Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Urugamijima (“God Descending Island”) is little more than a barren rock off Izena's southern coast.
Uninhabited Gushikawajima, midway between Izena and Iheya, is surrounded by sandy beaches.
15
IHEYAJIMA
伊平屋島
Although the bottom of Iheyajima (
伊平屋 島
; Ihéya-jima) is only about 2.75 miles (4.5
kilometers) north of the top of Izena, there is no ferry service between the two. To reach Izena
from Iheya, or vice versa, it's necessary to return to Okinawa and take another ferry back
out. From the northernmost tip of Okinawa's Motobu Peninsula to the southernmost point
of Iheya, it's 20 miles (32 kilometers). By the most direct sea route however, it's a little further,
just a bit over 25 miles (40 kilometers). That's the sailing distance from Okinawa Unten Port
(
運天港
; Unten-kō) to Iheya's port at Maedomari (
前 泊港
; Maedomari-kō). It takes an hour
and 20 minutes.
Like Izena, Iheya is served by a twice daily scheduled ferry service. The first ferry leaves
Unten Port every day at 11:00
AM
and arrives at Maedomari at 12:20
PM
. There's a 40 minute
unloading and loading time, after which it departs Iheya at 1:00
PM
making the return trip to
Okinawa, arriving at 2:20
PM
.
The ship begins its second sailing of the day to Iheya, departing Unten Port at 3:00
PM
and
arriving at Iheya's Maedomari Port at 4:20
PM
. There it moors until the next morning when
it departs Iheya at 9:00
AM
, and returns to Okinawa Unten Port at 10:20
AM
. Accordingly, the
two daily departures from Unten Port to Iheya are at 11:00
AM
and 3:00
PM
. The two daily sail-
ings from Iheya to Unten are at 9:00
AM
and 1:00
PM
.
