A list of places to go, things to do, and recommendations for getting to Mizuna Island!
Table of Contents
- 1 What is Mizuna Island?
- 2 Started handling rental cars!
- 3 Things to do on Mizuna Island
- 4 Popular Spots on Mizuna Island
- 4.1 Popular Spots on Mizuna Island 1. Hamasaki Beach
- 4.2 Popular Spots on Mizuna Island 2. Hanarezaki (Panarizaki)
- 4.3 Popular Spots on Mizuna Island 3. Teriha-boku Seawall Forest & Giant Teriha-boku Trees
- 4.4 Popular Spots on Mizuna Island 4.
- 4.5 Popular Spots on Mizuna Island 5.
- 4.6 Popular Spots on Mizuna Island 6. Miyako Mizuna Island Lighthouse
- 4.7 Popular Spots on Mizuna Island 7. Heliport
- 5 summary
What is Mizuna Island?
Source:4travel
As you may know, there are actually two islands in Okinawa named "Mizuna Island," one of which is an uninhabited croissant-shaped island accessible from Motobu Port on the Okinawa main island, and the other is Mizuna Island near Tarama Island in the Miyako Islands, which I will introduce here.
Mizuna Island in the Miyako Islands is a flat, sweet potato-shaped island about 8 km north of Tarama Island, surrounded by emerald green sea and dazzling white sand beaches.
Mizuna Island" in the Miyako Islands, which you may have confused with an island on the main island of Okinawa, is suddenly very interesting, isn't it? In this issue, we will introduce how to get there, recommended spots, etc!
Geographic and Statistical Information
Mizuna Island is a small island of about 7 km in circumference and 2.15 square km in size, shaped like a sweet potato, floating about 8 km north of Tarama Island (about 67 km west of Miyako Island and 35 km northeast of Ishigaki Island) at 26 degrees 38 minutes north latitude and 127 degrees east longitude. It has an extremely flat topography with a maximum elevation of 13.2 m. It is said that the entire island was swallowed by the Meiwa Tsunami of 1771.
Mizuna Island belongs to Tarama Village, Miyako County, Okinawa Prefecture, together with Tarama Island. At one time, more than 250 people lived on the island, but after typhoon damage in 1961, 18 families moved to Miyako Island, partly on orders from the government, and since then people have continued to leave the island.
It has a hot and humid subtropical maritime climate that is warm throughout the year. In summer, it is very hot with strong sunlight, but if you stay in the shade of trees, you can enjoy the moderate sea breeze.
Access
Source:4travel
Tarama Island is a secondary outlying island with no direct air route to the main island of Okinawa, and Mizuna Island is the only inhabited island in Japan with a route only to and from Tarama Island. The only manned island in Japan that has a route only to the secondary islands is Mizuna Island, which is the only island in Japan that has a route only to the secondary islands.
For the charter boat, ask Miyakuni-san, a resident of the island, to pick you up, or ask Tarama Island Marine Service, which provides transportation and tour services to Mizuna Island. The charter boat will board at Maedomari Harbor on Tarama Island and arrive at Mizuna Island in about 15 minutes, depending on sea conditions.
The chartered boat to Mizuna Island offers a beautiful view of the changing blue base while enjoying the sea breeze, and the scenery is as scenic as a cruising tour just for the ride alone!
From the harbor, you will pass through a 100-meter-long tunnel of tidal barrier forest of terihabok trees to reach the village. Mr. Miyakuni's house is located here, and to the right of his house is a huge terihabok tree, 15 meters high. The ruins of an elementary and junior high school have been turned into a plaza with only the iron bars remaining, and there is a cottage for overnight stay in front of it.
For directions to Tarama Island, check here↓.
Started handling rental cars!
We'll also reserve a rental car, which fills up quickly!
↓Click here for more information.
Things to do on Mizuna Island
Mizuna Island can be enjoyed as a day trip or an overnight stay. For a day trip, we recommend joining a tour from Tarama Island.
For overnight stays, you will need to call Mr. Miyakuni to inquire about cottages owned by him, as he is the only islander living on the island. There are no restaurants, supermarkets, or vending machines on the island, so you will need to prepare your own food in advance, or go to a supermarket on Tarama Island and prepare it yourself at your cottage.
We may be allowed to snorkel in the ocean on the way to Mizuna Island, depending on the condition of the sea! The sea is beautiful with numerous tropical fish and branch corals. The table corals are also magnificent, and you may even meet sea turtles... ♪ The currents around Mizuna Island are fast in some areas, so please enjoy the ocean safely and securely at places recommended by those who are familiar with the ocean conditions around Mizuna Island!
You will be surprised to see many goats that have become wild and spend their time freely on the island. You can also see cows, cats, hermit crabs, and many other animals, so it is perfect for those who want to enjoy observing the creatures! You can relax on the beach, play in the ocean, go sightseeing, or just enjoy the luxury of having the whole place to yourself.
Popular Spots on Mizuna Island
Popular Spots on Mizuna Island 1. Hamasaki Beach
Source:4travel
The contrast between the silky white sand and the blue of the ocean on the west side of the island is beautiful. You can see the beautiful sunset on the horizon. There is not much shade, so please seek shade as much as possible and stay hydrated.
There are even traces of sea turtles that have come ashore on the beach! In some cases, on the way by boat from Tarama Island, they may stop by this beach before going to the harbor.
Popular Spots on Mizuna Island 2. Hanarezaki (Panarizaki)
A scenic spot on the east side of the island. Located at Higashihama-zaki, it is considered a sacred place and visitors are not allowed to approach it unnecessarily. Near the cape is "Hanare no iwa" (rock of Hanare), and the mizugampi that cover the rock are considered a natural treasure because of their branches, which grow like a normal tree and look unlike a shrub.
The ocean water is wonderfully clear and you can usually see sea turtles in the shallows. Please be careful on the east side because the wind is strong and the tide is fast! Another attraction of the east coast is that you can see beautiful sunrises♪
Popular Spots on Mizuna Island 3. Teriha-boku Seawall Forest & Giant Teriha-boku Trees
The tunnel of the tidebreak forest of teriha-bok trees that stretches 100 meters from the port is a spectacular sight! And in front of Mr. Miyakuni's house, a huge 15-meter-high teriha-bok tree with branches stretching out in all directions is a powerful sight to behold.
Terihaboku is written in Kanji (Chinese characters) as teruhaboku, or "yarabu" in the Miyako dialect. It is an evergreen tree with leaves similar to Fukugi, resistant to typhoons and sea breezes, suitable as a tidebreak forest, and a protector of Mizuna Island.
Popular Spots on Mizuna Island 4.
Mizuna Utaki is a village-designated cultural property and a sacred place that enshrines Minna Pensu, an uncle of Shihara Toyomichika, who ruled Tarama Island in the late 15th century. A torii gate was also built and it is also called "Mizuna Shrine. The Ryukyu Utaki and the mainland shrine are originally completely different, but it is said that the torii was retrofitted by some intention of the mainland government.
Popular Spots on Mizuna Island 5.
In the days of the Ryukyu Kingdom, there used to be a "Miyako Toomidai" on Mizuna Island, which had the important role of watching over the ships coming and going, and giving them a warning signal by hoisting a smoke signal. Nowadays, the road to the observatory is overgrown with grass and trees, and even if you make it to the observatory, you will not be able to "look out over the sea", but you may still be able to enjoy the sentiment that this place used to be used!
Popular Spots on Mizuna Island 6. Miyako Mizuna Island Lighthouse
The lighthouse is located at the highest point of Mizuna Island. It is still lit properly and contributes to the safety of vessels navigating in the area.
Popular Spots on Mizuna Island 7. Heliport
Near the lighthouse is a heliport with the letter "H" written on its square concrete surface. This is for when there is a sudden illness on the island, a facility that can only be found on a remote island.
summary
To get to Mizuna Island, you must first start from Tarama Island, a remote island in Miyako Island, and then charter a boat to go ashore. The weather and sea conditions are very unpredictable, and the cost of chartering a boat is relatively expensive, so the threshold for landing on Mizuna Island is quite high. If you are so intrigued that you can't help but be curious... why not plan to go ashore, even if your plans do not go as planned?
