730 Crossing

The intersection that commemorates Okinawa's switch to left-side driving in 1978

At the main crossroads in central Ishigaki town stands a small monument marking one of the odder logistical events in postwar Japan. When Okinawa reverted from American to Japanese administration in 1972, traffic still ran on the right as per US rules. It took six more years to safely plan and execute the island-wide switch to left-hand driving. The monument — a stone marker with the date "7.30" carved into it — commemorates the changeover that took effect across all of Okinawa simultaneously at dawn on 30 July 1978.

It's a modest sight, easily seen in a minute from the pavement, but the story behind it is genuinely fascinating: a whole archipelago changing sides of the road in a single morning. The surrounding area is Ishigaki's compact downtown, good for evening izakaya browsing after you've ticked off the monument.

things to do sight
A story
On 30 July 1978 — the date gives the monument its name — Okinawa switched from driving on the right (American practice since 1945) back to the left (Japanese practice). The changeover happened at 6am simultaneously across all the islands. Ishigaki's role as the last place the change had to reach in the chain made the town a focal point for the event. No serious accidents were recorded during the transition, which given the complexity of the operation was considered something of a miracle.

Other places in Things to Do