The southernmost point of Japan is marked by a stone monument on Hateruma's southern tip, a short bicycle ride from the Southern Cross Observatory. The location is more symbolic than dramatic — a low cape with the open Pacific stretching south — but it carries a certain satisfaction for those who have made the effort to reach Japan's most remote inhabited island.
A signpost nearby gives distances to other landmarks, which puts Hateruma's isolation in perspective. The walk or ride out along the southern track passes through typical Ryukyuan coastal scrub. The monument is accessible year-round and has no facilities nearby. On the way back you can detour to the observatory.