- Glad There's a Convenience Store
- FamilyMart Miyako Irabu Is Irabu Island's Only Convenience Store
- The Overwhelming Convenience of 24-Hour Opening
- The Range Is Almost the Same as an Ordinary FamilyMart
- Tips and Convenient Ways to Use It
- Combine It with Nearby Sightseeing Spots
- The Value That Comes from Being the Island's Only Convenience Store
- Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
- Make Good Use of the Island's Only Convenience Store
Glad There's a Convenience Store
The first thing I minded after arriving on Irabu Island was the location of a convenience store, and when I searched on my phone, only one came up — "FamilyMart Miyako Irabu" — and from the moment I was surprised, "huh, just one?" I started to feel this convenience store's importance.
In the city it's normal to have three or four convenience stores within a 5-minute walk, but the fact that Irabu Island and Shimojishima combined have just one symbolises island life. But that's exactly why this FamilyMart Miyako Irabu has become an irreplaceable presence for both islanders and tourists.
When I headed there by car, arrived near Sarahama Port, parked and stepped inside, it was an ordinary FamilyMart, but I had an incredibly reassuring sensation and thought from the heart, "glad there's a convenience store."
I'll introduce how to make use of FamilyMart Miyako Irabu in detail, based on my experience of actually using it many times. Since I'll write about the location, opening hours, range, tips for using it and nearby sightseeing spots, I hope those planning to stay on Irabu Island will use it as a reference.
FamilyMart Miyako Irabu Is Irabu Island's Only Convenience Store
FamilyMart Miyako Irabu is the only convenience store on Irabu Island and Shimojishima combined, an indispensable presence for both islanders' lives and tourists' travels.
Basic Information and Access
Address: 647-1 Maezato-soe, Irabu, Miyakojima City, Okinawa
Phone: 0980-78-5308
Opening hours: Open 24 hours
Closed: Open year-round
Parking: Available (14 spaces)
The location is near Sarahama Port, at a corner where Prefectural Routes 90 and 204 cross. Cross the Irabu Bridge onto Irabu Island, head to the Sarahama district, and the FamilyMart sign comes into view near the port.
Nearby are the Kamichi Pharmacy Yokodake branch and Sarahama Post Office, and you can reach it in about 5 minutes by car from hotels like HOTEL Kuu and Irabu Villa, so it's in a position easy for tourists to drop by.
It took me about 5 minutes by car from the hotel I was staying at too, so if there was anything I needed I could go buy it right away, which was convenient. Being open 24 hours, there's the reassurance that it's open even late at night or early in the morning.
The Fact That Irabu Island Has Just One Convenience Store
Many people, I think, are surprised at first by the fact that Irabu Island and Shimojishima have just one convenience store. In the city convenience stores are everywhere, with several within walking distance as a matter of course, so it's hard to imagine there being just one.
There's no large supermarket either — there are only the small-scale Maruki Supermarket and Shimoji Supermarket. So FamilyMart Miyako Irabu plays an incredibly important role as the island's only convenience store.
But that's also the island's appeal — quiet, calm, rich in nature, with a goodness different from the city's convenience. Precisely because there's just one convenience store, that store has become one of the centres of the local community, I think.
The Overwhelming Convenience of 24-Hour Opening
FamilyMart Miyako Irabu being open 24 hours is an incredibly welcome feature as the island's only convenience store, with the reassurance of being able to shop anytime.
Whether you want to buy a bento before going to the beach early in the morning, or beer and snacks after returning to the hotel late at night, being open 24 hours means you're never stuck. The small supermarkets close by 8 at night, so after that this FamilyMart is what you rely on.
I too once noticed past 10 p.m. that "there's no bread for tomorrow's breakfast" and rushed to FamilyMart, but it was open as usual and saved me. In the city a 24-hour convenience store is a matter of course, but being able to receive this service on a remote island is truly welcome.
There Are 14 Parking Spaces
With 14 parking spaces, being able to drop by casually by car is a convenient point too. Most people staying on Irabu Island rent a car, so having parking is an essential condition.
When I went too, locals' cars and tourists' rental cars were mixed in the car park, and I could tell everyone uses this convenience store. There's a limit on the number of spaces, so during busy times it can fill up, but basically you can park.
There's an ATM Where You Can Withdraw Cash
Having an ATM in the store where you can withdraw cash is, I think, an especially important service on Irabu Island. There are few banks on the island, so the convenience store ATM is one of the few places where you can withdraw cash.
Even though cashless payment has spread, some small island shops only take cash, so being able to withdraw cash anytime from the ATM is reassuring. There are time bands with a fee, but the convenience of getting cash right when you need it is irreplaceable.
You Can Use the Multi-Copier
There's a multi-copier where you can copy, print and scan, which is convenient too. When you suddenly need to copy a document, or want to print photos from your phone, it can be unexpectedly necessary while travelling.
I once wanted to copy a document needed at hotel check-in and used this multi-copier. The operation was easy, and the image quality was clean too.
The Range Is Almost the Same as an Ordinary FamilyMart
The range is almost the same as an ordinary mainland FamilyMart, with mostly everything you need. Things you can buy at a convenience store are all there — bento, onigiri, bread, drinks, snacks, cup noodles, seasonings, daily goods and so on.
However, being a remote island, some products are a little more expensive than the mainland or out of stock. Popular items can sell out early, so if there's something you definitely want, it's best to go at an early hour.
The Pork-Tamago Onigiri Is a Must-Eat
Being able to buy the Okinawa-only "pork-tamago onigiri" is a welcome point for tourists. It's an Okinawan local specialty with Spam and egg sandwiched in the rice, and it's incredibly delicious.
When I first ate it too, I thought "this is the addictive kind," and bought and ate it many times during my stay. Taking it to the beach to eat is the best, and it's perfect for breakfast too. The price is reasonable, so you can casually enjoy Okinawan food.
The Range of Tobacco and Alcohol
You can buy tobacco and alcohol too, so it's important for smokers and drinkers. Okinawan drinks starting with Orion Beer are there, and there's a variety of awamori too. Beer to drink on the beach, awamori to drink at the hotel — buy it here and you can enjoy it casually.
I thought about buying Orion Beer by the case too, but of course the convenience store didn't sell it by the case, so when you want to buy by the case it's best to go to a supermarket. But for buying a few bottles, the convenience store is the easiest.
There Are Some Souvenirs Too
There are some Miyako-Island-limited souvenirs too, convenient for buying a little gift. You can get standard Okinawan souvenirs like sweets using yukishio (snow salt) and beni-imo (purple-sweet-potato) tarts.
For buying a lot, Don Quijote or a large supermarket is better, but when you think "ah, I forgot to buy a souvenir for that person," being able to grab one quickly at the convenience store is welcome.
Tips and Convenient Ways to Use It
Let me introduce a few tips for making good use of FamilyMart Miyako Irabu.
Use It to Procure Breakfast and Lunch
When going to the beach early in the morning, buying breakfast or a bento at FamilyMart to take along is recommended. Things needed for breakfast are all there — pork-tamago onigiri, sandwiches, drinks and so on.
For me too, stopping by FamilyMart around 7 a.m., buying a bento and a drink, and then going to Toguchi-no-Hama became a standard routine. The time spent eating breakfast on the beach while gazing at the sea is supremely luxurious.
Procuring Evening Drinks and Snacks
When you want to spend a relaxed evening at the hotel, buying drinks and snacks at FamilyMart to take back is good. Orion Beer and fried chicken, awamori and cheese — the combinations are free.
The time spent on the hotel terrace gazing at the stars while drinking the alcohol bought at the convenience store is, I think, one of the real pleasures of an island trip. Dining at a restaurant is good, but occasionally this kind of leisurely evening isn't bad either.
A Saviour When You've Forgotten Something
When you've forgotten something in packing for the trip, FamilyMart can be a saviour. Basic daily goods are there — toothbrushes, shampoo, sunscreen, insect repellent, batteries and so on.
I forgot sunscreen and bought it at FamilyMart too. Forgetting something on a remote island is a problem, but if there's a convenience store you can procure the minimum, so you can be reassured.
How to Spend a Rainy Day
When it rains and you can't go to the beach, buying snacks and magazines at FamilyMart and spending a relaxed time at the hotel is good. It's exactly in bad weather that a 24-hour convenience store is welcome.
Credit Cards and Electronic Money Work
Even without cash, credit cards, electronic money and QR-code payment work, so it's convenient. It supports major payment methods like PayPay, so the cashless crowd can use it with peace of mind too.
Combine It with Nearby Sightseeing Spots
Near FamilyMart Miyako Irabu there are a few sightseeing spots, so you can drop by alongside shopping.
Sarahama Fishing Port
Right nearby is Sarahama Fishing Port, where you can enjoy the fishing-port atmosphere. Go early in the morning and you might see the fishermen landing their catch. It's a place where you can catch a glimpse of local life.
Cape Shiratori
About 15 minutes by car there's a superb-view spot called Cape Shiratori, where the view of the sea seen from the sheer cliff is wonderful. It's a sea so beautiful you can see through it, close enough to the reef that you'll see coral as soon as you swim.
It's a hidden spot with hardly any tourists, so you can savour the sea at leisure. A route of buying a drink at FamilyMart and then going to Cape Shiratori is recommended.
Sankakuten (Triangulation Point)
The superb-view spot you especially see a lot of on social media on Irabu Island is Sankakuten, the Triangulation Point, about 10 minutes by car from FamilyMart. You can take Instagram-worthy photos, so it's popular with young people.
Buying a light meal at FamilyMart and then going to Sankakuten to eat while looking at the superb view is the best too.
Iguana Rock
Iguana Rock, a rock shaped like an iguana, is nearby too, where you can enjoy a unique scenery. You're amazed by the formative beauty nature has created.
The Value That Comes from Being the Island's Only Convenience Store
FamilyMart Miyako Irabu's true value lies, I think, not merely in selling products but in being part of the local infrastructure as the island's only convenience store.
A convenience store, which exists as a matter of course in the city, becomes a precious presence on a remote island. You can shop anytime, 24 hours, withdraw cash at the ATM, use the multi-copier, and mostly everything you need is there. This convenience supports the islanders' lives and makes tourists' travels comfortable.
At first I too felt anxious that "there's just one convenience store," but actually staying, I found that with this FamilyMart it's plenty. With the reassurance of getting what you need when you need it, travel stress decreases.
Locals shop here as a matter of course, and tourists use it, and this convenience store feels like one of the contact points of the island community. Conversing with a local while queuing at the checkout, or exchanging information among tourists in the car park — it's also a place where those casual interactions are born.
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
Let me sum up and answer questions often asked about FamilyMart Miyako Irabu.
Q1: What are the opening hours?
Open 24 hours, year-round.
Q2: Is there parking?
Yes. 14 spaces.
Q3: Is there an ATM?
Yes. You can withdraw cash.
Q4: Can I use a credit card?
You can. It supports electronic money and QR-code payment too.
Q5: Is the range the same as the mainland?
Almost the same. Some products are a little more expensive or out of stock.
Q6: Do they sell pork-tamago onigiri?
They do. You can enjoy Okinawan local specialty.
Q7: Can I buy souvenirs?
There are just some. For buying a lot, a large supermarket is recommended.
Q8: Is there a multi-copier?
Yes. You can copy, print and scan.
Q9: Can I buy tobacco and alcohol?
You can. Orion Beer and awamori are there too.
Q10: Is it close to the Irabu Bridge?
About 10 minutes by car. Cross the bridge and head to the Sarahama district and you'll arrive.
Q11: Are there other convenience stores?
Irabu Island and Shimojishima have just this one FamilyMart.
Q12: Is there an eat-in space?
No. You'll eat what you buy in the car or at the hotel.
Make Good Use of the Island's Only Convenience Store
When staying on Irabu Island, whether you know of FamilyMart Miyako Irabu's existence greatly changes the comfort of your trip, I think.
As the island's only convenience store, it's open 24 hours, mostly everything you need is there, there's an ATM and a multi-copier, and there's parking. This convenience is too taken-for-granted to notice in the city, but on a remote island it's truly welcome.
Buy a bento before going to the beach early in the morning, sightsee during the day, and at night buy drinks and snacks at the convenience store to drink at the hotel. If you've forgotten something you can go buy it right away, and if you need cash you can withdraw it at the ATM. Having a place that meets these everyday needs leads to reassurance.
I used it many times too, and each time thought, "glad there's this convenience store." Especially when I felt like a beer late at night, or wanted to buy breakfast before setting off early, I benefited from the 24-hour opening.
For the locals too, this FamilyMart is, I think, an indispensable presence in their lives. Buying a meal when heading home after working until late, or going to buy something suddenly needed — it's used in various everyday scenes.
If you're planning to stay on Irabu Island, please remember the location of FamilyMart Miyako Irabu. Near Sarahama Port, at a corner where Prefectural Routes 90 and 204 cross. Open 24 hours, with parking, and everything you need.
Irabu Island has no large supermarket, and just one convenience store, but that's the island's appeal too. Quiet, calm, rich in nature, with a leisurely time flowing. On such an island, this FamilyMart firmly fulfils its role as living infrastructure and a tourist's ally.
Make good use of the island's only convenience store and enjoy a comfortable island trip. Buy a pork-tamago onigiri, buy an Orion Beer, gather what you need, and savour Irabu Island's beautiful sea and nature. If you can have such a trip, I think it's the best.
