Region

Amami Islands

Stay on Amami Oshima 3–4 days; use ferries or short flights for day‑trips to Tokunoshima, Yoron, Kikai or Okinoerabujima.

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Key facts · Japan

Visa: Depends on your passport
Currency: Yen (JPY)
Language: Japanese
Plugs: A · B · 100 V
Time zone: UTC+9 all year

Month by month hereIn detail ↓

Rules in force · 5

East Asia ↗Every border in East Asia is a full international border, Hong Kong and Macau included: an entry permission for one never covers the next.
East Asia ↗Ferries between Korea, Japan and China cancel in rough seas and typhoons; keep a flight or a spare day behind every sea leg.
Japan ↗IC cards (ICOCA/Suica) are topped up with cash at station machines.
Japan ↗Smoking while walking is banned in most city centres; use designated areas.
Japan ↗Shinkansen bags 160–250 cm (L+W+H) need a seat reserved with the oversized-baggage area.

The Amami Islands are a subtropical archipelago between Kyushu and Okinawa, known for endemic wildlife, UNESCO-listed forests, and a food culture mixing Okinawan and Kagoshima influences. Base yourself on Amami Oshima for 3–4 days and use ferries or short flights to day-trip Tokunoshima, Yoron, Kikai or Okinoerabujima.

Where to sleep

5 places in this region

Sleep base

Amami OshimaGuide: planned
Largest island, main airport, many attractions.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.

Day trip

TokunoshimaCity guide
Beaches and mangroves, short flight or ferry.
Best Mar–May, Nov
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Tokunoshima →
YoronCity guide
White‑sand beaches, easy ferry stop.
Best Apr–Jun, Oct–Nov
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Yoron →
KikaiCity guide
Remote island, small airport, scenic cliffs.
Best Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Kikai →
OkinoerabujimaCity guide
Coral reefs, Wadomari port.
Best Apr–Jun, Oct–Nov
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Okinoerabujima →

Plan the nights

How to split the nights, day-trips and what to do with your bags

Open Plan the nightsClose Plan the nights3 partsNights · Day-trips · Bags

Night sequences

4 nights: Base in Amami Oshima, day‑trip to Tokunoshima and Yoron.

Ferry schedules change daily; check A-Line and Marix Line timetables before booking.
Typhoons (Aug–Oct) can cancel flights and ferries for 1–2 days; travel insurance is worth it.
The venomous habu pit viper is present on the islands; avoid walking in tall grass at night.

Day-trips door to door

To	From	Door-to-door p50	Last return	Note
Tokunoshima	Amami Oshima	45 min	check	Ferry ~45 min; flight ~30 min.
Yoron	Amami Oshima	60 min	check	Ferry ~1 h; good for beach day.

Bags between cities

Luggage forwarding between Amami Oshima and other islands is not a standard service; pack light for island-hopping.

When to go

Months and weather

Open When to goClose When to go2 partsSeasons · Climate

Seasons at a glance

From each city's month table

Pick a month to see where to go.

Only good-now countries

Show all 12 months, country by countryHide the 12-month table

Country	JJan	FFeb	MMar	AApr	MMay	JJun	JJul	AAug	SSep	OOct	NNov	DDec
Tokunoshima	ok	ok	go	go	go	ok	ok	ok	×	ok	go	ok
Yoron	×	×	ok	go	go	go	×	×	×	go	go	ok
Kikai	×	ok	ok	go	go	go	×	×	go	go	ok	×
Okinoerabujima	ok	ok	ok	go	go	go	ok	×	×	go	go	ok
Japan (country-wide)	go	go	go	ok	go	ok	ok	ok	ok	go	go	go

Go: the good monthsFair: workable, mixedPoor: heat, rain or hazeAvoid: storms, floods, closuresno data yet

Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.

Climate strip

Month by month

Zone	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Amami Islandssubtropical Pacific	warm	warm	warm	warm	warm	wet	hot	hot	wet	warm	warm	warm

hot: short walking windowswet: daily rain

Amami Islands: Typhoon risk Aug–Oct; rainy season Jun–Jul.

Best months: Apr–Jun and Sep–Nov; avoid Golden Week (late Apr/early May).

Getting in and passes

Arrival times and regional passes

Open Getting in and passesClose Getting in and passes2 partsGet in · Passes

Get in

Door-to-door p50, 2026 estimate

From	To	How	p50	Note
Tokyo (Haneda/Narita)	Amami Airport (ASJ)	Direct flight (Peach, Skymark)	~2 h 30 min flight	Book early for lowest fare.
Kagoshima	Amami Oshima (Naze port)	A‑Line or Marix ferry	~11 h	Second‑class fare ¥9,220; check schedule.
Naha (Okinawa)	Amami Oshima (Naze port)	Marix ferry	~13 h	¥9,750; limited departures.

Regional passes

Verdict first

Yui Passport

buy

Unlimited ferry travel on A‑Line and Marix for 14 days; good if island‑hopping.

JR Kyushu Pass

skip

Does not cover Amami ferries or flights; not cost‑effective.

Eat and move on

Regional food and where to go next

Open Eat and move onClose Eat and move on2 partsFood · Go next

Regional food

Where and when it works

Dish	Where	Timing / trap
Keihan (chicken‑rice)	Amami Oshima town centers	Chicken broth served on the side; often topped with egg.
Brown‑sugar shōchū	Local izakayas	Distilled from cane sugar; milder than sweet‑potato shochu.

Go next

Tokara Islands

planned

Ferry from Kagoshima via Naze

If Amami feels too crowded.

Okinawa Island

Ferry from Naha or flight from ASJ

Longer stay for beaches.

Planning aids

Built from this guide's own data

Open Planning aidsClose Planning aids2 partsIn numbers · Going in…

Region in numbers

Where to sleep: 1 base
Day trips: 2, 45 min to 1 h
Nights suggested: 4 nights
Ways in: 3 listed
Best months: No month rated best

Going in…

Pick a month for the weather in each zone of the region, plus the country-wide rating and holidays.

Pick a month.

Explore Kagoshima Up to Japan

Deep dive

Photos, reading and every source

Open Deep diveClose Deep dive1 partSources

Sources

secondaryWikivoyage: Amami Islands, revision 5143502 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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