its more northern location means that most divers, snorkelers, beach-goers and swimmers will visit in the summertime. If you are a beach lover, you’ll most likely be exploring Ōshima’s northern end, where you will find innumerable coves, bays, points and capes. It’s probably the most twisted and hairpin-turned section of the island. Virtually around every bend of the road there’s another beach and another scenic vista. Two of the finest views of endless ocean and uncrowded beaches may be found just north of the airport, from Cape Ayamaru (あやまる岬; Ayamaru-misaki) to Cape Kasari (笠利崎 or 用岬); Kasari-zaki or Yō-misaki), at the northernmost tip of the island.
On account of its unique topography, the northern Ayamaru-zaki cape is almost always windy and is a top spot for paragliders.
It almost does not matter where you may stop and explore the coast on this isolated end of the island for you will find a good beach at every turn. In fact, just below the airport, where you can watch the planes come and go, you’ll find as beautiful and untrammeled a beach as any you might see anywhere on Ōshima.
Amami-Ōshima truly has something for just about everyone. Although for those not accustomed to the Ryukyu Islands it may seem small, it’s not. Driving the northern one-third end of the island above Nazé and stopping along the way for a dip, a hike or to take a photo will take a whole day. A grand circle of the north, usually following the coast, will easily run 80 miles (128 kilometers) or more. If you take even a few of the side roads, you’ll put 95 or 110 miles (152 or 176 kilometers) on your car’s odometer.
Casually exploring by car the southern two-thirds of the island will take longer. Following the coast and primarily driving a circle route will easily occupy two days and cover some 125–155 miles (200–248 kilometers). Again, if you branch out on to just a few of the interior roads, you’ll drive over 188 miles (300 kilometers). Although there are no major highways and the roads can be relatively narrow in places, they are well maintained and safe. All that’s required is some moderation in speed, especially if it’s been raining, for then they are slick.
Sago Palms (Cycas revoluta)
Indigenous to southern Japan and the Ryukyus and now employed as attractive landscape and garden specimens throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world, so-called sago “palms” are only very distantly related to the palm family, nor are they ferns. They are cycads, a millions of years old family of plants unchanged since the time of dinosaurs and more closely related to ginkos and conifers. There are several hundred species spread over a dozen genera. Very slow growing but long-lived, they can reach heights of 20 feet (6 meters) in 50–100 years. They are dioecious, that is, they are male and female plants, with the males bearing large cones and the females bearing great groups of furled new leaf-type organs called megasporophylls. Although generally quite poisonous, the plant’s starch may be consumed after proper preparation. In Japan, sago palms are known as sotétsu (蘇鉄 or ソテツ). The cluster at right is one of some 100,000 sagos covering a hillside in Tatsugō on Amami-Ōshima.
Edatekujima, an uninhabited islet off Ōshima’s western shore.
As mentioned, the island’s interior is mountainous. Some of the older roads twist and turn up the mountains and can be slow-going. However, in many sections, newer roads pass straight through the mountains via tunnels, some of which are quite long. Towards Ōshima’s southeastern end, just outside of Uken Village (宇検村; Uken-son), you’ll find Mt Yūwan, the island’s highest peak and a good place for hiking. It’s in a protected forest park zone. The further south you travel, the wider the island becomes. It terminates at the southwesternmost point of Cape Sotsuko (曾津高崎; Sotsuko-zaki). From this long, narrow and scenic cape you’ll see to the north to little, uninhabited Edateku Island, and to the south across the Ōshima Strait (大島海峡; Ōshima-kaikyō), the fairly large island of Kakeroma. There is a ferry service to the latter, but if you wish to go to Edateku, you’ll need a boat—or you can swim. It’s not too far.
As the crow flies, it’s 18 miles (29 kilometers) from Sotsuko Point to Ōshima’s opposite point, its southeasternmost tip at Cape Kaitsu (皆津崎; Kaitsu-zaki). By the contorted roads that for the most part track right alongside Ōshima’s southern shore, it’s 35 miles (56 kilometers), and that does not include a final 1.5-mile (2-kilometer) hike at either end, for the road does not go all the way to the very end of each promontory. This southern end island drive is particularly scenic as it follows closely along the Ōshima Strait, where the view is always looking south to Kakeromajima.
YAGIJIMA (山羊島; Yagi-jima). This tiny islet, whose name means “Goat Island,” is located at the ocean approach to Nazé and forms part of the tsunami barrier which protects the harbor. It’s connected to the “mainland” by an 80-foot (25-meter) bridge. The islet is roughly circular in dimension and measures about 575 feet (175 meters) in diameter. It would be uninhabited but for a small resort hotel on its southern (protected) side. It’s called the Amami Seaside Hotel (奄 美 シーサイド ホテル; Amami shī-saido hoteru) and it’s a nice choice for those who like to be on the water but not far from downtown.
EDATEKUJIMA (枝手久島; Edatéku-jima). This little uninhabited isle is just off Ōshima’s western shore, north of Sotsuko Point. It’s oval-shaped, about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) long and not quite 1.25 miles (2 kilometers) wide. The road heading west out of Uken runs right past it, a bit north of its closest point to shore. You could easily swim to it, but watch the tides for there can be swift currents.
2 KAKEROMAJIMA 加計呂麻島
The largest town on Ōshima’s southern shore is Setouchi (瀬戸内町; Sétouchi-chō). It’s on the eastern side. From the harbor at Koniya (古仁屋; Koniya) there is a daily ferry service available on the Kakeroma Ferry (フェリー かけろま; Ferie-Kakéroma) to two ports on Kakeroma Island. One route crosses the Ōshima Strait in 5 miles (8 kilometers) and lands at the northwestern port of Seso (瀬相; Séso), the other route sails just 3 miles (5 kilometers) to the southeastern port of Ikenma (生間; Ikenma). Either sailing takes about 15 minutes. The two ports are located on Kakeroma’s northern shore and are 9 miles (14 kilometers) apart by road.
Amami Black Rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi)
One of the world’s truly unique creatures is the Amami no Kuro-Usagi (奄美の黒兔), also known as the Ryūkyū rabbit, a living fossil found only on Amami-Ōshima and Tokunoshima. It’s a single species of a single genus, a survivor of an extinct line of ancient rabbits that once lived on the Asian mainland. The Amami rabbit has short legs, a rotund body, smaller ears than other rabbits and large, curved, non-retractable claws, which it uses to dig out its nest. You might not see one because it is mostly nocturnal. It is considered endangered, not only because of man and habu snakes but because of the mongoose, released years ago to control the habu.
The Ōshima-Kakeromajima ferry goes daily to two ports on Kakeroma Island.
The north shore of Kakeroma looking towards the Ōshima Strait.
Describing Kakeromajima’s (加計呂麻島;
