The great outdoors and islanders welcome you back. A relaxing trip to Amami Oshima

Encounter creatures found nowhere else in the subtropical forest

Kinsakuhara virgin forest

The reason why Amami Oshima is blessed with such a diverse range of living creatures dates back approximately 10 million years ago. At the time, Amami Oshima was part of the Eurasian mainland, but it was separated as an island amid repeated tectonic movements. After that, several species on the mainland became extinct due to ice ages and natural enemies. In the different environment of Amami Oshima, the surviving creatures developed their own unique ecosystem.

The Kinsakubaru virgin forest, which spreads out in the exact center of the island, is a treasure trove of Amami's biodiversity. You can encounter many endemic plants and animals here that you would never see unless you went to Amami Oshima.

If you visit the Kinsakubaru Primeval Forest, be sure to sign up for a guided tour. Your guide will share a wealth of knowledge, such as "This is what this plant looks like when it blooms," "Why is this tree's branch bent like this?" and "What bird is making that sound," making the rare plants and animals that catch your eye even more fascinating.

The Amami Islands have a system of "ecotour guides" certified by the Amami Islands Ecotourism Promotion Council, and you can search for a guide that suits your travel goals on their website.

A "primeval forest" is a forest that has hardly been touched by human hands. However, there are paths through the forest, so you can safely observe nature as if you were trekking. Most tours meet in Naze, the island's central town, and travel by guide's car. The journey takes about three hours from meeting to disbanding.

For those who want to enjoy nature observation even more, the nocturnal wildlife observation tour is also attractive. Guides can lead you to encounter rare animals that are difficult to find on your own, such as the Amami rabbit, which is designated as a special natural monument by the government, wild birds such as the Amami woodcock and blue jay, Amami Ishikawa frogs, and Amami spiny mice.

A little extra tip: the guides are very knowledgeable about restaurants, so a great insider tip is to ask them for their recommendations.

The endless blue will take your breath away: A natural swimming pool on a southern island

Cape Apology

The natural charm of Amami Oshima is not limited to its forests. It also boasts the beauty of the ocean, with coral reefs unique to a tropical island and a gradation of blue that stretches to the horizon. There are also many beaches where you can see coral and tropical fish if you dive a little.

Cape Ayamaru, a cape jutting out from the northeastern side of the island, is one of the 10 scenic spots that Amami boasts, known as the "Amami Ten Views." The view of the Pacific Ocean from the observation deck on the hill is spectacular.

Another recommended spot is the natural pool just down the hill. It's not well known among tourists, but it's a saltwater pool that forms only when the tide is out. It's separated from the sea by a low concrete wall, and is shallow and safe, making it a popular spot for local families with children.

Be sure to stop by Mishoran Cafe, which just opened on top of the hill in May 2018. You can enjoy not only coffee and soft serve ice cream, but also Amami's specialty dish, "Keihan." It also doubles as a tourist information center, so feel free to ask the staff about things you want to see and eat.

Enjoy the local specialty, brown sugar shochu, at an izakaya run by an island woman

Musashiya

About 15 minutes by car from Cape Ayamaru. Whenever there is a gathering in the local town of Kasari, the local restaurant Musashiya is always on the list of places to go. The owner, Ms. Kawabata Kazuno, is a mother of the island who always warmly welcomes all who visit. She will not only help you with the menu, but also give you advice on recommended spots on the island.

When a large group of islanders visit, they always order the "Musashiya Special," a large portion of fried rice topped with pork cutlet. There is also a wide selection of Amami specialty dishes, including salt-boiled local shellfish called tobinya, seaweed and mozuku seaweed tempura, and island scallions.

My personal recommendation is the "Abura Somen" (Fried Noodles). This is a home-cooked dish from Amami, made by mixing somen noodles with stir-fried vegetables. The ingredients and seasonings vary from household to household, but one thing they all have in common is their gentleness. Musashiya's Abura Somen is a soothing dish made with pork and vegetables.

There are many varieties of brown sugar shochu, which is only produced in the Amami Islands. Although the name sounds sweet, the sugar is removed during the distillation process. There is a wide variety, from refreshing shochu to shochu aged in wooden barrels with a rum-like aroma, so be sure to try a few different ones.

A fisherman's father runs a restaurant that focuses on freshness and flavor

Guardhouse

Next, we will introduce "Ban-ya" in Tatsugo-cho, on the way from Kasari-cho to the urban area of Naze. When your parents or relatives come to visit, where should you take them? This is the restaurant that comes to mind when you think of such a thing.

As the restaurant's name, "Ban'ya" (fisherman's hut), suggests, the owner, Iwasaki Masaru, is an active fisherman in his 70s. The restaurant is renowned for the freshness of its ingredients and the flavor of its dishes. His wife, Keiko, cooks the freshly caught fish, and their son, Keiichi, and his wife run the restaurant, which is always bustling with discerning locals.

When you open the menu, you'll see a lineup that will make you dizzy, including seafood bowls, sashimi set meals, and the slightly more luxurious spiny lobster set meal! Among them, the one you should definitely try when you come here is the simmered fish head set meal (1,100 yen). The head, tail, and backbone of the fish after it has been removed for sashimi are cooked in sweet and spicy soy sauce.

The meal comes with vinegared dishes, pickled papaya, a specialty of Amami, and a pitch black soup bowl containing squid ink called "Madajiru," a local Amami dish. This Madajiru looks plain and pitch black, but the delicious bonito stock and the richness of the squid ink make it an excellent dish. It is said to have a detoxifying effect, so be sure to give it a try.

A select shop for island souvenirs stocks everything from local beer to Oshima Tsumugi.

Frasco

If you continue heading towards Naze from the banya, you will come across a souvenir select shop called "Frasco" in the village of Osho. The shop is run by Makito Masaru, who runs the online shopping site "Gaju Marine" that sells Amami specialty products, and his wife Erina.

The items on display in the store are only those that the two have carefully selected after talking to the makers themselves. "Frasco" is not just a souvenir shop, but a select shop that conveys the charms of Amami Oshima to people from outside.

The store has a wide selection of products, from traditional Amami Oshima Tsumugi goods to sweets, local beer, and original products made in collaboration with local artisans. The writer's recommendations are the juice made with the island's specialty, tankan citrus, and the Oshima Tsumugi pocket square.

Tankan is a type of orange that is in season from February to March. It is popular for its rich flavor with a good balance of sweetness and sourness. We recommend eating fresh tankan when it is in season, but you can get juice all year round.

Oshima Tsumugi is a traditional craft of Amami that has been handed down for approximately 1,300 years. Oshima Tsumugi is a luxury item that is made with great time and effort, spinning silk threads, dyeing, weaving, and is also known as the "Queen of Kimono." The pocket square was invented as a product to make it "more easily usable in modern life." Be sure to buy one as a souvenir and wear the real thing.

"Frasco" also offers bicycle rentals. On sunny days, it's fun to explore the island by bicycle under the high skies. Advance reservations are required by phone, so please contact us first.

According to the 2016 JTB Regional Power Index Survey, the satisfaction level of visitors to Amami Oshima with people is about 2.5 times higher than the national average. Connecting with people makes your trip many times more interesting. To do so, please start by talking to Shimatchu.

The people of Amami Island are all people who absolutely love their islands. They want people who come to the island to love it even more and to come back again and again. With that single-minded desire, they will kindly teach you all sorts of things.

Why not explore the healing island of Amami Oshima while learning about the island's hidden gems that aren't listed in guidebooks?