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Izena Island Okinawa Japan Photographer Naritoshi Yamaoka Learn more about shimanosannpo(Island walk) http://shimanosanpo.com Island Walk Homepage Izena Island is located in Izena Village, Okinawa Prefecture. It has an area of 14.14 square kilometers, a circumference of 16.4 kilometers, and an elevation of 121 meters. It has a population of 1,282 (as of September 2023). It is located in the northern part of Okinawa's main island, about 30 kilometers north of the Motobu Peninsula. About 5 kilometers north of Izena Island is Iheya Island, and the island group is made up of two inhabited islands, Iheya Island and Izena Island, and the surrounding uninhabited islands. As is common in Okinawa, there are no snakes on Izena Island, but there are snakes in the neighboring Iheya Village. Shell mounds from the Jomon period have been found here, and it is believed that people have been living there since ancient times. Izena Island is the birthplace of King Sho En, founder of the Second Sho Dynasty of the Ryukyu Dynasty. During the Ryukyu period, it was under the direct control of the royal government. There are many beautiful landscapes, such as Umi Gitara, Riku Gitara, and the seas of the surrounding atolls. The villages are filled with old houses that evoke the nostalgic feeling of Okinawa. Sugarcane and rice farming are thriving. Mozuku seaweed is also cultivated.