Miyakojima tide times

Predictions: Open-Meteo Marine (MeteoFrance SMOC, 0.08° grid) — heights relative to MSL (not chart datum / LAT). Model-derived.

Model-derived from a global ocean grid. Useful indication; expect about ±45 minutes on average vs. a local harmonic gauge, individual stations vary widely. See /methodology for per-region detail. Not for navigation.

Conditions as of 13:00 local time. Refreshes daily.

Predictions: Open-Meteo Marine (MeteoFrance SMOC, 0.08° grid) — heights relative to MSL (not chart datum / LAT). Model-derived. · Not for navigation.

The angler tradition for major/minor fishing windows: major ≈3-hour windows around moon transit and opposition; minor ≈2-hour windows around moonrise and moonset. Times are Asia/Tokyo local. Folk tradition, not a scientific forecast.

Next spring tide on Sun 17 May (range 2.2m). Next neap on Fri 22 May.

Spring tides cluster around new and full moons (biggest swings). Neap tides land on quarter moons (smallest swings). See the spring tide and neap tide glossary entries for the why.

Miyakojima is a flat coral island 300 kilometres southwest of Naha, at the boundary between the East China Sea and the Philippine Sea. The island rises only 35 metres above sea level at its highest point — entirely a raised coral platform, without the volcanic geology that gives the main Okinawan islands their hills. The tidal regime is mixed semidiurnal with a mean range of approximately 1.2 metres above MLLW. The diurnal inequality in the mixed regime matters here more than almost anywhere else in Japan: the lowest-low tides of spring tides drop far enough to expose Yabiji reef. Yabiji is a 7 km² coral reef platform sitting between Miyakojima and Ikemajima island to the northeast. For the vast majority of the year, Yabiji is underwater — submerged by 0.5 to 2 metres of water depending on tidal state. But during the lowest spring tides of the year — typically a handful of days in April and May, when new or full moon aligns with perigean tides and the diurnal inequality in the mixed regime maximises the lower-low — the reef flat drops close to sea surface or briefly above it. On those days, the reef becomes walkable: a 7 km² landscape of coral heads, tide pools, rock formations, and open reef flat becomes accessible to those who time their arrival to the lowest point of the tide. The reef is accessible from Ikema by wading from the bridge area; local tour operators organise annual Yabiji tours, subject to tide prediction and weather. The annual exposure is not guaranteed — if weather disrupts the window, the opportunity may not recur for a year. Beyond Yabiji, Miyakojima's snorkelling and diving is among the most consistently clear in the Ryukyus. Yoshino Beach on the southeast coast has a shallow fringing reef accessible by swimming from the beach; the coral coverage and reef fish diversity are high. Water temperature runs 22 to 29°C depending on season. Sunayama Beach on the northwest has an arched rock formation accessible on foot at lower tidal states. Irabu Island (connected to Miyakojima by the Irabu Bridge, Japan's longest toll-free bridge at 3.54 km) has less-visited dive sites and fishing grounds. The island is flat enough to cycle entirely — bicycle rental is available in Hirara city. The sugar cane fields that cover the flat interior of the island contrast with the intense blue of the surrounding sea, most visible from the coast roads. Hirara port is the main ferry and cargo terminal; Miyako Airport handles direct flights from Tokyo (3.5 hours), Osaka, and Naha. Tide predictions on this page come from Open-Meteo Marine, a gridded global ocean model. Accuracy is typically within plus or minus 45 minutes on timing and 0.2 to 0.3 metres on height — model-derived, not from a local pressure gauge. For authoritative tide data, consult the Japan Meteorological Agency at jma.go.jp. The Yabiji tide window requires precise prediction — for the Yabiji reef tours specifically, use JMA data alongside local operator guidance.