Iriomote islanad.

If you read it as is, it’s “Iriomote Island.”

Why Iriomote? And what’s the origin of the name?

Iri means West in Japanese. Is it the reason?

Actually, in Okinawa, they use “Agari” for east, “Iri” for west, “Hai” for south, and “Nishi” for north.

“Agari” for east and “Iri” for west?（Agari=up,Iri=down)

As in, up and down relative to the direction the sun rises and sets?

Exactly. And there are other factors, such as the direction of the west from Ishigaki Island, which is at the center of the Yaeyama Islands.

There are various theories, but in any case, it seems to come from the fact that in Okinawa, they read “west” as “iri”!