Coral beach in Taketomi

Day trip to Taketomi

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April 11th 2006
So today I woke up, the sun was shining and I was ready to go and find a nice quiet beach on Taketomi-Jima, a small island off the coast of Ishigaki. I took a boat across the bay and just as I got across, the clouds rolled in once again! I decided to make the best of it, so I took the free shuttle to a bicycle rental depot and got a bike and toured the island, which really only takes about 45 minu ... read more

Asia » Japan » Okinawa

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In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military dictatorship) ushered in a long period of isolation from foreign influence in order to secure its power. For 250 years this policy enabled Japan to enjoy stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Fol... ... read more