Izena Tamaudun is a royal mausoleum associated with King Shō En (1415–1476), the founder of the Ryukyu Kingdom’s second Shō dynasty (1469–1879). According to tradition, the mausoleum contains the remains of King Shō En’s parents, older sister, uncle, aunt, and their descendants . It is an important historic structure that conveys the deep ties between Izena Island and the second Shō dynasty.
King Shō En’s son Shō Shin (1465–1527) reigned as the third king of the Second Shō dynasty (1477–1527). He built a mausoleum for the royal family known as the Tamaudun. It is located in Shuri, on the main island of Okinawa, and is a designated World Heritage Site.
King Shō Shin then built an additional mausoleum on Izena Island, his father’s birthplace, to serve as a special burial site for their extended family. King Shō Shin considered Izena Island to be his father’s true home, and the Izena Tamaudun is second in importance only to the Shuri Tamaudun.
King Shō En’s ancestors are venerated at the royal mausoleum of Izena Tamaudun. The remains of King Shō En’s parents, older sister, uncle, and aunt have also been laid to rest here, along with their descendants. This demonstrates the importance of Izena Island to the establishment of the second Shō dynasty.
According to tradition, the Tamaudun royal mausoleum was built during the reign of King Shō Shin (1465–1527), the son of King Shō En (1415–1476). King Shō Shin consolidated the power of the monarchy and developed a formal system of religious ceremony.
After building the royal mausoleum in Shuri, King Shō Shin built another mausoleum on Izena Island, his father’s birthplace. For this reason, the Izena Tamaudun is viewed as a symbol that connected the Shuri Court to its provinces.
The mausoleum was originally built in a different location on the island but was moved three times. It was finally rebuilt in stone at its present location in 1688. The structure we see today retains many features typical of the tombs and stone architecture of the Ryukyu Kingdom.