Okinawa has many remote islands, but there are only a few places where students can experience both "natural beauty" and "depth of culture. Among these, Izena Island offers the most balanced learning experience as a school excursion destination.
Surrounded by the beautiful sea and rich forests, visitors can experience a history that has its roots in the Ryukyu Dynasty and a lifestyle and culture that is still passed down today. This "coexistence of nature and culture" is the unique charm of Izena Island.
Furthermore, Izena Island is free of habu, a major feature that allows for hands-on activities in nature with peace of mind. Here is a place for learning that combines depth, breadth, and safety that cannot be found anywhere else.
An island where unspoiled nature and places to live exist in close proximity.
Unlike the more touristy outlying islands, the nature of Izena Island is inseparably linked to the lives of the islanders. In addition to white sandy beaches and clear waters, the scenery of farmlands, forest roads, and stone wall villages is a stage where one can truly experience the "symbiosis of nature and people. Furthermore, there are no habu inhabitants on Izena Island, giving students a sense of security in being in contact with nature without great anxiety during outdoor activities. Students can not only see the beautiful scenery, but can actually experience moving and feeling in nature.
A place associated with the Ryukyu Dynasty "Cultural background creates depth of learning."
Izena Island is known as the birthplace of King Sho En, King of the Ryukyus. One of the main features of this program is that students can experience history that is not conveyed in textbooks through the words of the local people who pass on their stories of high historical value Utaki (sacred sites), castle ruins, and royal lineage. During the overnight stay experience, students naturally listen to the "history in daily life" told by the local people. This is a depth of culture unique to Izena Island that cannot be found on any other island.
Natural" and "Cultural" on one island
Both programs can be completed.
While many remote islands are biased toward either "nature experiences" or "cultural experiences," Izena Island offers a good balance of both in a single school excursion. In addition to outdoor experiences such as farming, fishing, and nature walks, there are also cultural experiences such as sanshin (Okinawan guitar), Ryukyuan cuisine, and village walks, allowing each student to learn according to his or her individual interests.
Because it is an island that accepts people "as they are.
Nurture students' honest sensibilities.
On Izena Island, there is nothing staged. The local people welcome the students as they normally live. Because of this, students are able to relate to people in their own words, without being pretentious or overdone.
People and nature, culture and daily life.
It is precisely because everything is located on this island that learning occurs in a way that honestly stimulates the students' sensibilities.