This is an ongoing subject for discussions between the two countries. The biggest of the Nansei Islands, Okinawa is located roughly halfway along the chain. The island has many places of historical interest as well as its natural beauty, coral reefs and white-sand beaches. There are remnants of castles from the days of the Ryukyu kingdom, which was ruled from Naha for 400 years, although most were destroyed during the war. The prefectural capital of Naha is in the south, and is the business and transport hub of the region.
Naminoue shrine is located on the site of one of the old castles.
Sogenji temple was a sacred place for the Ryukyu kings and its restored stone gates can still be seen. Local products include brightly colored bingata fabrics, colorful tsuboya-yaki pottery and awamori liquor. The food is cheaper than on the mainland and some local specialities are Okinawan noodles and mutton. A few kilometers east of Naha is the Gyokusendo Cave , Japan's most spectacular grotto with hundreds of thousands of stalactites and other limestone formations. An hour bus ride north of Naha is Okinawa City , venue for the Eisa dance festival in late August.