Amami Oshima is located in the East China Sea between Kyushu and Okinawa. Its climate is similar to balmy Okinawa’s, and its white beaches, beautiful coral reefs, and crystal-clear sea make it one of Japan’s most popular snorkelling and scuba-diving retreats. Belongs to Kagoshima Prefecture, Amami Oshima’s beaches tend to be less crowded than those in Okinawa, and while a lot of the beaches are great for swimming and relaxing, some also provide good snorkelling opportunities with corals and aquatic life.
In addition to beautiful nature, Amami Oshima has a rich human history and unique cuisine. The island is additionally known for its revered Oshima Tsumugi silk that has for centuries been used to make high-quality kimono. As with Okinawa, the best weather is usually experienced on Amami Oshima from late June through August.
Group Attractions
Amami Oshima Beaches
Amami Oshima’s coastline features a host of beautiful, uncrowded beaches that provide great opportunities for sunbathing and snorkelling. Many beaches provide little beyond a parking lot and public restrooms if indeed they have any facilities at all. The best time to go swimming is between May and October when air and water temperatures are suitable for beach activities. When entering the water, beware of strong currents that can pull you out to sea and poisonous creatures. Some of the beaches are Tomori Beach, Ohama Beach, Yadoribama Beach, Kurasaki Beach and Sakibaru Beach. (Image via Amami-Tourism)
Activities: Water activities, Photo stop Fee: None Time required: 1 hour
Mangrove Park
Amami Oshima has the second largest mangrove forest in Japan. Tourists can explore them by kayak on guided tours. While best experienced in high tide when more of the smaller offshoots of the river is accessible, kayaking here is a worthwhile experience in low tide, too. The tours take about one hour and involve a journey along with the river network and mangroves led by tour guides. Kayaking aside, the mangrove park also contains a shop, cafe, observation deck and "ground golf" course. (Image via Amami-Tourism)
Activities: Kayaking Fee: JPY 500 (park entry) Time required: 1 hour
Setouchi Town
Setouchi Town is a town located in the farthest southern area of Amami Oshima. It includes numerous offshore islands of Amami Oshima, including the inhabited islands of Kakeromajima Island, Ukejima Island, and Yoroshima Island across the Oshima Strait. The town has notable places with many long-standing traditions and old folk customs and is the southern Mecca for marine leisure employing the beautiful Oshima-Strait. Notable attractions include Katoku Beach, Marine Viewer Seto, Setouchi Umi-no-Eki, Mt. Yui Observatory, Yadorihama Beach, Honohoshi Beach and Setouchi Town Library. (Image via Amami-Tourism)
Activities: Various Fee: Various (depends on activity) Time required: 30 minutes-1 hour
Yamato Village
Yamato is located in the western part of Amami Oshima. On the eastern side of Yamato stands the sacred Mt. Yuwan, which is also the highest peak on Amami at 694.4m. The western side features stunning viewpoints of the East China Sea. The prefectural road runs along the coast facing the East China Sea, so there are many incredibly gorgeous places to catch the sunset. There are other tourist spots on the way to Mt. Yuwan, such as Materiya Waterfall and Amami Forestopolis; the best of both mountain and ocean activities. Along with its beautiful nature, this village is known for delicious fruits such as plums, Tankan citrus, mango, passion fruit and more. (Image via Amami-Tourism) Activities: Various Fee: Various (depends on activity) Time required: 30 minutes-1 hour
Nearby Areas
The prefectural capital of Kagoshima, this city combines a stunning vista with rich local history, excellent food and drink, and vibrant nightlife. The city is often compared with its Italian sister city Naples due to a similarly mild climate, palm tree-lined streets, relatively hot-tempered inhabitants and Sakurajima, Kagoshima’s Vesuvius.