Iriomote Island is the most remote of the Yaeyama group, with 90 percent of the island covered by virgin subtropical forest, mangroves along the Urauchi River and several major waterfalls. It is home to the critically endangered Iriomote wildcat as well as about 2,000 people and has been called the “Galapagos of the Pacific” (or the Orient, the East, or Japan).

The Yaeyama Islands have beautiful hand-woven textiles, but unfortunately this is the only picture I have giving a good example of them. This was one of our tour guides for the day.

Hoshizuna Beach, Iriomote Island, posted earlier: