Yonago-yaki Workshop Shisa Garden / Ishigaki Island, Okinawa Prefecture: A Stunning Collection of Unique, Giant Shisa Sculptures

If you visit Ishigaki Island, there’s one place you absolutely must stop by: the “Yonago-yaki Workshop Shisa Garden.” I’d been curious about it ever since before I even went to Ishigaki Island.

The vast garden features a row of giant shisa statues, and the sight of these sculptures blending seamlessly with the garden’s natural surroundings is truly breathtaking. Even little kids are sure to have a blast (I don’t think they’ll cry, haha)! Every spot here makes you want to take pictures.

Report on the Yonago-yaki Workshop and Shisa Garden

So, I went to check it out! The store had a wide selection of Yonago-yaki Shisa—the kind you often see at souvenir shops around the prefecture—and there’s even a hands-on workshop area!

Admission to the spacious garden, filled with art installations, is free for everyone! You’re welcome to drive right in.

Unique Shisa Statues and Art Objects

You can actually drive right up to this sculpture! Another tourist took this photo for me. I’d guess it’s about 7 or 8 meters tall? It looked bigger to me than it did in the magazine.

I haven't counted them, but there seem to be close to 100 of them, ranging from small to large!

It makes you want to strike the same pose without even thinking about it.

The "Queen" pose. Well, it looks kind of like the real thing, lol.

"Let's go check it out!"

There are also robot-like sculptures.

Okibura Reviews

I saw a brief mention of it online and in a magazine, so I decided to check it out. To be honest, I thought there would only be the main sculpture (which was my own fault for not doing my research). But I was truly amazed by the size of the garden and the number of sculptures.

If you're just looking around, I think you can see most of it in about 15 minutes. We had so much fun that we started taking pictures, and I think we ended up staying for about 40 minutes. We wanted to stay longer, but we had other plans later, so we had to leave early. For our age, the two of us were acting like kids and having a blast, haha.

Whether you're a couple, a family, a group of friends, or traveling alone, I think everyone will enjoy it. You're welcome to tour the Yonago-yaki Workshop at your leisure. They also sell Shisa figurines. It's fine to buy them at a nearby souvenir shop, but since you're here, why not buy a Yonago-yaki Shisa at the Yonago-yaki Workshop? We bought ours here, too!

Store Information

*This information is current as of the article's last update. Be sure to check in advance before you go!