Irabu Island (伊良部島, Irabu-jima) (Miyako: Irav), is an island in Miyakojima, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The island is connected to Miyako Island by a 3,540-metre-long (11,610 ft) bridge Irabu Ohashi (伊良部大橋),[1] which was completed in January 2015.[2] Irabu Island is also connected via six bridges to Shimoji-shima.[1] There are multiple language variants spoken on the island: Nakachi-Irabu, Kuninaka, Sawada-Nagahama, and Sarahama (which is a variant of Ikema language spoken by descendants of emigrants from Ikema Island).[3]
Etymology
The term comes from the Japanization of the Miyakoan name Irav, in turn from Proto-Ryukyuan*erabu (tone class B). Cognates in other Ryukyuan languages include Okinoerabuirabu, referring to Okinoerabujima.[4]
Climate
Climate data for Irabu (1981−2010 normals, extremes 1978−2009)