Must See Sights-okinawa

	Okinawa Prefecture is the most southern prefecture in Japan and consists of hundreds of small islands stretching over 1,000km long from Kyushu (the southern island of Japan’s four main islands) to Taiwan. Okinawa’s capital, Naha, is located in the southern part of the largest island, Okinawa Island. Okinawa’s islands are generally divided into three main islands:
Yaeyama Islands Iriomote is the second largest island in Okinawa Prefecture. Most of the island is covered in dense jungles and swampy mangroves, thus making the island one of the few remaining wildernesses of Japan. Ishigaki has a population of almost 50,000 and serves as a business and transport center for Okinawa Prefecture. Yonaguni is the westernmost island of Japan and is famous for the sunken rock and stone structures which surround the island. This is a popular destination for divers in winter due to the large number of hammerhead sharks that congregate in the waters around the island.	Okinawa Islands Ie-jima measures 20km around and has a populations of about 5,000. The main tourist attraction is a peak called Gusukuyama, which measures 72 meters highs and resembles a volcano (though it was actually created by erosion). Kume has a population of just under 10,000 and is located on an island approximately 100km west of Naha. Kume is famous for its unique architecture, textiles, ancient pine trees, rock formations and lava tubes. Okinawa Honto is home to Naha and has a population of approximately 1.2million. The island also contains six Okinawan fortresses (gusuku), although most of these are only ruins today. The southern end of the island boasts a coral reef and several limestone caves, some of which are open to the public.
Miyako Islands Miyako-jima is the fourth-largest island in Okinawa prefecture. Miyako-jima is famous for its beauty, especially the Eastern Cape, which is considered to be one of the most beautiful sights in Japan.

Okinawa celebrates several major festivals.