The southernmost of the Amami Islands is just 20km north of the large island of Okinawa-hontō, and over 200km from the main island, Amami-Ōshima. Adulated for the beauty of its sandy beaches, the island is 5.5km in diameter and is hands down the most delightful in the archipelago. A whole series of fantastic beaches fringes the coastline, which is not too built up. Oganeku, particularly prized for its pristine white sand, looks out over Yurigahama, a magnificent string of sandy islands that appear at low tide.