Lively Amami
the Amami Islands
about Natural world Heritage
Beautiful nature
Local cuisine
Tradition and culture
Experience the traditions and culture
The culture of the Amami Islands is made up of a deep history and a fusion of various cultures. When you visit the Amami Islands, you must experience their culture.
Oshima Tsumugi
Oshima Tsumugi, one of the symbols of Amami Oshima Island, is a traditional Japanese craft with about 1,300 years of history. The color of Oshima Tsumugi is beautiful and lustrous black and the design is based on the nature of the island such as cycad leaves, turtle shells and hubs.
Lots of young people wear Oshima tsumugi kimono and hakama at coming-of-age ceremony in the Amami Islands.
© K. P. V. B
Mudding
Mudding is a natural dyeing method practiced only in Amami Oshima Island. It is a typical dyeing method for Oshima Tsumugi. It is dyed by alternately soaking more than 100 times in a mud paddy field and dye made from Japanese hawthorn.
The lustrous and elegant deep black color of Oshima Tsumugi is the result of a lot of time and effort.
Canoeing in the mangrove forest
There are beautiful mangrove forests in the Amami Islands.
You will see many rare creatures up close in the mangrove forests.
Canoeing for one or two peoples is available, so you can have fun by yourself or with your family, partner, or friends! Your tour guide will enjoy telling you about the mangrove forests!
Bullfighting
Bullfighting competitions were held three times a year on Tokunoshima Island and were the only entertainment for the local people who had suffered through the "brown sugar hell" during the rule of the Satsuma-Han.
The owners of the bulls worked hard every day to raise and train their bulls, hoping that their beloved bulls would win the title of "Yokozuna (champion) of the whole island.
Lots of people, young and old, gathered at the venue, and it is very exciting!
Songs of Islands
© K. P. V. B
“Hirase Mankai" is a song and dance performance at the harvest festival to thank the gods of the sea for this year's bountiful harvest and to pray for next year's. After the song and dance on the beach, people of the village get together in a circle and dance” Hachigatsu Odori” with playing the Amami Sanshin (three-stringed instrument) and the Chijin (small drum).
