Amami Oshima, Tokunoshima, northern Okinawa, and Iriomote Island have been registered as World Heritage Sites. Now is the time to take a trip to experience Japan's ancient nature.

Now is the time to visit these World Heritage islands that are deemed necessary to protect, and embark on a journey to experience the natural beauty that Japan is so proud of. In this article, our editorial team has carefully selected the most representative natural spots in each area as "sights" to learn about the World Heritage sites. In addition, we also introduce gourmet food and souvenirs that you should check out, so if you are considering a trip to the four areas, please read on.

Amami Oshima | The breath of life nurtured by the virgin mangrove forests

Amami Oshima Island is home to a rich forest of subtropical broadleaf forests, tropical trees, and ferns, thanks to the heavy rainfall of over 3,000 mm per year. The island was formed in isolation from the continent long ago, and the creatures left behind had no natural predators, allowing endemic species such as the Amami rabbit and the blue jay to survive to this day.

Amami Airport is about 2 to 2 hours and 15 minutes from Haneda Airport and about 1 hour from Itami Airport. It can also be accessed from Fukuoka Airport, Kagoshima Airport, etc.

[Nature] Experience the magnificent mangrove forest by canoe

One of the highlights is Kinsakubaru virgin forest in the center of the island, the second largest virgin mangrove forest in Japan. Be sure to take a canoe ride through the virgin forest. You'll be able to see the mysteries of the trees and creatures up close, and feel as if you're immersed in them. It's an experience you can't have in your everyday life, surrounded by majestic nature.

Kuroshio Forest Mangrove Park

[Nature] Relax with forest animals and a star-filled sky on a night tour

If you want to encounter rare wild animals, we recommend a night tour where you can watch nocturnal creatures. In addition to the Amami woodcock, you may be lucky to see the Amami rabbit. A veteran guide will accompany you while giving commentary, so you have a high chance of encountering animals, and it can be enjoyed safely even by families. Feel the vitality of the animals living in the quiet night.

Night Tour / Amami Oshima Tourism and Products Association

*Restrictions on use of the Amami Rabbit Night Tour will be put into effect in October.

[Gourmet] Enjoy Amami's local cuisine at "Keihan Hisakura"

The signature dish of Amami Oshima is "Keihan," a local dish made by placing chicken, shredded egg, shiitake mushrooms, pickled papaya, and tankan peel on rice and pouring a generous amount of local chicken soup over it.

Hisakura has its own chicken farm and fields, and in addition to chicken and eggs, they also use home-grown fruits and vegetables such as papayas for their chicken rice. Enjoy the food culture of Amami Oshima in an atmosphere where locals gather.

Keihan Hisakura

[Souvenir] Andagiya's Sata Andagi is something special

Sata Andagi, known as an Okinawan-style donut, is also a specialty of Amami Oshima. Andagiya, a specialty store, offers a variety of flavors, including mugwort, brown sugar, and cocoa, in addition to plain. They also come in a wide variety of sizes, such as 6-piece and 15-piece packs, so they are also recommended as souvenirs for large groups.

Amami Sata Andagi Shop Andagiya

Tokunoshima | Many spectacular spots unique to raised coral

Tokunoshima, like Amami Oshima, is an island that was created in isolation from the continent, and rare creatures such as the Amami rabbit live in the forests. The surrounding coastline features huge granite boulders that are rare in the Nansei Islands, unusual topography created by the erosion of raised coral reefs, and a beach where sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. Bullfighting also has a history of about 500 years.

We recommend getting to Tokunoshima Airport via Kagoshima Airport, Amami Airport, or Naha Airport. It takes about an hour by plane from Kagoshima Airport, about 30 minutes from Amami Airport, and about 1 hour and 10 minutes from Naha Airport.

[Nature] Enjoy the spectacular views from day to evening at Inu no Monfuta

Located south of Tokunoshima Airport, on the western part of the island, is Innojofuta. Commonly known as "Meganeiwa" (Spectacles Rock), this is a raised coral reef coastline with strange rocks, cliffs, and caves formed by erosion from seawater and other sources. It was named Innojofuta after an anecdote from long ago when, during a great famine, wild dogs that were attacking humans and livestock were thrown into the sea. From between the rocks, you can see the blue sea and clear sky, as well as the atmospheric view of the setting sun shining onto the rocks in the evening. Enjoy the different spectacular views during the day and at dusk.

Dog gate cover

[Nature] Enjoy the tropical atmosphere at the Kanamizaki Cycad Tunnel

The Cycad Tunnel is located in Kanami Village, about 30 minutes by car from Tokunoshima Airport in the northeast of Tokunoshima. Originally, the cycads were planted to mark the boundaries of the village's fields and to protect against strong winds from the north wind, but over time they grew and formed a natural arch. The arch tunnel, which is full of a tropical atmosphere, continues for about 250m, and is recommended for a walk at lunchtime when the temperature rises a little, as the cycads provide a comfortable shade.

Kanamizaki Cycad Tunnel

[Gourmet] Enjoy island delicacies served on banana leaves at "Yaduri"

The restaurant features a distinctive thatched roof reminiscent of an old-fashioned tropical house. It is located in Inutabu, Isen Town, in the southwestern part of the island. The food is also unique, with a variety of delicacies served lined up on a large banana leaf.

For example, egg rice balls, peanut tofu, fried fish, salted pork trotters, seaweed and island scallion tempura, etc. In addition, it comes with sweets such as brown sugar candy and dragon fruit, making it a full course of island cuisine. The unique food and atmosphere here will make you feel even more like you are in a tropical paradise.

Yadouri (Island Time)

[Souvenir] "Tokunoshima Bullfighting Cola" and "Salt Cider" are characterized by their refreshing tastes

Bullfighting is popular on Tokunoshima, and drinks associated with this traditional culture are "Tokunoshima Bullfighting Cola" and "Salt Cider." These drinks are made by Turtle Bay Brewery, which makes drinks using local specialties from all over Japan under the concept of "From Tokunoshima to the whole country!" The flavor of Bullfighting Cola is inspired by bullfighting, and is characterized by its strength, making use of the sweetness of the island's sugarcane. The salt cider has a salty taste followed by a refreshing sweetness, reminiscent of the sea of Tokunoshima. The design is somewhat cute, and it makes a great souvenir.

Turtle Bay Brewing

Northern Okinawa Island | 3 hours by car from Naha. Paradise on the main island

The northern part of Okinawa Island, which spans the villages of Kunigami, Ogimi, and Higashi, is also known as Yanbaru (mountain plains). Influenced by the monsoon and the warm Kuroshio Current, it has formed a subtropical rainforest. It maintains a warm and humid climate. Many rare creatures such as the Okinawa rail, Noguchi's woodpecker, and the Okinawa long-armed dung beetle live in the surrounding area, making it a paradise where a rich diversity of creatures coexists with the people's lives.

It is about a three-hour bus ride from Naha Airport. The area has long been an agricultural region, and you can enjoy the idyllic tropical countryside from the bus window.

[Nature] Guided tour on the Yanbaru Golden Electric Bus

The "Guided Tour of the World Natural Heritage Site on the Yanbaru Golden Electric Bus" allows you to immerse yourself in nature in the Yanbaru forest. The tour uses an electric bus that emits zero CO2, with consideration given to the impact on the environment so that natural heritage can be protected for the future.

The bus departs from "Yuiyui Kunigami Roadside Station." A guide familiar with the Yanbaru forests will accompany you on the journey to the forests lush with hibiscus tree phylloxera and sieboldii trees. The guide will explain the forest ecosystem, the history and culture of the region, and the lives of the local people who coexist with nature. Then disembark at Nagao Bridge, a scenic spot overlooking the Yanbaru forest, and take a deep breath in the lush greenery. You can also enjoy a forest walk along the forest path. Why not try to feel the breath of the miraculous forest on a guided tour, which is a more casual experience than trekking?

Guided tour on the Yanbaru Golden Electric Bus through the World Heritage Site

[Nature] See the world's northernmost tropical karst formations at "Daisekirinzan"

Daisekirinzan is located just under five minutes by car from Cape Hedo, the northernmost point of Okinawa's main island. It was formed when limestone formed in the ocean 250 million years ago emerged on the earth's surface due to crustal movement. Over the course of several million years, it was eroded and dissolved by rain and wind, creating a unique natural landscape of strangely shaped rocks.

Enjoy the nature of Mt. Daisekirinzan, which has taken many years to form, by trekking. Start from Seikigoya hut at the base of the mountain and climb for 20-35 minutes. Along the way, you can get a close-up look at the strangely shaped rocks and giant banyan trees, and the top of the rocky mountain is a great vantage point from which you can see Cape Hedo, the northernmost point of Okinawa's main island, and the islands floating in the sea. There are four courses, each with different highlights, so choose the one that suits you best.

Daisekirinzan

[Food] Emi-no-mise: Recharge your energy with unique island vegetables

Located in Ogimi Village, famous for its longevity, Emi-no-mise is a restaurant that conveys the natural lifestyle of Yanbaru. The owner, Emi Kinjo, who is also a registered dietitian, uses plenty of vegetables harvested from the village's fields and serves healthy dishes based on local cuisine.

The set meals are the "Chojuzen" which is full of unique island vegetables, and the "Makachiku Miso-re" which is a more compact version of the same lunch. In addition to the bento, there is also the "Car Server Juicy" which is a rice ball made with seasoned rice, so you can easily enjoy it as a takeaway.

Smile shop

[Souvenir] Awamori Cake: An adult sweet with the aroma of aged liquor

Awamori is Okinawa's traditional alcoholic beverage, and the Yanbaru Shuzo Awamori Cake is a sweet made with aged liquor. The fluffy dough is baked with plenty of eggs and is made with plenty of aged liquor that has been aged for 10 years. The sweet aroma of awamori fills your nose, making you feel rich with just one bite. This is a particularly recommended souvenir for alcohol lovers.

Yanbaru Sake Brewery

Iriomote Island | In addition to the Iriomote wildcat, a variety of fish also live here

Iriomote Island belongs to the Yaeyama Islands. It is the second largest island in Okinawa Prefecture after the main island, and about 90% of the island is covered with subtropical natural forests. The Iriomote wildcat, famous as an endemic species of the island, is a nationally designated special natural monument and an endangered species. The Urauchi River, the longest river in Okinawa Prefecture that flows through the northern part of the island, is the river with the highest fish species diversity in Japan, with more than 400 species confirmed to live in its approximately 19km waters.

To get there, fly to Painushima Ishigaki Airport on Ishigaki Island, the main island of the Yaeyama Islands, and then travel to the Remote Island Terminal. From there, take a high-speed boat or ferry to Ohara Port on Iriomote Island, which takes about 35 minutes, or Uehara Port, which takes about 40 minutes.

[Nature] Search for star-shaped sand and coral reefs at "Star Sand Beach"

Star Sand Beach, located in the north of the island, is dotted with star-shaped sand, as its name suggests. This sand is the shell of a creature called foraminifera, and in addition to being found on the beach, you can also find living star sand attached to underwater plants. You will be amazed by the mysteries of the countless sand particles that were formed by nature. The waves are calm and the water is very clear, and you can even see small fish. The coast is also rocky, so you can enjoy snorkeling.

Star Sand Beach

[Nature] Travel by buffalo cart to Yubu Island, surrounded by subtropical plants

Yubu Island is one of the remote islands belonging to the Yaeyama Islands. You can get to the island by water buffalo cart from the east coast of Iriomote Island, so you can feel the local atmosphere even while spending your time being rocked on the cart. Travel about 400m out to sea to reach your destination. The island is 2.15km in circumference, and you can walk around it in about an hour even at a leisurely pace. The whole island is a subtropical botanical garden, and it also has a bougainvillea garden and a butterfly garden. There are also restaurants, teahouses, and shops, so you can take a break and enjoy a stroll.

Yubu Island

[Gourmet] Enjoy wild boar dishes while listening to traditional Okinawan folk music at "KITCHEN inaba"

At KITCHEN Inaba, you can enjoy a variety of local dishes, including wild boar, a specialty of Iriomote Island. There is a wide range of delicacies unique to the island, including seared wild boar, teppanyaki, and dishes featuring Gazam (blue crab) and Irabu (black-spotted sea snake).

Although not scheduled regularly, live folk music performances using the sanshin (three-stringed instrument) are held on summer nights, allowing you to spend a relaxing time in a tropical atmosphere.

KITCHEN inaba

[Souvenir] The premium deliciousness of "Iriomote Island Dried Fruits"

In addition to freshly picked pineapples and mangoes, the farm also produces dried fruits made at its own processing plant, all products of a sun-soaked paradise. The rich sweetness and refined acidity of these concentrated fruits make them perfect souvenirs and gifts. Please try rare flavors such as "Premium Dried Pineapple" and "Premium Dried Mango," which live up to their names.

Iriomote Island Fruits

Embark on an adventure exploring the mysteries of the tropical climate and culture

The Nansei Islands, home to precious creatures that have evolved uniquely, are also known as the "Galapagos of the Orient." By actually visiting these four islands, a treasure trove of rare plants and animals, you will surely understand why they were registered as a World Heritage Site. You will also be able to experience the passion of the local people who have protected this natural heritage. On your next trip, why not visit these World Heritage islands where you can interact with the mysterious Mother Nature?

JAL World Natural Heritage Special Page

Congratulations! Amami Oshima, Tokunoshima, Northern Okinawa and Iriomote Island have been registered as World Natural Heritage sites.

To celebrate the registration of Amami-Oshima, Tokunoshima, Northern Okinawa and Iriomote Island as a World Natural Heritage Site, the JAL Group will be implementing various initiatives based on two themes: "Connecting Japan's World Heritage Sites, which have evolved from local treasures into global treasures, with the world" and "Connecting Japan's World Heritage Sites to future generations through coexistence and conservation of nature."

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*Some content was revised on August 10, 2021.