Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
An aerial view of mountainous Iheyajima from the east. Nohojima is at far left (south).
A few hundred meters below the cape, on the Iheya's northwest shore, you'll find
Shioshita Beach (
潮下浜
; Shio-shita hama, also called Suga-hama) It's a nice stretch of white
sand populated only by sea birds and crabs. If you're looking for a place to get away from it
all, you'll find it here.
Only a little below Shioshita Beach you'll come to a very interesting section of coast. It's a
fine stretch of shore populated by a mass of great stones of volcanic basalt. Two in particular
stand out. First, a little west away from the end, perhaps three-quarters of a mile (1 kilomet-
er), you'll come to Muzoumizu (
無蔵水
; also spelled Nzomiji; lit. “Collection of Water”). It
has a freshwater spring at its top, which in itself is extraordinarily unusual. Naturally, it's a
place of legend. It is said that a long time ago a fisherman went out to sea from here. He was
lost and all gave up hope except his wife who waited patiently for years, drinking from this
spring. The presumed widow was beautiful and many tried to marry her but she remained
chaste, always waiting. Years later he miraculously returned—and the expression in Japan-
ese—which does not translate very well, is that this water gave his wife sustenance and hope.
People with little hope, but with faith and determination, climb this rock and drink from the
fount.
A mass of volcanic balsalt stones on Shioshita Beach, also called Suga-hama, on Iheya's northwest shore.
