Yambaru National Park

Established in 2016 as one of Japan's newest national parks, Yambaru covers 21,022 hectares of subtropical forest at the northern tip of Okinawa Island. Despite covering less than 0.1 percent of Japan's land area, the park is home to roughly half of Japan's bird species and a quarter of its frog species. Endemic animals include the Okinawa rail, Japan's only flightless bird, and the Okinawa woodpecker, both currently under protection. The terrain ranges from densely forested mountains and karst coastal cliffs near Cape Hedo to a mangrove estuary at the Gesashi River mouth. Tours, kayaking, trekking, and wildlife-watching are all available within the park.