Crystal blue seas, white sand beaches and colorful marine life. Shuri Castle, home of the King of Ryukyu.

Okinawa Prefecture is made up of the Ryukyu Islands, which at their southern extremity begin at Nansei Island, and lie between Kyushu, the most southwesterly of Japan's four main islands, and Taiwan. Okinawa consists of 160 islands of various size scattered across a vast area of ocean. The temperature in winter is about the same as that of springtime in Tokyo and Osaka, making it warm and comfortable throughout the year.

With Okinawa being in the subtropical zone, you can enjoy beautiful flowers in any season. Taiwan Cherries, which bloom earlier in Okinawa than anywhere else in Japan, red Deigo flowers, colorful bougainvilleas, pure white Easter lilies, and beautiful yellow tabebuias – it is like a party of tropical flowers! Another highlight is the inhabitation of many rare species of plants and animals, such as the Iriomote wildcats (declared a protected species) on Iriomote-jima Island. The crystal blue sea, with white sand beaches and colorful fish dancing through coral, attracts vacationers as a holiday resort area with many diving spots.

For about 450 years, from the 15th to the 19th century, Okinawa prospered as the Kingdom of Ryukyu, a state independent of Japan's central government. Cultural characteristics and conventions born through the relations with foreign countries in those days still survive in such interesting forms as artifacts and festivals, giving additional charm to Okinawa. Especially Shuri Castle (the castle of the King of Ryukyu) in Naha City, which reopened in 1992 after being reconstructed. It was inscribed as a World Heritage Site, and attracts many visitors.

Okinawa still preserves its traditional entertainment, such as Ryukyu-buyo, an elegant dance expressing a woman's emotions and feelings for someone special, such as her husband. It is performed by women in traditional dress made of bright-colored Bingata cloth. The Shishi-mai, a dance of 'shishi' lions with colorful manes, and Eisa, danced in groups to the sound of heroic drums and a three-stringed musical instrument called a 'sanshin,' are other traditional dances still performed today.

Various festivals and events are held in Okinawa throughout the year. You can enjoy flowers and whale watching in winter and spring, marine sports and traditional performing arts in summer, and cultural events and field sports in fall. Some traditional festivals and events include the Hari Dragon Boat Race in May, an Eisa dance competition during the summer Bon Festival period, as well as tug-of-war competitions held each summer and fall.

The number one beach resort in Okinawa. Churaumi Aquirium, and a number of other facilities to introduce the nature of Okinawa.

Along the western coast of Okinawa Main Island, running from On'na-son Village to the base of the Motobu-hanto Peninsula in the north, is the largest beach resort area in Okinawa Prefecture. The area offers lodging at large resort hotels with private beaches, pensions in the woods and other types of accommodations, allowing you to choose from among them to suit your own tastes. There are also many tourist attractions nearby, including scenic spots like Manza-mo and Cape Maeda, the Ryukyu Village where a traditional farming village in Okinawa is reproduced, Busena Marine Park where you can view aquatic life at the undersea observatory and ride in a glass-bottom boat, as well as Bankoku Shinryo-kan where the 2000 Kyushu/Okinawa Summit took place.

Yanbaru, the area to the north of Nago, is in a subtropical zone and made up of mountains and hills covered with primeval forests. It is the home of Noguchigera, a woodpecker unique to this area, and Yanbaru-kuina, another rare bird, both of which have been declared special protected species. Trekking along a clear river stream amid primeval forests, sometimes waist-deep in water, is quite popular.

In the Motobu-hanto Peninsula, jutting out from western Yanbaru, is Ocean Expo Park. Many tourists and locals visit there and enjoy its various attractions, such as the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium with one of the largest varieties of fish species in the world, the Tropical Dream Center where beautiful orchids can be seen, Emerald Beach, as well as dolphin shows. There are also many nature-related sightseeing facilities, such as Yanbaru Subtropical Park and Ryugu Butterfly Field where subtropical vegetation and insects can be observed, as well as Neo Park Okinawa, Nago Pineapple Park and Okinawa Fruit Land.