NICE TO MEET EVERYONE WHO WATCHES COOL JAPAN VIDEOS! This is the Izena Island Tourism Association. Izena Island is located in the north of the main island of Okinawa, and the circumference of the island is 17 kilometers, and you can go around it in about 20 minutes by car. Izena Village, Shimajiri District, Okinawa Prefecture is an island consisting of three uninhabited islands: the main island "Izena Island", "Yanaha Island", "Gushigawa Island", and "Furujin Island". The population of Izena Island in Okinawa Prefecture is 1,322 (as of the 2020 (Reiwa 2) survey), and it is also known as the birthplace of "Shoenou", the first king of the second Sho clan of the Ryukyu Dynasty. In this first post, we will introduce Izena Island and introduce the attractions of sightseeing spots and activities. ■■Sightseeing spots on Izena Island, Okinawa Prefecture■■ ◆ Futamigaura Coast (Superb view of two rocks of Gitara) "Gitara" means a sheer rock (cliff), and the sheer rocks in the sea and land are called "sea gitara / land gitara". The Gitara Coast, which has a total length of about 1 km, is dotted with many sea and land gitaras, and it has been selected as one of the 100 best beaches in Japan because of the beauty of the arrangement of sea and land gitara, land and broad-leaved trees! In addition, "Mattera Beach" in the Gitara Coast area is a hidden gem beach with white sand and highly transparent blue waters. There is also a campsite. ◆ Gitara Observatory Located in the Gitara Coast area, the "Gitara Observatory" is a popular observation spot! In particular, it is also a valuable place where you can overlook the two opposite sea and land Gitara. Don't miss the starry sky and city illuminations at night. ◆ Izena Castle Ruins The altitude of the "Izena Castle Ruins" in the southeast of Izena Island is 70m. It is said that the castle was built in the Gusuku period (11th ~ 14th century) by King Shoen's grandfather "Lord Sameigawa". It is said that it was said to be an "impregnable castle" because it was cut into a pyramid shape and had precipitous cliffs on three sides. From the top of the ruins of Izena Castle, you can enjoy a spectacular view of the sea. In addition, the "Izena Tama Palace" at the foot of the ruins of Izena Castle has been designated as an important cultural property of Japan. ◆ Izena Beach (Izena Beach) Located on the south side of Izena Island, this beach has a cobalt blue sea! It is a popular tourist destination where you can enjoy swimming and camping, and toilets and showers are also available. * 2023 (Reiwa 5) partially unusable due to seawall maintenance work from July. ◆ Shoenwang Oniwa Park To commemorate the 580th anniversary of King Shoen's birth, it is a park that was built in 1996 (Heisei 8). There are still a steady stream of worshippers in Shoen-o Oniwa Park, and there is also the Shiohira River in the park, which is said to have been used for the birthing bath of King Shoen. It is a sightseeing spot where you can feel the history of the Ryukyu kings. ◆ Mekaruke House Designated as a nationally designated important cultural property (building), the "Meikari Family Residence" is the house where the direct family of the Mekari family lived. It escaped damage from the war and was well preserved, so it was rebuilt in Meiji 39 (1906) (1906). ◆ Samure Michi The "Samure Road" is an ancient road with a total length of 2 kilometers that was used as the only living road connecting the village of Izena and the southwestern part of Izena Island around the 12th ~ 13th century. "Samure" is a Ryukyu dialect word that means "samurai" (a samurai family related to the royal family). The quartzite (mah stone) laid on the Samure Road resembled the footprints of a samurai, so it was named the Samure Road. The Samure Road is also used as an approach road to connect the royal family's holy tomb, the Izena Tama Palace, when the Meikari family, who are relatives of the Sho family, hold the "Koji Seimei Festival", which is an event to visit the graves of their ancestors. ◆ Shirasagi Observatory Facing the sea, it is an observatory with a good view overlooking the Gitara Coast (Futamigaura) and the sea! It is a popular view spot where you can also see the ruins of Izena Castle and Yanaha Island. ■■Activity information on Izena Island, Okinawa Prefecture■■ ◆ Bicycle rental Izena Island has few gradients, so it is also recommended to rent a bicycle to visit the famous spots! While galloping through the idyllic scenery, please enjoy Izena Island. ◆ Diving, snorkeling The highly transparent sea of Izena Island is ideal for marine activities! There are plenty of highlights such as coral reefs and caves of light. There is no doubt that it will be enjoyed by both beginners and advanced players! ◆ Sea fishing On Izena Island, there are many points for chinu (black bream) fishing. The official website of the Izena Island Tourism Association also has a "Fishing Map of Izena Island", so please make use of it! ■■Gourmet information on Izena Island, Okinawa Prefecture■■ ◆ Awamori Awamori, which is made in the Ryukyu Islands, also has a sake brewery on Izena Island. Please enjoy the mellow taste of awamori! ◆Okinawa Soba in Izena You can enjoy the unique flavors of Izena Island, such as Okinawa Soba using plenty of Okinawa's specialty "Mozuku" and Okinawa Soba using rice from Izena Island for the noodles. ■■ Festivals and event information on Izena Island, Okinawa Prefecture ■■ ◆ Izena 88 Triathlon Tournament Approximately 600 athletes participate every year, making it the largest event on Izena Island. Healthy men and women over the age of 18 are welcome to participate regardless of nationality. The 7-hour heated competition is a must-see! ◆ Unner "Unna" is a traditional festival on Izena Island that prays for a good harvest of rice. Powerful events such as tug-of-war, snai wrestling on a plank, and the Okinawa sumo wrestling tournament will be held. ■■Accommodation information for Izena Island, Okinawa Prefecture■■ There are a variety of accommodation facilities in Izena Island, including hotels, vacation rentals, and guest houses. You can enjoy a wide range of accommodations, from facilities with a view of the beach to accommodations with a cozy atmosphere ■■Tradition of Izena Island, Okinawa Prefecture■■ One of the charms of Izena Island is the tradition of "Ihyajute". Ihyajute is a word that means "the people of Izena are compassionate." The tradition of hospitality, in which visitors from outside the island were given harvests such as fishing without discrimination, has been rooted for a long time. On the island, you can experience Ihyajute, which is still carried over to this day. You can enter the garden where tea is placed on the veranda of the house, listen to the story of the island while drinking tea, and spend a relaxing time, which is a tradition unique to Izena Island. ■■Access information to Izena Island, Okinawa Prefecture■■ ◆ In the case of a private car From Naha Airport, take the expressway and drive north for about 2 hours, and from Unten Port (Nakijin Village), take a car ferry for about 1 hour. ◆ In the case of a taxi From Naha Airport, use the expressway and drive north for about 2 hours (fare: about 16,000 yen) About 25 minutes from Nago City to Unten Port (Fare: about 2,400 yen ~) You can also use buses and highway buses from Naha Airport. For details, please check the official website of the Izunashima Tourism Association. There are also rental car shops for cars, bicycles, mopeds, etc. on Izena Island. Please make use of it when sightseeing. COOL JAPAN VIDEOS WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON IZENA ISLAND, OKINAWA PREFECTURE, SO PLEASE CONTINUE TO DO SO!

Shisa / Sumanume (Okinawa soba restaurant) / At the entrance of the Okinawa soba restaurant "Sumanume" in Kokuba, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture, five Shisa (Okinawan guardian gods) from Majin (demons) are guarding the shop. If there are 5 of these powerful Shisa, even Seriously won't be able to enter with this! ^^

Soki soba (Okinawa soba noodles) / Sumanume / I ate Okinawa soba at the soba restaurant "Sumanume" in Kokuba, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture ^^ This is a place I often go to, and it is a super popular restaurant that has been renovated from a traditional Okinawan tile house old folk house. There are different types of Okinawa soba noodles, but this time I ordered Soki soba and juicy (cooked rice), which are loved by all the people of the prefecture. Soki is pork ribs with bones. The soup is a bonito stock with a light and gentle taste. Stable deliciousness! It was a treat! By the way, Suma Nume is the name of the shop Suma (Shioma-ya) Nu (no) Mee (Mae).

Nice to meet you all! It is a city where the magnificent nature of the southern country and the heartwarming culture live on "Motobucho, Okinawa Prefecture". We will send out information about this town where the rich sea, impressive superb scenery, delicious gourmet food, and the warmth of the people are harmonious! Motobu Town in Okinawa Prefecture is located in the northern part of the main island of Okinawa and is blessed with a warm climate throughout the four seasons. Even in winter, the average temperature is around 18 degrees Celsius, making it a comfortable area to live in throughout the year. Motobu Town in Okinawa Prefecture has many popular sightseeing spots. First of all, I would like to introduce Okinawa's most popular tourist attraction "Churaumi Aquarium". About 740 species of sea creatures are bred here. In the huge tank where you can look up, you can enjoy a magnificent sight of various kinds of fish swimming in the full field of vision, such as dazzling coral reefs, colorful tropical fish, and whale sharks over 8 meters long. This "Churaumi Aquarium" is a facility located in the National Okinawa Memorial Park Ocean Expo Park, and there are also "Tropical Dream Center", "Tropical and Subtropical City Greening Botanical Garden", "Okinawa Folk Village / Omoro Botanical Garden", "Marine Culture Museum / Planetarium", "Sunset Square", etc., where you can see Okinawa's nature and valuable flora and fauna. In addition, the fireworks festival of the "Ocean Expo Park Summer Festival" held in the park every July is the largest in Okinawa Prefecture. When you come to Motobu Town in Okinawa Prefecture, please enjoy the pure white sand and beautiful beaches. "Sesoko Island" is an island with a circumference of about 8 kilometers and is connected to the main island of Okinawa by the Sesoko Bridge with a total length of 762 meters. The view from the bridge is truly superb! The beauty spreads so much that it captivates the heart. At Sesoko Beach on the island, the pure white sand and emerald green sea promise a pleasant day. On Minna Island, a remote island 15 minutes by boat from the main island of Okinawa, you can enjoy swimming and abundant marine activities in the crystal clear sea. A recommended spot for a trip to enjoy Okinawa's nature is the "Fukugi Avenue of Bise". The fukugi trees planted to protect the house from the sea breeze give the illusion of wandering into another world. This fantastic scenery has been featured in many media and magazines. At "Yamazato Cone Karst", you can see conical hills and rocky mountains created by nature, the only one in Japan. Feel the magnificent scenery and air of a work of art. Yaedake, which I will introduce next, is the second highest mountain on the main island of Okinawa and is also known as the spot where cherry blossoms bloom the earliest in Japan. The cherry blossoms begin to bloom in late January, and the cherry blossom festival is also held! Please also enjoy the popular "food" in Motobu Town sightseeing. Motobu Town has a wide variety of delicious gourmet food, and it is a famous area as a Okinawa Soba town. There are more than 70 Okinawa Soba shops in the town that use bonito-based soup stock. More than 20 Okinawa Soba shops are lined up on the Izumi Kaido on Prefectural Route 84, and it is known as the "Soba Kaido" that attracts not only locals but also many tourists. Access to Motobu Town in Okinawa Prefecture is about 2 hours by rental car or bus from Okinawa Naha Airport. Motobu Town has a wide range of accommodation facilities, from resort hotels to guest houses, so you can choose according to your travel style. Since this is my first post, I briefly introduced the charms of Motobu Town in Okinawa Prefecture, but from now on, I will introduce a lot of recommended information about Motobu Town in COOL JAPAN VIDEOS. Please look forward to information on Motobu Town in Okinawa Prefecture, where beautiful nature and heartwarming culture are alive!