Ōsumi Islands
This nonprofit organisation has displays and information about turtles, mostly in Japanese. During nesting (June and July) and hatching (August) seasons,…
Must-see attractions in Okinawa & the Southwest Islands
Yaeyama Islands
The unique home of a Ryūkyū kingdom official dates from 1819; walk north along Sanbashi-dōri until you see signs in English. The house is still an actual…
Yakushima Environmental & Cultural Village Center
Ōsumi Islands
In Miyanoura at the corner of the ferry-terminal road, this centre has exhibits about the island's natural environment and history, with limited English…
Amami Islands
At the island's northeast tip, this blowhole in the limestone rock shoots water 10m into the air on windy days. Otherwise, it's a dramatic spot from which…
Yaeyama Islands
On the south coast of the island is the pleasant little village of Higawa, which has a wide, sandy crescent of beach. The water here is clear and shallow,…
Ōsumi Islands
This small, coarse-sand beach is located on the north coast of the island, about midway between Miyanoura and Nagata. It's a short walk from the Yahazu…
Okinawa & the Southwest Islands
Hidden away in downtown Hirara, a district of Miyakojima city, Miyako-jinja is a recently reconstructed shrine that, over time, merged two disparate…
Amami Islands
A peaceful spot for a picnic, especially on your way to or from the airport, this beach is a bit on the slim side but is a nice stretch of Okinoerabu's…
Yaeyama Islands
Adjacent to the temple Tōrin-ji is Gongen-dō, a small shrine rebuilt after being destroyed by a tsunami in 1771.
Yaeyama Islands
This shrine is dedicated to a 16th-century ruler of the Yaeyama Islands who was born on Taketomi-jima, and whose tomb lies behind the shrine.
Okinawa & the Southwest Islands
On the north side of the island's southeast end, this popular beach is great for shallow-water snorkelling and has showers and toilets.
Yaeyama Islands
Kanpire-no-taki, a low-scale series of waterfalls, is the turnaround point for hikers who have travelled up the Urauchi-gawa.
Yaeyama Islands
A trek upriver through the damp Iriomote forest leads to the lovely Mariyudō-no-taki, a series of low waterfalls.
Yaeyama Islands
At the west of the village, this private museum houses a diverse collection of local folk artefacts.
Yaeyama Islands
This is the workshop where the island's woven minsā belts and other textiles are produced.
Amami Islands
This is a remote-feeling slice of beach on the southeast coast, hemmed in by concrete breakwaters.
