Iriomote Island

A subtropical island in the far southwestern corner of the Ryukyu arc, where over 90 percent of the land is covered by primary mangrove forests and dense jungle harboring one of the world's rarest cats, the Iriomote cat, found nowhere else on earth. The Urauchi River, the longest river in Okinawa Prefecture, can be explored by kayak or boat into the island's interior. Offshore coral reefs rated among the most biodiverse in Japan surround the island for diving and snorkeling.