The small luxury hotel Ayanna Miyakojima, located on Irabu Island in Miyako City, Okinawa, is set to rebrand as "JIVANA Miyako Island" and undergo a significant expansion. The transformation includes adding 7 new maisonette-style suites, a private sauna facility, and a new restaurant, bringing the total room count to 14. The rebranded hotel is planned to open in June 2027.
The hotel is situated in Ikema-so, Irabu, Miyako City, and occupies more than 9,000 square meters of oceanfront land along the Irabu Island coastline. The current property consists of 7 suites — Executive Suites, Sauna Suites, and Villa Suites — and has maintained an occupancy rate exceeding 90% annually since opening in April 2024.
Design supervision for the expansion is provided by HOKULEA Co., Ltd., a licensed architecture firm and group company of Star Resort Co., Ltd.
Miyako Island, sometimes referred to as the "Galapagos of the East" for its largely untouched natural environment and clear waters, has become a growing destination for travelers seeking high-end experiences. Access from the Tokyo metropolitan area improved considerably following the opening of the Irabu Bridge in 2015 and Shimoji Island Airport in 2019.
Three Key Upgrades for the 2027 Rebrand
1. Villa Expansion: 7 Rooms to 14 Rooms
To meet continued demand from guests, 7 additional maisonette-style suites, each with a private pool, will be added to the property. The expansion aims to accommodate more visitors while maintaining the hotel's high level of privacy.
2. New Private Sauna Facility
A private sauna will be introduced as a new wellness amenity, designed to integrate with the natural surroundings of the island. The addition is intended to complement the hotel's retreat-oriented concept of "stillness and open space."
3. New Restaurant: JIVANA KITCHEN
The on-site restaurant will relaunch as "JIVANA KITCHEN," drawing on Okinawan ingredients and local food culture interpreted through a contemporary approach. The aim is to offer a dining experience centered on the terroir of Miyako Island.
Limited-Time Dinner Event: "Local Terroir – Kenya Akita's Atelier"
Ahead of the rebranding, JIVANA KITCHEN will host a special limited-time dinner event, "Local Terroir – Kenya Akita's Atelier," from June 17 to September 30, 2026, featuring guest chef Kenya Akita.
Chef Akita trained in France and across Europe, working at Michelin-starred establishments including "Le Clos des Sens" in Annecy — which earned three Michelin stars while he served as sous chef — as well as restaurants in Copenhagen, Belgium, and the Netherlands. After returning to Japan, he was appointed head chef at "Noeud. TOKYO" in 2020, earning one Michelin star and a Green Star simultaneously within a year and a half of the restaurant's opening.
For this event, Chef Akita will present French-based cuisine centered on ingredients sourced within a 50 km radius of Miyako Island — including fresh seafood, island vegetables, fruits, and herbs — with elements of Ryukyuan food culture woven in. The menu adapts to the day's available produce. Both vegan and vegetarian courses are offered.
The beverage pairing, supervised by the hotel's General Manager and sommelier Rikako Yamachi, features 7 selections including natural wines and Okinawan island spirits (shima-zake).
Event Overview
- Period: June 17 (Wed) to September 30 (Wed), 2026
- Venue: JIVANA KITCHEN (formerly Ayanna Miyakojima JIVANA)
- Menu: 10-course tasting menu
- Price (Hotel Guests): ¥19,800 (tax included)
- Price (Restaurant Only): ¥22,000 (tax included)
- Beverage Pairing: ¥11,000 (tax included) — 7 selections including natural wines and island spirits
- Online Reservation: https://www.tablecheck.com/ja/ayanna-miyako-jivana/reserve/landing
- Phone: 0980-79-8090 (Reservations: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM)
Details are subject to change without notice.
About Chef Kenya Akita
Born in Fukuoka Prefecture in 1977, Kenya Akita moved to France in 2007. He trained at restaurants in the Loire and Savoy regions, including the two-Michelin-star "Les Terrasses d'Uriage" in Savoy, before spending approximately four years as sous chef at "Le Clos des Sens" in Annecy, which achieved three Michelin stars in 2019. He also worked at "Bror" (Copenhagen), "pastoral" (Belgium), and "krommewatergang" (the Netherlands). After serving as sous chef at the two-Michelin-star "l'atelier d'edomond," he returned to Japan in 2020 as head chef at Noeud. TOKYO, where the restaurant earned one Michelin star and one Green Star simultaneously within a year and a half of opening. From 2022, he served as head chef at Azumi Setoda in Setoda, Hiroshima Prefecture, where the restaurant was selected for "50 Best Discovery" and "We're Smart Green Guide 2 Radishes."
Hotel Overview
JIVANA Miyako Island (formerly Ayanna Miyakojima)
The name "JIVANA" derives from Sanskrit, meaning "life" and "existence." The hotel is located at 1130 Ikema-so, Irabu, Miyako City, Okinawa 906-0502. Originally opened on April 26, 2024, the rebranded JIVANA Miyako Island is scheduled to open in June 2027, expanding from 7 to 14 rooms. The property covers 7,059.91 square meters with 855.61 square meters of floor space before expansion. The hotel is accessible approximately 25 minutes from Miyako Airport or 10 minutes from Shimoji Island Airport.
- Official website: https://www.jivana-miyako.com/
- Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jivanamiyako/
