Iriomote Island, Protected island in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan.
Iriomote Island is a forested island in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, and forms part of the Yaeyama Islands group. Mangroves line the coasts and reach deep into the interior, while dense rainforest covers the mountains and valleys up to the peaks.
Coal mining shaped the economy here between 1889 and 1959, before the mine closed. The island remained under American administration after the Second World War and returned to Japanese control in 1972.
The local name derives from the word for 'deep bay,' and residents here still speak dialects that mix Okinawan with phrases found nowhere else in Japan. Fishermen set out at dawn from small wooden docks, and you might see farmers tending fields that follow centuries-old patterns along the coastal strip.
Ferries connect the island with Ishigaki and dock at two ports, Uwahara in the north and Ohara in the east. The crossing takes between 35 and 50 minutes depending on the destination, and most visitor services and lodging are found near the coasts.
The Iriomote wildcat, which lives only here, is almost never seen even though it is the island's emblem. Around 100 animals roam the forests, and researchers use camera traps to document their movements.
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