Japan is a nation of islands, but among them, Okinawa stands head and shoulders above the others. The Amami Islands, literally right next door to Okinawa as the southwestern most islands of Kagoshima Prefecture, are far lesser known and visited by tourists. And that is perfect for those who dig a little deeper and are willing to diverge from the beaten path to experience a set of islands that are unique in both natural beauty and cultural heritage.
An Overview of the Amami Islands
The Amami Islands are 8 inhabited islands of the Ryukyu Islands belonging to Kagoshima Prefecture. They are just northeast of the islands of Okinawa and share the same ancient history as part of the Ryukyu Kingdom. However, the Amami Islands were lost to the Satsuma domain of mainland Kyushu in the early 17th century, and the culture of Amami slowly became a fusion of Ryukyu and Japanese cultures. This fusion has affected food, arts and crafts, and language, and has made Amami unique from both mainland Japan and Okinawa.
The island of Amami Oshima is the largest and best developed as a tourist destination. Amami Oshima is also part of the area recognized by UNESCO as a Natural World Heritage site, which also includes Amami’s Tokunoshima Island and parts of Okinawa. Amami Oshima consists of about 80% lush subtropical rainforest, home to thousands of unique species, many of which have yet to be discovered as the forests are only partially explored. Of the other islands, Tokunoshima also enjoys some recognition as a tourism destination, while other islands including Okinoerabujima and Kikaijima are still waiting for their time in the spotlight, with such incredible natural beauty.
Most of the islands have small airports with island hopping flights from other islands including Okinawa and Kagoshima Airport on the mainland. Amami Oshima can be reached directly from several airports in Japan, including both airports in the Tokyo area. There are also ferries connecting various islands as well as service between Amami and Kagoshima.
Why the Amami Islands Should be a Vacation Destination 
Amami is for explorers, travelers who are willing to sacrifice a little luxury for the opportunity to make a deeper connection: with nature, with culture, with local people. There are many opportunities to explore the pristine nature of the islands’s primeval forests, coral reefs, and limestone caves, with professional guides who know and care about the locations they are teaching visitors about. There are chances to meet and interact with local artists, and even experience making some of the island’s unique crafts like the highly-prized Oshima tsumugi silk fabric. Or there are the simple interactions with local people who hang out in local restaurants and pubs, easily strike up conversations with strangers, and maybe end up sharing a bottle of kokuto shochu, a liquor made from brown sugar that is as common as water on these islands.
Local businesses and tourism organizations are actively thinking about how to protect and preserve both the natural resources of the islands and the cultural heritages that are in danger of extinction, for the sake of sustainable tourism and the welfare of their residents. While there are not yet enough tourists to warrant limits on mangrove canoeing tours on Amami Oshima or cave exploration on Okinoerabu, the local companies conducting these tours are actively considering how and when to introduce restrictions to protect the natural beauty they are so proud to show others.
Moreover, Amami is a place where you can feel like you belong. There is no pretense between locals and visitors, no holding strangers at arm’s length. Visitors are embraced as friends, even family. I heard story after story from people who came to Amami from other parts of Japan, who were so captivated by the hospitality of the locals that they could simply not bring themselves to leave.
What Visitors Can Do in Amami
As we’ve established, the strength of the Amami Islands is giving visitors an opportunity to deeply connect with the nature, culture, and local people of the islands. As such, here are a few specific activities and experiences that should not be missed.
Exploring the World Natural Heritage of Amami
UNESCO’s designation of Amami Oshima and Tokunoshima cover both the dense subtropical rainforests of the islands and Oshima’s mangrove forests which grow along the rivers of the island’s interiors. The mangrove forests can be explored at the Mangrove Primeval Forest, a national park where visitors can take guided tours of the mangroves in canoes to get up-close with the mostly unseen wildlife living beneath the canopy and in the river waters. You might even catch a glimpse of a sea turtle making its way upstream in search of a bite to eat.
While you cannot enter the forests of Amami on your own, there are several ways to explore the subtropical forest with an experienced guide. Kinsaku Baru on Amami Oshima is a stretch of forest that is accessible to tourists who are accompanied by licensed guides. A limited number of reservations ensures that you’ll have a greater chance of encountering forest wildlife than other humans as you trek through the forest. After dark, several companies offer Night Tours of the forest by car, along a 10 kilometer stretch of deserted road. You’ll almost certainly encounter the endangered Amami black rabbit feeding on the side of the road and if you’re lucky, you’ll see other forest dwellers as well: owls, snakes, rats, frogs, and flightless birds.
Discover Amami Beneath the Surface
Okinoerabujima and Kikaijima are notably coral islands, formed by a still rapidly growing coral reef 
base which is still causing Kikaijima to rise from the sea at 2 millimeters per year, one of the fastest growing islands in the world. As coral islands, the world beneath the sea is particularly fascinating around these two islands and the opportunities for snorkeling and diving are nearly endless along their shores. Kikaijima is home to a coral research institute where you can drop in and learn about the coral ecosystem (the scientists working there are friendly and try to answer your questions). Okinoerabujima has several tour companies that can take you diving or snorkeling with guides who are familiar with the favorite haunts of the sea turtles that live in the waters around the island. They will also make sure that no harm comes to you or the turtles when you encounter each other. The Amami Islands are also along a whale migration route, so whale spotting tours are available during certain times of the year when the whales are nearby.
Okinoerabujima is also famous for its network of limestone caves. While many visitors might be satisfied with the standard tourist experience of Shoryudo Cavern along paved paths lined with guard rails, two tour companies can take more adventurous cave explorers on free caving tours that can last up to 4 hours. These tours take place in parts of the cave lit only by the headlamps of your helmet and the lights brought by the guide, and the only thing between you and the hundreds of thousands-year-old structures of the cavern is your desire to preserve their beauty for future generations. Agreements between the tour companies and guides ensure that you won’t run into humans outside of your own group during your exploration time deep underground.
Learn Traditional Arts and Crafts from Local Amami Artisans
Due to the fusion of Ryukyu and mainland Japanese culture in the Amami Islands, unique arts and crafts have developed here. Like many Japanese arts and crafts, it takes artisans years to develop the skills to master them and finding young apprentices to carry on the traditions into the future has become a greater challenge. Fortunately, the friendly artisans of Amami do little to hide their secrets from those who wish to experience traditional crafts, so everyone can have a chance to learn at least a little bit about the cultural heritage of the islands.
The most famous craft of Amami is Oshima Tsumugi, a prized textile for making elegant kimono and other silk accessories. Oshima Tsumugi is known to be breathtakingly expensive, largely due to the production process which can take an entire year to make enough fabric for a kimono. Oshima Tsumugi thread is dyed in the iron-rich mud of the island, but the process may need to be repeated
100 times to achieve the depth of color the artisan desires. Visitors can experience both dyeing and weaving process in making Oshima Tsumugi, both of which produce a unique self-made souvenir to take home. Those who simply want to feel the elegance of wearing Oshima Tsumugi can opt for a kimono dressing experience complete with souvenir photos.
On Okinoerabujima, a spry artisan in her 80s carries on an even rarer form of textile production, Bashofu. Unlike Oshima Tsumugi which requires silk thread brought from outside of the islands, Bashofu is an entirely local craft using the fibers of the Japanese banana tree, which are dyed using plants found on the island and woven into textiles. Bashofu may lack the elegant appearance of Oshima Tsumugi, but its smooth feel and breathability make it a highly prized textile for clothing and accessories, and no less valuable. And a visit to the workshop of the artisan who makes it is an absolute delight, with her warm hospitality, sharp wit, and animated story telling.
Eat Delicious and Healthy Cuisine of the Islands
It is well documented that the people of the Ryukyu Islands are among the longest lived in the world, with one of the highest concentrations of people over 100-years-old living in the islands. While there are many factors contributing to long healthy lives here, one of the most important would certainly be the food. Over the centuries, locals have identified and cultivated many local plants to include in their cuisine, including chomeiso, which literally translates into “long life plant.” The local saying goes that one bite of chomeiso (which has a flavor reminiscent of celery) adds one day to your life, so it is eaten often and in a variety of ways, including fried as tempura.
But the islanders are not vegetarians, so meat is included in many dishes prepared in healthy ways. The Keihan Rice of the Amami Islands is a hearty soup made with chicken stock, shredded chicken, ginger, and other vegetables. As chicken soup is the fabled Western dish that restores your health, so Keihan Rice is the Amami dish that keeps you from getting sick in the first place.
The islands are dotted with little restaurants where local chefs create unique versions local dishes cooked in their own homes for generations. Amami food is unpretentious, sometime served wrapped in plastic or on paper plates, but when the flavors explode in your mouth, you’ll forget all about presentation.
