Okinawa

Okinawa means "rope along the open sea," a fitting name for this chain of 140-plus coral-fringed, subtropical islands stretching more than 700 km (435 mi) into the Pacific Ocean. Once part of the ancient seafaring kingdom of Ryukyu, the islands were ruled by the local Sho Dynasty, near the present-day capital of Naha, from the 15th century until the early 17th century. During this time the indigenous Ryukyuans enjoyed a favorable climate and a thriving trade with China. Ryukyu lacquerware and textiles were exchanged for Chinese pottery and herbs, and spices from Southeast Asia.

Ryukyu successfully navigated the straits between Chinese and Japanese domination until 1609, when the capital was invaded and conquered by the powerful Shimazu clan from Kyushu. From this moment forward, island inhabitants were required to pay taxes to Japan. In the late 1870s the Meiji government took control and renamed the islands Okinawa Prefecture. Over time, the Ryukyuan language was forcibly replaced with Japanese, and the two cultures were purposely integrated. The Meiji government instituted major tax and land-distribution reforms, and eventually introduced military conscription.

Although hundreds of miles from the main Japanese islands, Okinawa bore the brunt of the final years of World War II. Squeezed between the American forces and the Japanese army, Okinawa lost as many as 100,000 native civilians. Following Japan's defeat, and continuing today, the islands host the majority of U.S. troops protecting this corner of the Pacific region. Although the U.S. presence here is controversial, it provides a tremendous monetary boost to an otherwise poor region.

Tourism and other industries have not easily taken root in Okinawa, yet Okinawa has long been considered Japan's Hawaii, with gorgeous beaches, a warm climate—the average yearly temperature is 72°—and friendly locals. If you love beaches, you could hardly choose a better destination. Almost all the beaches here are heaped with generous helpings of white sand made of pulverized coral that is soft and small-grained up at the tide line and loose and large-grained near and under the water. The sand on some beaches, as on Taketomi and one or two on Iriomote, is actually made from the tiny, dried, and sun-bleached, star-shape skeletons of dead aquatic critters; this sand is called hoshi-suna (star-sand). Among the most unforgettable experiences of a trip to Okinawa, especially the southern islands, is spectacular diving and snorkeling, even some jungle trekking—all within a few hours of Tokyo.

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