Amami Oshima
Recommended for World Natural Heritage Designation

Amami Oshima in Kagoshima Prefecture, the main island in the Amami group of islands,
is located almost midway between the city of Kagoshima and Okinawa and is blessed bya beautiful ocean and magnificent nature, including its mangrove forests. It has apopulation of just over 42,000, covers an area larger than the 23 special wards of Tokyo,and boasts a rugged coastline and mountains surrounded by deep forests. Recognized for
its rich biodiversity in flora and fauna, which includes the Amami rabbit, Amami Oshima,
together with Iriomote in Okinawa Prefecture and other southwestern islands, looks set
to be officially designated as a natural asset on the UNESCO World Heritage list in July
2021. It would be the fifth natural heritage site in Japan. This time I began myphotography by traveling south from the city of Amami, which is the largest urban area
on Amami Oshima.

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Ohama Seaside Park

Video: https://youtu.be/kdFLfRU2hNc

The extensive Ohama Seaside Park is located on the coast about 15 minutes’ drive awayfrom Amami (formerly known as Naze), the largest city on Amami Oshima. The seaside
park has various facilities, including the Amami Marine Exhibition Hall and a campsite,
and is popular among not only tourists but local folk as well. The cobalt blue ocean is
beautiful as well, and the rock protruding alone near the shore is impressive.

Kuroshio no Mori Mangrove Park

Video: https://youtu.be/FdEt-mQEF4U

This virgin mangrove forest, which is situated almost in the center of the island facing
the Pacific Ocean, is the second largest in Japan after Iriomote. The park, where you canenjoy canoes and kayaks as well, was bustling with sightseers. It has a unique ecosystem
and is the habitat of various fish and shellfish, birds, and animals, including the Amamirabbit.

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Manenzaki Observatory

Video: https://youtu.be/fnx2Y8pCfkc

Manenzaki Observatory is located on a highland a few minutes’ drive from the town ofSetouchi, which is the second largest urban area on Amami Oshima. Looking across thebay to the south, you can see Kakeroma Island on the other side. The highly transparent
deep blue ocean stretching into the distance seems to accentuate the beauty of the island.

Honohoshi Beach

Video: https://youtu.be/DKTLpK4FUug

The locals describe Honohoshi Beach as a so-called power spot. The waves crash violently
on the steep, oddly shaped rocks, and the beach is covered in pebbles polished by therough waves. As the waves recede, they chafe the pebbles, creating a famously loud noise.
It is said that strange things happen if you take any of these pebbles away with you, sodoing so is prohibited.

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Kakeroma-go

Video: https://youtu.be/HJ-CYDH5k4Q

Kakeroma, which is the second largest isle in the Amami Islands, is located to thesouthwest of Amami Oshima. There are 10 ferries a day operating from Setouchi to theisland. I did not go there this time, but locals told me that even among the Amami Islands,
Kakeroma is a unique place with an otherworldly atmosphere.

Arangachi Waterfall

Video: https://youtu.be/-aDgPy2FPJ8I then headed north from Setouchi. After driving along the prefectural road for a while,a sign appeared on the right. There was a resting place and carpark nearby. A few
minutes’ walk from there brought me to a riverbed, from where I could see the Arangachi
Waterfall. It is a beautiful two-stage, double-branch waterfall with a drop of 30 meters.

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Apparently Arangachi is the name of this locality. The spot can be easily reached and isbrimming with negative ions.

Yamato Village Beach

Video: https://youtu.be/kM_ZhDYNoy4

Next, admiring the beautiful coastline to my left as I drove, I came to the northwestern
coast of Amami Oshima. The sparkling blue ocean stretched into the distance. Therewere hamlets here and there, but no large facilities to be seen. The website of Yamato
Village describes the scenery as “comfortable and calm.” The village’s shore was just so.

Tomori Beach

Video: https://youtu.be/e7KxfIBoMiI

Going further north, beyond the city of Amami, with Amami Airport on my right, I cameto Tomori Beach. Beyond the carpark, a beautiful sandy shore appeared. Unlike the otherbeaches, the sea here is shallow and gentle. It is popular among the locals as well andideal for sea bathing.

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Cape Kasarizaki and Kasarizaki LighthouseVideo: https://youtu.be/N_2sDgmkDBc

Finally I reached the northernmost point on the island. Kasarizaki Lighthouse on
Kasarizaki cape is an important beacon for ships navigating to the north of Amami
Oshima or in the Kikai Channel. The lighthouse can be reached by climbing up 50 metersor so of steps. The view from there is fantastic.

Postscript
Amami Oshima is just so vast. In addition, because the coastline is so rugged and theisland is surrounded by forests and mountains, the roads have a lot of complicated curves.
What this means is that Amami Oshima’s nature is robust and not very receptive toartificiality. If the island becomes listed as a World Heritage site, no doubt it is going toattract even more attention.

Photos and text: Arata Matsumoto, Sharata and Adwise, Inc. (http://sharata.info/)(Sharata supplies 4K videos of outstanding scenery in Japan so that as many people aspossible can enjoy it.)IHCSA Café

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