islands and more than another dozen uninhabited islands spread out over three major groups: the Ōsumi, Tokara and Amami. The Satsunans occupy a total of 966 square miles (2,503 square kilometers). The tiny, uninhabited chains of the Kusagaki (草垣 群島; Kusagaki-guntō) and Uji Islands (宇治群島; Uji-guntō), found approximately 31 miles (50 kilometers) further west and 37 miles (60 kilometers) northwest, respectively, of Kuroshima in the East China Sea are not included in this definition.
Cape Sata (Sata-misaki), the final tip at the end of the Ōsumi Island chain.
Chapter 1
THE ŌSUMI ISLANDS 大隈諸島
Ancient outcrops, modern spaceport
1 Tanegashima 種子島
2 Mageshima 馬毛島
3 Yakushima 屋久島
4 Kuchinoerabujima 口永良部島
5 Takeshima 竹島
6 Iōjima 硫黄島
7 Kuroshima 黒島
The northernmost group of the Satsunan Archipelago, the Ōsumi Islands (大隈諸島; Ōsumi-shotō), lie about 37 miles (60 kilometers) south of Kyushu Island’s southern tip, the Ōsumi Peninsula. The islands are volcanic in origin and have a combined area of 400 square miles (1,035 square kilometers). Altogether there are seven inhabited islands and several tiny named uninhabited ones. The island chain’s total population is around 52,000, with about 18,000 living in Nishinoomote on Tanegashima.
There are two airports on the Ōsumi Islands, one each on the two largest islands of Tanegashima and Yakushima, and an airstrip and unmanned control tower on the island of Iōjima. The latter is kept in good working order and used by air charter services. Almost all the islands (and this is true throughout the Ryukyus) also sport a helicopter landing pad, but these are generally only used for emergency medical evacuations or other government purposes, not for commercial services.
More usually, both Tanegashima and Yakushima are reached by regular and frequent ferry service from the north out of Kagoshima City. Ferries, which carry passengers, vehicles and cargo, take about four hours. High-speed jetfoils, which don’t carry vehicles or cargo, take about two. There are also passenger and vehicle ferries but not high-speed hydrofoils from Kagoshima to Takeshima, Iōjima and Kuroshima. Service to these three islands takes place only three times a week.
There are multiple ferry terminals in Kagoshima with several competing lines. Moreover, sailing schedules change all the time. It is most important to verify your ferry and its current timetable. In the case of several islands, you will have several choices but for others service is much more limited.
A high-speed hydrofoil service from Kagoshima runs to several of the Ōsumi Islands.
Tanegashima marina and ferry dock.
As a matter of convenience, the Ōsumi Islands are sometimes divided into two subgroups: the northeast and northwest.
The Northeastern Group
This group contains the Ōsumi’s two largest islands, plus two very small islands. All four are inhabited.
1 TANEGASHIMA 種子島
A long, narrow and mostly flat island, Tanegashima (種子島; Tanéga-shima) is almost 37 miles (60 kilometers) in length from north to south and ranges from 3–7 miles (5–12 kilometers) east to west. Its area is 172 square miles (445 square kilometers), making it the second largest of the Ōsumi Islands. The island was supposedly named Tané (meaning “seed”) because that’s what its shape resembles. Tanegashima has a coastline of 103 miles (165 kilometers) and a population of 36,000.
Although there are a half dozen villages sprinkled around the island, most are quite small and the majority of the island’s people live in and around the island’s biggest city and port, Nishinoomote (西之表市; Nishi no Omoté-shi), on Tanegashima’s northwest side. This is where most of the ferries to and from Kagoshima dock and where you’ll find a couple of very nice, small hotels and minshuku (民宿; lit. “small inn” or “pension”). There are also several good restaurants, but otherwise there is not too much going on in Nishinoomote. The town’s greatest attraction is an excellent Gun Museum that we’ll mention in more detail below.
Otatsu Metatsu Rock, a black basalt formation.
Overall, the island is sparsely populated. Indeed, much of it seems wild and uninhabited. Although sugar cane is grown, it’s not densely cultivated as it is on so many islands in the Ryukyus. Here, it seems more like an afterthought, just the occasional cane field here and there.
Although it may be technically correct to characterize Tanegashima as “flat,” that term really doesn’t fully describe the topography, for in many places it is moderately to quite hilly, with most scenic ups and downs in all directions. In fact, the island’s highest point is a not too shabby 925 feet (282 meters) at Mt Tennyogakura (天女ケ倉山; Ten-nyo gakura-yama). It’s on the island’s northeast side, about a 5-mile (8-kilometer) drive from Nishinoomote. Tanegashima is a very pretty island to drive around. Moreover, it has a beautiful coastline—and a lot of it. Its shores vary considerably, from great black basalt rock formations, as at Otatsu Metatsu Rock (雄龍雌龍の岩; Otatsu Metatsu no iwa; lit. “Male Dragon–Female Dragon Rock”) along the central west coast to extremely fine white sand beaches found in several places, but most famously along the full length of the island’s southern coast. Along the southeast shore, you’ll find Chikura Caverns (千座の岩屋; Chikura no iwa ya), a group of water-eroded caves on a white sand beach. The caves can be entered at low tide. There are picnic tables and some foods stands here as well.
Most visitors will arrive by sea or by air, for there is an airport. By sea, and depending on the season, there are 3–5 high-speed “Rocket” or “Toppy” jet hydrofoils per day. The less than two-hour sailing originates in Kagoshima, but one or two per day continue over to nearby Yakushima. Less expensive, but of course slower, the Cosmo Line runs the vehicle, freight and passenger ferry “Princess Wakasa.” It’s a beautiful ship and a comfortable sail, a little less than four hours. Most of the year, service is daily except Sundays. In the busy summer season, it runs every day.
The Toppy hydrofoil in Tanegashima Port.
Alternatively, there is a ferry service, though less frequent, to Yakushima from a second city on Tanegashima, the southwestern port of Shimama (島間; Shimama). If you are planning on using that port, be sure to double check your ferry schedule.
For those in more of a hurry, Tanegashima has a small, modern airport
