Ie Island (also known as Ie Jima and Ie Shima) is a small island located about nine kilometers northwest of Motobu Peninsula. An upheaved coral reef elliptical in shape, it is home to both ancient relics and modern historical monuments as well as beautiful land and seascapes.

Though small (8.4 kilometers long and roughly 3 kilometers wide at its widest point), Ie has significant history. Deer fossils were discovered on the island’s northern coast in 1936, along with human cranial bones and stone tools. Scientists determined that these relics were from the Stone Age. Additional deer fossils, bones, and shells were discovered in the mid-1970s during a survey of Gohezu Cave.

Ie Island is also home to the Hamasaki Shell Mounds, whose age is estimated to be somewhere between 3500 and 700 years old. When the mounds were excavated in the late 1970s, several types of earthenware were discovered, including Omonawa Zentei and Kinen types.

Even with all of this significant pre-history, Ie Island may best be known for its role in World War II’s Battle of Okinawa. On April 16, 1945, Marines with the 305th stormed the island. Japanese forces held out for six days; their casualties topped 2,000, and the number of civilian casualties reached 2,500. Witnessing the battle of Ie for his duties as a war correspondent was Ernie Pyle. Pyle had reported from locations across the globe, coming into the homes of families throughout the locations with reports of the battles in which their sons and husbands were serving. But during the battle, he was fatally wounded. Marines soon erected a monument in his honor, and it still stands today. A memorial service is held in his honor every year on or around April 18.

Today, Ie is home to a large contingent of farming families that primarily grow tobacco, peanuts, and cut flowers. In fact, the island is nicknamed “Flower Island” and hosts the Lily Festival annually in April. During the festival, guests are invited to take in the view of more than 1,000,000 white lilies in a dedicated field, along with the traditional food and games that come with Okinawan matsuri.

Anchoring the island is the 172-meter Iejima Tacchu, also known as Gusuku Yama. From the top of this mountain, guests have a 360-degree panoramic view of Ie. About halfway up the winding stairs is an utaki at which locals pray for bountiful harvests. Also on the mountain is a statue dedicated to a young lady who, centuries ago, was devastated when her love married another. Distraught, she climbed to the top of Iejima Tacchu and hung herself with her long, black hair.

Other notable attractions include Waji Point and Niya-thiya Cave. The former is a precipice from which visitors can view the ocean and the rocky coastline of northern Ie. The latter is a large cave that was used as a shelter during the Battle of Okinawa. Because of this, it is also known as Sennin-gama, or “cave for 1,000 people.” The cave is also famous because it is home to large rock; local lore holds that if a barren couple can lift the rock, they will be blessed with a child. Beaches also dot the southern shore of the island, and most of the island’s accommodations are nearby. The Youth Village offers camping sites for nominal fees, and YYY Club iE Resort offers more luxurious rooms and amenities.

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