Kabira Bay — Emerald Glass-Bottom Paradise

Kabira Bay (川平湾) is Ishigaki Island's most iconic scenic spot — a shallow turquoise bay dotted with forested islets, where the water shifts through seven shades of blue depending on sunlight, tide, and season. The bay is protected as a national monument, prohibiting swimming but allowing glass-bottom boat tours that glide over coral gardens visible through crystal-clear water.

The bay's beauty derives from its unique geography: white coral sand bottom, minimal river runoff (keeping water clear), and protection from open ocean by barrier islets. Local black pearls are cultivated in the bay's calm waters, and pearl farms offer tours showing the cultivation process from seeding to harvest.