Water buffalo

Even today, water buffalo is the main form of transport on Taketomi Island.

On tiny Taketomi Island where there are no cars, a novel form of transport has been used for centuries. Meet the beautiful water buffalo who pull passengers on carts around the island. Today tourists can be taken on a 30 minute water buffalo cart tour of Taketomi Village accompanied by a guide who plays Okinawan music on a sanshin (Okinawa stringed instrument).

Taketomi Village is a beautiful preserved ryukyu village characterised by one storey houses with dark red roofs and lots of lion statues believed to ward off evil spirits. Closer to Taiwan and mainland China than Japan, the Okinawa archipelago was once a sovereign state known as the Ryukyu Kingdom until the 17th century.

Water buffalo

located in Taketomi

Interested in this Experience? It is included in this tour:

A luxury honeymoon combining iconic cities, stunning countryside and relaxing subtropical beaches

Beach & Culture Deluxe Honeymoon

Japan is a fabulous destination for a luxury honeymoon. On this itinerary we've included five-star hotels in Tokyo and Kyoto, a beautiful hot spring ryokan in Hakone National Park and a luxurious beach resort on the tiny subtropical island of Taketomi.

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