The Daitō Islands (大東諸島 Daitō-rettō) are a tiny archipelago 360 km east of Okinawa Island, Japan.

Municipalities and Islands

Cave in Minamidaito

• Minamidaito village
  • Minamidaito — the southern main island, larger and slightly more populous
• Kitadaito village
  • Kitadaito — the northern main island, smaller in size and population
  • Okidaito — also known as Rasa, once the most populated and most central of the islands, it was commandeered after World War II as a US Navy base, then returned to Japan in 1972. It is now practically uninhabited.

Understand

The Daito Islands are a part of Okinawa Prefecture, but their earliest developers came from Hachijo Island south of Tokyo. The culture and dialect has therefore become a unique blend of Okinawan and Tokyo culture. For example, the Daito Islands are the only places in Okinawa that celebrate the mainland Honen Festival, but they do so in Okinawan visual and musical style; the only place in Japan that holds the event in this manner.

Tourist Information Sites

Each village has a Japanese-only guide site.

• Minamidaito village
• Kitadaito Village

Talk

Most people understand standard Japanese. However, in casual conversation people will use their heritage dialect. For the majority this is the language of Hachijo, the only variety of Japanese descended from the "Eastern Dialect" of the Nara period (see the short phraselist at Kitadaito). For the minorities, namely Okinawan migrants, the native language is Okinawan, though due to the bi-heritage nature of the population Standard Japanese is gaining more currency, especially among the minorities. Some Okinawans also speak Hachijo.

Get in

The only way to get to the Daitos is from Naha, either by plane or ferry. There are two flights per day from Naha to Minamidaito and one to Kitadaito, which can be reserved up to two months in advance from Naha Airport or by telephone. Round-trip flights cost around ¥40,000 and last about 70 minutes. The ferry is significantly cheaper, but has a sporadic timetable and takes 12-17 hours each way. And you may feel like being a cargo when landing - see the banner photo.

The flight between Minamidaito and Kitadaito lasts for six minutes, and has the distinction of being the shortest flight in Japan - just 13 km. It is scheduled to discontinue in Aug 2024.

There are also two flights from Minamidaito to Naha, and one from Kitadaito.