Yonaguni is the westernmost inhabited island in Japan — on a clear day you can see Taiwan, just 111 kilometres away. It is a remote, wind-battered place with dramatic cliffs, wild horses roaming the grasslands, and a population of fewer than 2,000.
The island is best known for the Yonaguni Monument, a mysterious underwater rock formation discovered in 1987. Whether it is a natural geological feature or the remains of an ancient civilisation is still debated, but diving or snorkelling around the site is an unforgettable experience. The waters here are also one of the few places in Japan where you can encounter hammerhead sharks, drawing divers from around the world between November and March.
On land, the Tachigami-iwa ("standing god rock") is a striking natural stone spire on the southern coast. Wild Yonaguni ponies roam the eastern grasslands — a breed native to the island and designated a natural monument. The island's traditional spirit, hanazake — a fierce 60-proof liquor — is not for the faint-hearted.