Iheya, Okinawa


Iheya is a village located in Shimajiri District, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It encompasses the island of Iheya.
As of October 2016, the village has an estimated population of 1,214 and the density of 56 persons per km2. The total area is 21.72 km2.
WWW vill.iheya.okinawa.jp

Geography

Iheya Village includes the islands of Iheya and Noho, that are linked together through the Noho-Ōhashi Bridge. Most of the land is covered with forests and a part is registered as “agriculture promotion area”.
Iheya Village has an area of 2172ha, the land use survey of 2006 showed that 1146 ha were mountain forests, 285 ha were agricultural dry fields, 206 ha were moorlands, 123 ha were paddy fields, 37 ha were residential and 25 ha consisted in protective woods.
Iheya has given its name to a few species, including Iheyahigekusa grass, Iheyayamatakamaimai snail or Iheyatokagemodoki lizard.

Administrative divisions

The village includes five wards.
  • Dana
  • Gakiya
  • Maedomari
  • Noho
  • Shimajiri
Dana, Maedomari, Gakiya and Shimajiri are on Iheya Island and Noho on Noho Island. Dana is sheltered on three sides by mountains, but Maedomari, Gakiya and Shimajiri are on alluvial deposits along the coast.

Climate

Ihaya Village is located in the subtropical zone. The dominant wind blows south-south-west, with a change for a north-north-west wind from autumn to winter. The annual mean precipitations are relatively high, around 2000 mm but vary highly by seasons. Agricultural products may be damaged by typhoons or by droughts in summer and autumn.

Education

Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education operates high schools elsewhere in the prefecture.

Cultural Properties

  • Name

Cultural Properties">Cultural Property (Japan)">Cultural Properties

  • Iheya Island Lighthouse

Folk Cultural Properties">Cultural Property (Japan)">Folk Cultural Properties

  • Kami-Ashiage sacred site in Gakiya
  • Kami-Ashiage sacred site in Shimajiri

Historic Sites">Monuments of Japan"> Historic Sites

Places of scenic beauty">Monuments of Japan">Places of scenic beauty

  • Kumaya Coast
  • Mount Koshi path
  • Nzōmiji spring
  • Sūgahama Beach
  • Yonesaki Coast

Natural Monuments">Monuments of Japan">Natural Monuments

Notable residents

On May 25, 1964, Hihei Shiroma of Iheya petitioned the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs for the return of Okinawa to Japan, alongside Seigen Ukumoto of Nakazato, Okinawa and Heiryo Chibana of Yomitan, Okinawa, 8 years prior to the return of Okinawa to Japanese administrative control in 1972.