Awaji Island is Hyogo's fifth district and one of the largest off-shore islands in Japan. A hilly island less developed than the southern coast, it was for a long time considered somewhat remote because traffic from the mainland was restricted to sea travel. It was not connected to the main island of Honshu until the completion of the Akashi Strait Bridge in 1998, which has the longest central span of any suspension bridge in the world. Awaji's mild climate and fascinating natural beauty make it a popular destination for tourism, sports, and recreation. The island is renowned for its longstanding art of traditional folk puppetry.