Ishigaki Island Lighthouse, Okinawa

Perched atop the verdant slopes of Ishigaki Island in Japan's Ryukyu Islands chain, this stately white lighthouse stands sentinel over the azure Pacific Ocean. Waves crash against rugged coral formations as they approach the shore below. A solitary figure leans contemplatively on an adjacent fence, perhaps pondering life or simply soaking up the breathtaking view that stretches to distant islets under a sky washed by gentle clouds.