Iriomote Island is the most remote of the Yaeyama group, with 90 percent of the island covered by virgin subtropical forest, mangroves along the Urauchi River and several major waterfalls. It is home to the critically endangered Iriomote wildcat as well as about 2,000 people and has been called the “Galapagos of the Pacific” (or the Orient, the East, or Japan). I seem to recall it rained the entire day we were on this island, but we did manage to take a ride down the river.

Water buffalo, Iriomote Island, posted earlier: