ishigaki and the unintended beauty of 1863018

i woke up to that temperature reading this morning. 8.97 degrees. it’s the kind of number that makes you want to wrap yourself in a blanket and scream. but here i am, standing in the middle of ishigaki with a camera, a sketchbook, and a vague sense of existential dread. the wind is frothing at the edges, pulling at my scarf like it’s taunting me. if you’ve ever hated layers, you’ll understand.

okay, so the locals here are doing something weird. not the tourists. the people who live here. they’re napping on patios, sipping tea, and occasionally yelling at seagulls. it’s exhausting. but also kind of beautiful. i heard that once. not sure if it’s true, but i saw a guy try to wrestle a pigeon near the market. that’s honestly more impressive than most grip sports.

there’s this place called beach house café that everyone talks about. not in a good way. some say the salmon is poisoned, others swear it’s the best you’ve ever had. i skipped it because i’m a risk-taker. instead, i grabbed a bite from a food truck called ‘dairy den’ where the owner is a teenager who plays shanties on a harmonica while flipping burgers. the music was so loud, it made me spill sauce. functional, right? check out their yelp: yelp.com/dairy-den

the weather here is performing. not like a play, but more like a bad skater at a park. 52% humidity? that’s just the air trying to cling to your skin like a second layer. i checked the app and it’s… there right now. hope you like that kind of thing. the forecast says it’s gonna stay this way for a week. either embrace it or become a swamp creature.

i passed this graffiti wall on my way to the beach. it’s got a mural of a lion made entirely of umbrellas. not genius, but it worked for me. some said it’s a sign of bad luck. others said it’s a metaphor for covering up flaws. i’m still debating.

the map below might help if you’re lost. or confused. or just want to see what i saw.

here are some photos i took. first one? a random beach at sunset. second? white and brown houses near a mountain. third? a body of water that looks suspiciously like a giant mirror.

A coarse texture and dramatic sky dominate the frame.

architectural details blend with nature in unassuming harmony.

shadows dance on still water, revealing nothing.

i heard a rumor that the old train station here is a ghost town. not like haunted, but more like… inside you’ll find a room with a vending machine that only sells candy from 2008. i didn’t verify. probably not true. but i wanted to. maybe next time.

if you get bored, yakushima is just a short drive away. it’s this island with trees so tall they punch the sky. also, there’s a coffee shop in town called ‘buds & brew’ where they roast beans in a cabin. the sign says ‘we don’t take no for an answer,’ but i took yes. it was delicious. check tripadvisor: tripadvisor.com/buds-brewery

this place is a mess of contradictions. hot enough to melt your soul, cold enough to freeze your pores. noisy enough to drown out thoughts, quiet enough to hear the wind complain about its existence. if you like weird, chaotic tourism, this might be your thing. don’t ask why i’m still here. just buy me a cup of coffee and pretend you care. that’s the nihon thing, right?

p.s. someone told me the seawater here tastes like regret. i don’t know if that’s true. but if it is, maybe that’s the point.

ishigaki and the unintended beauty of 1863018

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About the author: Zara Walsh

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