HOSHINOYA Taketomi Island, a resort that weaves the rich nature and culture of Taketomi Island into the present day, offers "Tutunuun (とぅとぅぬーん) Island Time"* from December 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027. The program lets guests encounter the island's folk tools and herbal culture while restoring body and mind. Winter on Taketomi is a quiet, peaceful season of watching over the seeds sown in autumn as they sprout, and of caring for body and mind. Four activities, inspired by the way islanders spend winter in good health, include making everyday folk tools to turn attention to daily life, and restoring the body with "nuchigusa" (ぬちぐさ, "life herbs"), the medicinal plants that have long supported islanders' health.
* "Tutunuun" means "to put in order" in the Taketomi dialect.
Taketomi's Calendar and Winter
Taketomi is a small island made of Ryukyu limestone and surrounded by sea on all sides. To live in this harsh environment, islanders have followed their own calendar for farming and festivals. Winter, when the seeds sown in autumn are watched as they sprout, is a season for facing changeable weather while preparing body and mind for spring, the next harvest season. The program was planned in the hope that guests will savor nuchigusa, which come into season at this time, and make folk tools by hand, touching the islanders' "wisdom for spending winter in good health" and enjoying a gentle island time that restores body, mind, and daily life.
"Winter Field Play": Making Spice Chai with Seasonal Nuchigusa
At the farm within HOSHINOYA Taketomi Island, guests harvest the nuchigusa that are in season in winter while learning about the herbal culture that has supported island life. In the days before doctors lived on the island, nuchigusa were used as both medicine and food to protect islanders' health. After the harvest, guests warm up with chai made with piiyashi (ピーヤシ), the island pepper, which is one of the nuchigusa. Enjoying the island's winter spices, guests can experience Taketomi's own way of caring for the body.
- Period: Mondays and Thursdays, December 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027
- Hours: 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM
- Location: The on-site farm and Tsudoi no Yakata (集いの館)
- Price: ¥4,000 per person (tax and service charge included)
- Capacity: 2 groups, up to 4 guests
- Reservations: Via the official website by 5:00 PM the day before (https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/hoshinoyataketomijima/)
"Poshi (Broom) Making": Crafting a Folk Tool for Everyday Life
In winter on Taketomi, islanders maintain farm tools indoors and make folk tools while waiting for spring to arrive. The island also has a custom of sweeping the white coral sand paths of the village with bamboo brooms, meant to purify the road and ward off evil. In this activity, guests make a palm-sized broom using fibers of maani (マーニ)*, a plant that grows wild on the island. Maani has sturdy, water-resistant fibers, and weaving them offers time to face the wisdom and culture of island life.
* Kominokurotsugu (コミノクロツグ) is a plant in the palm family whose trunk is called "fugara" (フガラ). On Taketomi, it is known as "maani."
- Period: Wednesdays, December 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027
- Hours: Starts at 9:30 AM
- Location: Tsudoi no Yakata (集いの館)
- Price: ¥3,025 per person (tax and service charge included)
- Capacity: Up to 2 guests per session
- Reservations: Via the official website by 5:00 PM the day before (https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/hoshinoyataketomijima/)
"Winter Island Moments": A Break with Nuchigusa Tea and Steamed Red Bean Yokan
Following the islanders' culture of adding nuchigusa to their lives to care for the body, nuchigusa tea is served with yokan during the afternoon break. Haamamiinukan (ハーマミーヌカン), a steamed yokan made with red beans, has long been offered at celebrations such as the New Year and festivals. Red beans are rich in dietary fiber and have a gentle sweetness. Guests can replenish their energy without burdening the stomach and warm up with nuchigusa tea for a comfortable afternoon.
- Period: December 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027
- Hours: 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM
- Location: Tsudoi no Yakata (集いの館)
"Tinnu Deep Breathing": Relaxing Body and Mind Under the Stars
Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park, which includes Taketomi Island, is certified as a "Starry Sky Reserve," and the Southern Cross can be seen on winter nights. With no strong outdoor lights on the property, the starry sky can be enjoyed to the full. On the poolside, where there are no tall buildings nearby, "Tinnu Deep Breathing" invites guests to stretch while surrounded by a sky full of stars. Breathing deeply and moving slowly, guests relax body and mind and ease into a restful sleep. A heated pool open 24 hours a day also lets guests enjoy stargazing while floating, even in winter.
- Period: December 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027
- Hours: 8:45 PM to 9:15 PM
- Location: Poolside
About HOSHINOYA Taketomi Island
HOSHINOYA Taketomi Island is a village of red Ryukyu tile roofs on the eastern side of Taketomi Island. Like the houses across the island, the property's grounds of approximately 20,000 tsubo (roughly 66,000 square meters) were built in respect of tradition, following the "Taketomi Landscape Formation Manual." Detached guest rooms, white sand lanes, a pool, and a lookout deck stretch across the grounds, creating a scene of Okinawa's original landscape.
- Address: 1955 Taketomi, Taketomi-cho, Yaeyama-gun, Okinawa 907-1101
- Phone: 050-3134-8091 (HOSHINOYA General Reservations)
- Rooms: 48 rooms | Check-in: 3:00 PM / Check-out: 12:00 PM
- Rate: From ¥147,000 per night (per room, tax and service charge included, meals not included). Standard reservations start from 2 nights.
- Access: Approximately 10 minutes by ferry from Ishigaki Port; a shuttle is available from Taketomi Port
- Website: https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/hoshinoyataketomijima/
