Okinawa, lying nearly halfway between Kyushu and Taiwan, consists of more than 100 islands and isles of different sizes and is situated at the southern extremity of the Japanese Archipelago. The climate there is mild and comfortable to live, with temperatures not lowering below the springtime levels in Tokyo and Osaka even in winter.

On the islands gregariously glow tropical and semitropical plants, like banyan trees, blooming one after another all the year round. The features of Okinawa also include the inhabitation of many rare living things, such as Iriomote wildcats registered as a natural treasure and living on the Iriomote-Jima Island. The crystal blue sea with white-sand beaches and colorful fishes dancing through coral attracts vacationers as a holiday resort with many diving spots.

For about 400 years from the 15th century to the middle of the 19th century, Okinawa had seen prosperity as the Kingdom of Ryuku, a prosperous state independent of Japan's central government.

Okinawa boasts many traditional public-entertaining arts of its own that have been handed down to this day, like the Ryukyu dance gracefully performed by female dancers in red-patterned costume expressing the feelings of a woman over her lover or husband, the shishi-mai (lion dance) said to have been introduced from China and performed with the mask of a colorful haired lion and the Eisa in which a group of dancers dance to the accompaniment of soul-stirring drums and shamisens.

Getting There
About 2 hours and 45 minutes to Naha Airport from Tokyo Haneda Airport. About 2 hours and 10 minutes from Kansai International Airport. About 2 hours and 15 minutes from Osaka Itami Airport. About 20 minutes to Naha Bus Terminal from Naha Airport by bus.