Amami Oshima Voyage Tips and guide

Amami Oshima (奄美大島 Amami Ōshima), literally "Big Amami Island", is the largest of the Amami Islands, a small archipelago south of Kyushu, Japan. While administratively a part of Kagoshima, it's geographically and culturally a part of Okinawa. Together with Tokunoshima, Iriomote and the northern part of the Okinawa Island it was listed as a natural world heritage site by UNESCO in 2021.

There are five municipalities on the island: Amami City (奄美市), Tatsugō Town (龍郷町), Yamato Village (大和村), Uken Village (宇検村) and Setouchi Town (瀬戸内町). The main port and settlement, Naze (名瀬), is a part of Amami.

The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site.

Amami Airport (ASJ  ^IATA) is the main hub for flights around the archipelago, with direct flights to Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Naha and all major islands. Scoring a cheap advance fare on Peach or Skymark is by far the cheapest way to get here.

Shima Bus Airport Line (空港線 Kūkō-sen) buses run every 30 min or so (¥1100, cash only). This is a local commuter bus with frequent stops, so travel time to central Naze is almost an hour. Taxis and car rental are also available.

Marix and A-Line ferries connect the port of Naze to Kagoshima, Naha and various other islands in the Amami archipelago. In addition, there's a slower twice-weekly service to Kagoshima via the Tokara Islands. See Amami Islands#By ferry for details.

The island is quite large and car or motorbike rental is the best way to explore.

Shima Bus operates the island's public bus network. An all you can ride pass starts from ¥2400/day.

• Mangrove
• Cape Ayamaru Kanko Park
• Tanaka Isson Memorial Art Museum

• Bike rental. Rent a scooter or motorbike and just cruise around the island to admire it's beautiful nature and discover tiny beaches where you can hop off and go for a swim. The best way to travel on the island. (updated Sep 2025)
• Relax on the beaches

• Jidoriya (When you leave the ferry, take a right and follow the road. It's 30 meters past the Shell station and motorbike shop to your left. Look for the usual red lantern outside.), ☏ +81 997 52 2941. 6PM-11PM. This place is ideal if you have to wait for the ferry or if you have a big appetite coming from the ferry. You get great value for your money with a starter (e.g. sashimi), your own little stone grill with chicken, salad, boiled beef, rice, and a dessert. Friendly, local atmosphere. ¥1500. 

All roads lead to Yanigawa, a street that runs away from the main port in Naze-shi (Naze City). Like all Japanese small towns it is an irreverent mix of live houses (naff attempt at a modern bar), izakaya and snack bars. The mood here is much more reserved than in other larger centres and the younger crowd and salarymen alike enjoy over 100 different hole in the wall venues. Westerners are a novelty here and you a guaranteed a good night out on the local kokutō shōchū, which is made from sugar cane.

• Westerners Café, Toen Beach (Toen is a small village near the sea. The Westerners Café is located on the main road crossing the village, just before leaving the village. It's a bright red, little box.). This little café by the road is owned by two retired people from Kobe who are mad about cowboys. It is filled with pictures, paintings and ephemera of the Wild West. The owner, dressed as a cowboy, will gladly receive you. They serve two types of freshly ground coffee and Indian tea. Relaxed atmosphere. ¥350 for a coffee or tea. (updated Sep 2025)

The Habu snake is a venomous pit viper that inhabits roughly 70% of the island.

When diving, swimming or snorkeling at the various beaches watch out for sea urchins lying on the sea floor.