Ishigaki Island has a population of about 48,000 and is the administrative center for the Yaeyama region. Over 70% of the population of Ishigaki live in the urban area in the south of the island, where you find the 3 high schools for the Yaeyama area, an international port, two fishing ports, an airport, as well as a prefectural hospital and several private hospitals. The island features the largest mountain in all of Okinawa, Mt. Omoto (526m), as well as numerous festivals and events. It is the jumping point from where you can easily travel to all of the Yaeyama islands via regularly scheduled ferries. Every year several hundred thousand visitors from the Japanese mainland come to Ishigaki to stay in one of the resort hotels, business hotels, or local B&Bs and to enjoy sightseeing excursions, beautiful beaches, the local food, and gift shopping. Visitors from far-away countries find their way here on occasion, and during the summer, cruise ships bring large numbers of day visitors from Taiwan.