Okinawa Hontō is the largest of the Ryūkyū Islands and the main island of the island group Okinawa with a length of over 100 km and a width between 5 and 25 km. As an island of the Ryūkyū island arch, Okinawa Hontō also belongs to the Nansei Islands. Okinawa is just 600 km away from Taiwan.
The island became officially a part of the Japanese state only in 1871 as the other Ryūkyū islands, until then it was the center of the kingdom Ryūkyū. Okinawa Hontō and the surrounding islands lie in the subtropical zone.
Bilder zum Hafen Okinawa / Japan
Cruise offers to the port Okinawa / Japan
Okinawa Hontō and the waters surrounding the island show an astonishing biodiversity, sometimes even referred to as the Galapagos of Japan. A number of Okinawa species are not found anywhere else. Known endemic species are, for example, the Okinawa woodpecker and the Okinawa rail, which was only discovered relatively recently, a crane bird that lives only in the Kunigami district, in the Yanbaru forest area. The Okinawar ails and many more species are now threatened by "land revaluation" and adventive enemies from extinction.
The dugongs, a worlwide endangered species and the only Japanese species of sea-cows native in Japan in the waters around Okinawa-Hontō, attracted great attention a few years ago.
Since World War II, US soldiers have been permanently stationed on Okinawa.
Which cruise lines and ships sail to Okinawa?
In which country / island is Okinawa located?
