Discover Iheya Island

On Iheya Island, mountainous landscapes, traditional rituals, and experiences by the sea come together. The island offers a range of ideas for planning your trip, from walking trails and viewpoints to festivals, caves, and dive sites.

Island Scenery and Getting There

Iheya Island and Noho Island form an island group connected by a bridge and surrounded by coral reefs. Fields and five settlements lie on the narrow plains between the mountains. Ferries to Iheya depart twice daily from Unten Port in Nakijin Village, alongside the ferry service to neighboring Izena Island. The crossing takes about 80 minutes. Check the schedule before your trip.

Trails and Landscapes

Iheya Island's mountainous landscape is characterized by elevations of around 200 meters, and the island is considered a trekking destination. Forest parks and developed walking trails are also considered suitable for beginners. As local conditions may change, check them before setting out. A walking trail about 1.2 kilometers long leads from near the Koshi-dake viewpoint to Katakuma Shrine in Gakiya. Near the summit of Koshi-dake, Koshino Hiramatsu offers a view of Maedomari Port.

Walking times can also help with planning: the longer trail to Tana takes about 30 minutes at a leisurely pace. A shorter route branches off from it to Katakuma Shrine in Gakiya, with an estimated walking time of about 15 minutes.

Rituals, Festivals, and History

Two Kami Ashiage—ritual sites where deities are summoned and sacred dances are performed—are located in Shimajiri and Gakiya. According to tradition, the deities descend on festival days and bless the faithful. Religious ceremonies are held at the Kami Ashiage in Shimajiri; during the Hōnen Festival, stick-fighting demonstrations are among the performances held in front of it.

The Unjami, a festival honoring the sea deities, is among the traditional festivals in Tana. It is regarded as particularly well known and of interest to researchers. The Jugoya Festival on Iheya features stick-fighting performances by young people, performing arts, and village theater; it is considered a major traditional event enjoyed by young and old alike. A 2024 description calls Gakiya's great tug-of-war contest a tradition dating back about 300 years. On the day of the event, residents make the rope together.

Terukuguchi and Iruchayō, which has been handed down on Noho, are considered valuable cultural heritage preserved only on Iheya and Izena. The Yagura Tomb also tells the story of the island's history: this stone tomb lies in a cave on the Yagura coast, about one kilometer south of the Gakiya settlement. It is associated with Yagura Ufushī, an ancestor of the First Shō Dynasty, and retains an ancient atmosphere.

Caves, Beaches, and Marine Life

The Kumaya Cave on Iheya Island is considered the southernmost site associated with the Ama-no-Iwato legend. It was designated a natural monument of Okinawa Prefecture in 1958. Below the cave lies Kumaya Beach, a camping area and fishing spot.

The dive sites also offer different underwater scenery: at Majinbu, divers can observe dense schools of golden sweepers and cardinalfish, a resting whitetip reef shark, and garden eels over a sandy seabed; sightings are not guaranteed. At Yahe-iwa, the dive goes around a rugged rock with crevices and holes, where divers can wait for larger fish to swim by.

A Sabani snorkeling and skin-diving tour sails under sail to snorkeling spots. With a guide, participants observe marine life and corals at close range in shallow water. Another island experience combines rice cultivation and awamori production: rice planted or harvested by participants is processed into awamori at the island's only distillery; participants learn how it is made and taste special varieties. Dates and participation requirements may change—check them in advance.

Discover more destinations: Kin, Urasoe, Uza, Yaeyama, Ginowan, Nanjō, Nago, Kumejima.

Return to the main travel overview: Okinawa Prefecture.