Izena

It is also the birthplace of the contemporary artist Naka Bokunen and musician Shunichi Irei (伊禮 俊一 Irei Shun'ichi).

• Name — Izena • Settlement Type — Village • Subdivision Type — Country • Subdivision Name — Japan • Subdivision Type1 — Region • Subdivision Name1 — Kyushu (Okinawa) • Subdivision Type2 — Prefecture • Subdivision Name2 — Okinawa Prefecture • Subdivision Type3 — District • Subdivision Name3 — Shimajiri • Extinct Title — Now part of • Leader Title — Mayor • Leader Title1 — Vice Mayor • Unit Pref — Metric • Area Total Km2 — 15.42 • Population Total — 1,322 • Population As Of — October 1, 2020 • Population Density Km2 — auto • Timezone1 — JST • Utc Offset1 — +09:00 • Blank Name Sec1 — City hall address • Blank Info Sec1 — 1203 Aza Nakada, Izena-son, Shimajiri-gun, Okinawa-ken 905-0695 • Blank Name Sec2 — Climate • Blank Info Sec2 — Cfa • Website — http: vill.izena.okinawa.jp/ in Japanese

As of 1 October 2020, the island has an estimated population of 1,322 and a density of 86 persons per square kilometer. The total area is 15.42 km2. The island's topography features a row of mountains spanning from the northwest to the southeast of the island, with generally flat, arable land covering the remainder. The island has several sandy beaches and designated camping areas with bathroom facilities. The view of Izena's rocky southern coastline is well known as one of Japan's best, with the rock formations 'Umi Gitara' and 'Agi Gitara' dramatically rising from the land and sea.

The village includes five wards. • Izena • Nakada • Uchihana • Serikyaku • Shomi

Izena's main crops are sugar and the edible seaweed mozuku, but there are also several rice paddies, livestock farms, and a cattle breeding facility. From December through April, sugar is harvested and processed at a refinery on the island before being exported. There is an awamori distillery in Izena Village that produces several varieties of the beverage. Commerce on the island is limited to a small grocery store, gas station, farmer's market, and building supply store that are operated by Japan's Central Union of Agricultural Cooperatives, several other independently owned convenience stores, restaurants, and bars in each of the island's 5 villages, and several hotels along the beach and in the island's center. There is a scuba diving shop in Nakada Village open in the summer that provides equipment and tours.

Izena is one of only a handful of places in Okinawa that was not ravaged by American and Japanese military forces during World War II, although American bombing on the nearby island of Iheya resulted in approximately 50 civilian deaths. When American Marines landed on Izena during the night of June 23, 1945, they encountered no hostile defenses or enemy combatants and left shortly thereafter.

Izena Village includes many cultural properties. • Name (Japanese) (Type of registration)

• Copy of “Forestry Ordinance” (Municipal) • Copy of “Iheya Island Records” (Iheyajima Kyūki) (Municipal) • Copy of “Ordinance relating to the Shipwreck Rescue off the coast of Dana” (Municipal) • Fē-no-futakayata-no-amu’s ritual goods (Tamaki Family) (Municipal) • Forest assarting and development documents (Municipal) • Former Nashiro Family Residence and stone walls (National) • Iheya-no-amu-ganashi's ritual goods (Municipal) • Izena Tamaudun (National) (Prefectural) • Izena Tamaudun stone zushi bone containers (Prefectural) • Mekaru Family heirlooms (Municipal) • Mekaru Family Residence (National) • Nishi-no-futakayata-no-amu's ritual goods (Irei Family) (Municipal) • Takewa calligraphy (Municipal) • Tōtoku Deities of Serikyaku (Municipal) • Tōtoku Deities of Shomi (Municipal) • Yōhekisan calligraphy (Municipal)

• Human remains with shell bracelets of Gushikawa Island Site (Municipal) • Kami-Asagi praying site and residence of Nakada (Prefectural) • Kami-Asagi praying site and residence of Serikyaku (Prefectural) • Kami-Asagi and Uganju praying sites of Izena (Prefectural) • Kami-Asagi and Uganju praying sites of Shomi (Prefectural)

• Āgayama beacon (Municipal) • Agigitara Shell Mound (Municipal) • Churainjo loom location (Municipal) • Isena Harbour (Municipal) • Izena Castle Site (Prefectural) • Izena Shell Mound (Municipal) • Kaimiji-bushi song location (Municipal) • Mihoso-dokoro, birthplace of King Shō En (Prefectural) • Motojima Site (Municipal) • Nakada Shell Mound (Municipal) • Nobility Road (Municipal) • Oyahata Shell Mound (Municipal) • Sakata Area (Municipal) • Serikyaku Shell Mound (Municipal) • Shiidachi Site (Municipal) • Sunja-gā spring (Municipal) • Uchihana Shell Mound (Municipal) • Ufujika Shell Mound (Municipal)

• Āgayama beacon (Municipal) • Churainjo loom location (Municipal) • Nobility Road (Municipal) • Sunja-gā spring (Municipal)

• Akara-utaki ubame oak and Okinawa pine plant community (Prefectural) • Izena Castle Site Selaginella tamariscina community (Prefectural) • Izena thatching grass (Eriachne armitti F. Muell.) (Municipal)

The island is accessible by a ferry that makes two daily round trips between Nakada Port and Unten Port in Nakijin Village, which is located North of Nago on Okinawa's main island. The ferry trip takes approximately one hour. Izena also has an airfield, though daily service to the island by airplane was halted in 2007.

There are a kindergarten, junior high school and elementary school, all located near the center of the island and serving all five villages. As of 2010, the average size of each grade is 20 students. Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education operates senior high schools elsewhere in the prefecture. After graduating from junior high school, students must move to mainland Okinawa if they wish to attend high school. In the sense that they no longer live together, the island's youth become independent from their parents at 15 years old.

Izena Island hosts an annual triathlon, the Izena 88 (2 km swim + 66 km bike + 20 km run) in the Autumn, participation of which (in 2007) was numbered at around 830. There is also a kids' triathlon for island residents on the day preceding the main race.