Okinawa 沖縄県 and the
Ryukyu Islands 琉球列島
Shuri Castle, Naha,
Okinawa, Japan
Okinawa Prefecture is the westernmost and southernmost prefecture of Japan. It is situated of the Ryukyu Island Chain, which extends from the southern end of Kyushu to Taiwan. The northern island group (Satsunan) is administered by Kagoshima Prefecture. The southern groups (Okinawa, Sakishima, Daito) are part of Okinawa Prefecture. The largest island is Okinawa, which is hope to the majority of the prefecture's population.
The Sakishima island group is further subdivided into the Miyako, Yaeyama, and Senkaku Islands. The Senkakus are contested between Japan and the People's Republic of China. Altogether the Ryukyu islands are bordered by the East China Sea to the west and the North Philippine Sea to the south.
The Ryukyu Kingdom ruled Okinawa and the surrounding islands from 1429 until1879 when they were annexed by the newly created Empire of Japan. Okinawa was heavily militarized and saw heavy fighting during the Second World War, and was governed by the United States until 1972. Many important U.S. Military bases are situated on Okinawa, and more than 75% of U.S. Forces Japan personnel across all services are assigned there. The JASDF Southwestern Composite Air Division is based at Naha Air base.
Okinawa Prefecture 沖縄県
Ginowan City Museum
Yachimun no Sato (Pottery Workshops)
Pawn Shop Ruins
Hautga Natural Spring
502nd Special Security Engineer Corps Memorial
Yanbaru Kuina Ecological Exhibition and Learning Facility Kuina no Mori
Motobu Town Seimatsu Corps Camp 清末隊の陣地壕
Tai Period Statue - 泰期像
Okinawa at a Glance - Tourism
Shuri-jo castle
Urasoe City History Museum
The "Second Platoon Trench" Monument
Nagagusuke Castle Ruins
Oyama Shell Mounds
Global Oceanographic Data Center GODAC
War Monuments - to students and survivors of the Pacific War 三中学徒之碑
Tsushima Maru Memorial Hall
Cave Okinawa
Dutch merchant ship wreck
Sakima Art Museum
Ryukyu Village
Zakimi Castle Ruins
Habu Hill
Motobu Town Yaedake Field Hospital Cave
Tsutaitai Corps trench site 蔦井隊の壕跡
Other things to see in Okinawa
Former site of Sakiyama Village
奥賛歌の碑 - Okusanka Monument
国頭村奥戦没者慰霊之塔 - Kunigami Village War Dead Memorial Tower
辺野古の一里塚 - Henoko Milestone
旧・津堅島灯台跡 - Tsuken Island lighthouse Remains
Kadena Air Base
MCAS Futenma
Naval Base White Beach
Camp Foster
Kumejima Island
Gushikawa Castle Ruins
Yajaagama Cave
Goeda Pine of Kume
Yonamine Castle Ruins
Uegusuku Castle Ruins
Utida Stone
Sakishima Archipelago 先島諸島
The Sakishima Archipelago is comprised of two island chains, The Miyako and Yaeyama Islands. They have historically been a part of the Ryukyu Kingdom from the 15th century, and then Japan from the incorporation of Okinawa into the empire in 1879. The islands stretch westward and south from the southern end of the Ryukyu island chain. The Senkaku islands, an uninhabited and disputed territory between Japan and China, lay at the western end of the archipelago.
Miyako Islands 宮古列島
Miyako Islands Tours
Miyako 宮古島
Sugama Family Residence Ruins
Ruins of Kubaka Castle
【戦争遺跡】西更竹指令部壕[War ruins] - Nishisaratake Command Cave
旧西中共同製糖場煙突 - Former Nishinaka Kyodo Sugar Factory
Miyakojima Underground Dam Museum
Nanamaku no Meemaga
不時着の地記念碑 - WW2 Crash Landing Memorial
Irabu Island 伊良部島
Otake Naka Cave
牧山陣地跡 - WW2 Makiyama Gun Positions
豊見氏親墓碑 - Tomomi's Gravestone
Shimoji Island 下地島
Shimoji Island Monolith
Minna Island 水納島
Sakishima Islands Fire Guard
Tarama Island 多良間島
Dutch merchant ship wreck
Sakishima Beacons
Tarama Village Furusato Folklore Museum
Old Tarama Air Port
Yaeyama Islands 八重山列島
Ishigaki 石垣島
Taramada Ruins
Ainama Stone
Ibaruma Sabichi Cave
久松五勇士上陸之地 - Landing Site of the Five Brave Warriors of Hisamatsu
石垣市有形民俗文化財 野底御嶽 - Ishigaki City Folk Cultural Property
Blue Cave
Kabira Shell Mound
Sekihi (memorial to victims of the sea)
Telegraph Station Ruins
Ishigaki Yaima Village
Toujin Tomb
嘉善姓石垣家一門 の墓 - Grave of Ishigaki Nagamasa
Yoko Gushiken Monument
Islands Development Monument
Torinji
Kunio Yanagita Monument
ビッチュムリ (ユナムリ) - Bitchumuri stone structure (unknown purpose or builder information)
Shiraho Saone Tahara Cave Ruins
Kohama 小浜島
Kohagura-so
Warship Rock
Taketomi 竹富島
Former site of Sakiyama Village
Uehara
Iriomote Wildlife Conservation Center
Kuro 黒島
Kuroshima Observatory
Kuroshima Research Station
Kuroshima Visitor Center
Iriomote 西表島
Tofu Rock
Iriomote Wildlife Conservation Center
Kura Cave
Hateruma 波照間島
Site of Shimotabaru Castle
Court Mori
Birthplace of the red bee
Greater East Asia War Transfer Monument
Yonaguni 与那国島
Monument of the Westernmost Point in Japan
The Last Sunset Hill
Umabanzaki Stone Monument
Ayami Habil Hall