[3] Taketomi is known for its "traditional Okinawan" houses, stone walls, and sandy streets, making it popular with tourists.

Various rules are in place to prevent the more aesthetically displeasing aspects of modern construction from ruining the beauty of the island, such as replacing hand-packed stone with concrete walls.

However, commoners were prohibited from building houses with roof tiles by Ryūkyū on Okinawa until its abolishment.

The red-roofed house first appeared on Taketomi Island in 1905 and remained a symbol of wealth for decades.

[5][6] The island is also famous for its beautiful beaches and hoshizuna or hoshisuna, meaning "star-sand", which is composed of the remains of Foraminifera.