The prefecture of Okinawa lies over 900 miles south of Tokyo, the capital of Japan. In comparison, foreign cities such as Manila, Shanghai and Taipei are actually closer to Okinawa! Okinawa Island (463 sq. mi), where most of prefecture’s population resides, is roughly the size of Los Angeles City, and slightly smaller than the island of Oahu in Hawaii. When combined with the other islands in the prefecture, the total land mass of the Okinawa Prefecture is roughly the same size as the country of Luxembourg!

Over 1.3 million people reside in over 49 islands in the prefecture, with another 110 islands being uninhabited. Some of the larger islands in the prefecture include: Okinawa Island, Kume-jima, Miyako-jima, Ishigaki-jima, Iriomote-jima, Taketomi-jima, and Yonaguni-jima. The Amami Islands, located north of Okinawa Island, are culturally and historically related to the indigenous peoples of the Okinawa Prefecture, but are now administered as part of the Kagoshima Prefecture.

Due to its distance from Tokyo, the islands of Okinawa Prefecture experience warmer, snow less winters, and hot humid summers. Other cities with similar climates are Hong Kong in China, and Honolulu in the United States. Typhoons are frequent visitors to the Okinawan Islands during the months of summer. For this reason, many modern and traditional houses are built to withstand winds that can be devastating to normal dwellings.

Further Reading (External Links):
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan: Okinawa Geography

Okinawa Prefecture: Overview of Okinawa Prefecture

Mahae Plus: Okinawa's Regions