The highest point in all of Okinawa Prefecture, Mount Omoto rises from the densely forested northern part of Ishigaki. The summit is reached via a trail from the village of Omoto, passing through subtropical rainforest thick with ferns, tree ferns, and the occasional Ryukyu fruit bat overhead. The hike takes about two hours return from the trailhead and is moderately strenuous.
On clear days the summit rewards with views extending across the entire Yaeyama chain — Iriomote's dark mass to the west, tiny Taketomi to the south, the open Pacific to the east. The forest around the base of the mountain is one of the best places on the island for birdwatching: the Crested Serpent Eagle and the Ryukyu Minivet are reliably seen here, and with patience you may spot the Yaeyama race of the Japanese Woodpecker.