This Introductory Video of Iheya Island, Okinawa, Shows the Incredibly Beautiful, Dreamlike Scenery of the Island

This introductory video, "The Mystic 'Iheya Island'" (神秘の島「伊平屋島」) was produced by the Iheya Island Tourist Association using aerial drone footage.
You'll see the incredibly beautiful scenery of the isolated Iheya Island, in Okinawa.

Iheya Island is a remote island with breathtakingly clear, pristine waters and nature.
It is even famous in Okinawa, one of Japan's most popular tourist resorts.
In this article, you'll find recommendations for places to see and things to do around Iheya Island, Okinawa.

The video shows aerial photos of the emerald green coral reefs and the natural mountains of Iheya Island in Okinawa.
You'll be astonished watching the video and realizing that such beauty exists in Japan.

All About Iheya Island, Okinawa

Photo：Iheya Island's sandy beach and sea

Iheya Island is located 117 km north of Naha on the main island of Okinawa, a part of Japan's southwestern archipelago.
It is also north of the main island of Okinawa, 41.1 km from Nakijinson Kamiunten harbor, a ferry depot in the northernmost inhabited island of Okinawa.

At southern end of Iheya Island, there is Izena Island.
Iheya Island is a mysterious island where the original landscape of Okinawa has been preserved, and many legends and gods continue to live on.

Iheya Island (Area: 20.66km2 Perimeter: 34.23km) is a long, thin island connected to Noho Island (Area: 1.06km2 Perimeter: 4.8km) by the Noho bridge and as of July, 2009, has a population of 1,405.

To get to Iheya Island, you can take a bus or car from Naha Airport on the main island of Okinawa to Unten Port in Nakijin Village where the ferry dock is located.
An 80-minute ride on the ferry takes you to Iheya Island.
As there are only two ferry services a day, and a day trip is difficult, we recommend spending at least one night on Iheya Island.

Local transportation is either rental cars, taxis, the island's community bus, or rental bicycles, as well as the ferry that takes you to Iheya Island.
It's also possible to bring your own car onto the ferry as well.
If the weather is good, we recommend renting a bicycle to see the island and enjoy the natural scenery.

Touristic Information to Enjoy Iheya's Beautiful Emerald Green Sea

Photo：Sea turtle

The brilliant emerald-green sea shown in the video is so beautiful that you might feel like you're dreaming.
The sea is transparent up to 50 meters and the view of a small boat casting its shadow on the seafloor is fantastic.
You can see this amazing scenery from 1:12 in the video.
The sea of Iheya Island is comparably beautiful to that of popular Yaeyama Island and Miyako Island.
In these beautiful waters, you can enjoy coral reefs, marine life, snorkeling, diving, sea kayaking and other marine sports, as well as fishing to your heart's content.

The beaches which are worth visiting on Iheya Island are ‘Kumaya beach’ for fishing, and ‘Suga-hama’ and ‘Yonesaki-kaigan’ for enjoying beautiful scenery.
Because there are only two ferries a day and no large tourist facilities, there are very few tourists in Okinawa, so you can enjoy the sea to your heart's content, as it is a lesser-known beach in Okinawa.
White sandy beaches with endless blue skies and seas await you.

Enjoy the Sights and Sounds of Iheya Island

Photo：Hiramatsu

Starting at 1:31 in the video, the sights of Iheya Island, with its unspoiled nature and culture, are introduced.

One of the must-see spots is “Kumaya Cave” which is said to be the southernmost place related to a legend about Amaterasu Omikami. Japan has a lot of places where the “Amano Iwato legend” allegedly took place.

The natural light that floods the cave is so magical and Instagram-worthy. It's also a popular power spot not to be missed when visiting Iheya Island.

At 1:46 in the video, “Nento hiramatsu” is also a popular touristic spot on Iheya Island and visitors will be overwhelmed when they see the branches of the “Ryukyu matsu” looming over them.
We also recommend visiting the Iheya Lighthouse from which you can overlook the whole of Iheya Island. This can be seen in the video from 1:51.

You can enjoy a spectacular view of nature with 200-meter-high mountains and blue waters. There are also plenty of other places with beautiful scenery as well.
From 1:58 on the video, “Yahe Rock” is a historical place and said to be the ruins of an old castle that protected the island from the Nakijin army.
The sunset seen through the rocky mountains quite the spectacle as well.
If you're looking for something good to eat, be sure to try the fresh seafood dishes on Iheya Island. As it's surrounded by the sea, it has some of the freshest seafood you can get!

After a day of fishing, a seaside BBQ with the fish you caught will make for an unforgettable experience. Mozuku seaweed and local sea salt from Iheya Island make for great souvenirs as well.

Other Tourist Attractions at Iheya Island

There are even more tourist destinations on Iheya Island that weren't shown in the video!

“Kuba mountain at Tana”, “Tiger head Rock”, “Yagurabaka”, “Iheya History and Folklore Museum” and “Kami asagi” are also places we recommend visiting.
If you prefer joining activities or events, "Iheya Village Trail," "Iheya Moonlight marathon," "Iheya Festival," "Iheya Scarecrow Festival," and “Iheya New Year Trim Marathon” are some things that might interest you.

Of course, there are also hotels and inns on Iheya Island, so you can stay overnight for sightseeing.

Wrap-Up

Photo： Iheya Island from a plane

The video, "The Mystic 'Iheya Island'" (神秘の島「伊平屋島」), introduces the beautiful, clear sea and the splendid natural scenery of Iheya Island, one of Japan’s remote islands.

Sometimes the waves are so calm, and you can see the seafloor so clearly, that it's as if there's no water at all.
Be sure to check this out in the video!
In this article, we introduced you to Iheya Island's attractions, marine activities, and food, as well as how to access it.
There are also agriculture and fishing experiences, as well as home-stay accommodations where you can interact with the islanders and experience Japan's original landscape and nature.
Take a trip to the remote Iheya Island, forget about your troubles, and get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

【Tripadvisor】Iheya Island
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g1121620-d1373491-Reviews-Iheyajima_Island-Iheya_son_Shimajiri_gun_Okinawa_Prefecture.html