It's a perfect rest between forest hikes and snorkeling. A great introduction to Iriomote!

We will have a lovely easy walk through one of the oldest villages, Sonai. We will visit a shrine, a traditional house, and historical places. During the walk, I will introduce you to the fascinating little-known history and religion of this beautiful island. I will share some local stories, folk tales, and my own experiences. I've participated in many rituals and events.

After the walk, we will rest by the beach under a shadow and refresh over a cup of locally made tea and sugar snacks. You will have an opportunity to ask questions and see photographs, videos and listen to folk songs.

You will see Iriomote from a different angle than just nature and we will have a great time!

Additional Info

Service animals allowed

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

After our walk we will rest at the meeting point by the beach with an amazing view on the ocean. We will chat over a tea made by a shaman (yuta) and Iriomote black sugar for a snack.

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

What To Expect

We will see an original shrine where people still pray nowadays. I will describe the indigenous religion, religious practices of local people and how the typical shrine is built. Please mind, we cannot go inside due to respect to the locals.

15 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

前泊御嶽

Next, we will proceed to see two traditional houses. One is a designated historical monument that we can visit and explore. I will describe how the typical household used to look like, what are the materials used to build traditional houses and local customs of worship within a house. You can find out details about Shisa lions, the household gods or the use of corals and typhoon protection.

15 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

Options

Iriomote Culture Discovery. Indigenous culture on Iriomote Island

Pickup included

Reviews

5.00

5 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Culture, History and Arts lovers need to take a stroll with her. Totally hidden gem - the island and this guide.
Peter K,
Oct 21, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Who is interested to dive deep in to Ruykuy culture and history find with Karola the best foreign guide you could imagine. She is affiliated with the local community and can open you a window to a quite hidden culture and society, so rich, deep and complex it totally blows my mind. Some times less is more: just a little stroll, a nice chat, few old places and cup of tea. Every sentence from her just scratches the surface of her knowledge. On top of that she was so helpful, kind and natural, please give this guide some time and listen carefully.
A Rare and Insightful Cultural Experience on Iriomote
Coastal17823208632,
Mar 12, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Iriomote is best known for its pristine nature, but Karola Mech offers something truly unique—an intimate and deeply informed introduction to the island’s culture and traditions. As an artist, designer, and analog photographer, Karola has a keen eye for detail, but she is also a natural anthropologist. Having lived on Iriomote for years, she has immersed herself in the indigenous Ryukyu culture and shares her knowledge with enthusiasm and respect. I have a strong interest in Japan’s regional diversity and have previously explored Ainu culture in Hokkaido. This tour was particularly fascinating because the Ryukyu and Ainu cultures, both distinct from mainstream Japanese society, have persisted against the odds with their own languages, music, cuisine, and spiritual practices. While most tours in these regions focus exclusively on nature, Karola’s approach is rare—she brings Iriomote’s cultural heritage to life through storytelling, personal research, and documentation. She is a gifted guide with a passion for preserving and sharing local traditions, making this tour an invaluable experience for anyone curious about Japan’s rich cultural tapestry. Highly recommended for those seeking more than just sightseeing—a true cultural discovery.
An Unbiased View of Life on Iriomote
Q6263YHlesliec,
Dec 6, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Karolina was very kind and informative and we learned a lot about the traditions and rituals of the local people. Karolina provides a very honest and unbiased view of local life and it was very refreshing to hear about the cultures not through the eyes of tourists or locals, but from a foreigner living in Japan. If you are visiting Iriomotejima for the nature, I would also highly recommend taking this tour taking this tour to understand the history, culture, and how the local people live now in the modern world.
One of the best tours I have ever done, what a pleasure to learn about Iriomote local indigenous culture
Kristen S,
Mar 9, 2023
- Review from Viator
5.00
I work as a writer and photographer in the field of architecture and design. I am specifically interested in Indigenous Technology in these fields, so when I saw this tour available in Iriomote - I was very interested to participate and learn a bit more about local indigenous culture. I had the best time. Karo was SO knowledgable, fun, easy to talk to and we had such a great day together. She brought me to see a traditional house and explain the rituals and history behind how the community builds homes together as well as sharing her experience working alongside the local indigenous community for the past few years where she has completely immersed herself. I highly recommend this to anyone who even has the slightest interest in getting to know the unique and rich local indigenous culture of Iriomote Island.
Iriomote culture experience
franziskapaintner,
Apr 13, 2020
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Me and my brother were really happy to experience the iriomote culture dive with Karola. She has been studying the culture for quite a while and can tell lots interesting stories of the islands history, tales and it's people. She is a very bright woman and it was so fun to experience iriomote with her! I would definitely recommend the tour if you want to learn about iriomote!