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Tokunoshima Island
Tokunoshima island is known as “the island of longevity,” thanks to two supercentenarians recognized by Guinness World Records as among the oldest people in the world. Visitors can experience the vibrant culture, cuisine and seasonal events.
Agricultural heritage
Tokunoshima produces more sugar cane than any other island in Japan. This key agricultural product is vital to local people who harvest it while singing traditional island songs (shima uta) and use it to make kokuto (brown sugar). Why not try the local kokuto sweets with a cup of green tea or glass of kokuto shochu, a spirit with a sweet aroma and soft taste?
Lively lifestyle
There is plenty to do on the island, including golf and marine sports such as swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving. The main cultural attraction is togyu (bull sumo), which pits bull against bull in a short fight for dominance. The main competitions are held in January, May or October, when the 400-year-old spectacle becomes an important part of island life.
Tokunoshima is the second largest of the Amami Islands and comprises the towns Amagi, Isen and Tokunoshima. A trip to explore its shores lets visitors truly understand and appreciate island life.
Island of bullfights
About 20 powerful bullfights take place yearly in 13 bull rings on the island.
In-no-joufuta
Tokunoshima’s East China Sea coastline is spotted with cliffs and oddly shaped rocks that have been created by years of natural erosion of coral reef.
Aze Prince Beach
This beautiful beach on the northeast coast of Tokunoshima got its name in 1969 when then-Crown Prince Akihito and Princess Michiko visited the area.
Agon 300-year-old Banyan Tree
At more than 300 years old, this beautiful specimen of gajumaru (banyan) is the oldest and largest tree on the island.
Cape Inutabu
Located on the southwestern coast of Tokunoshima, Cape Inutabu is a triangular Ryukyu limestone cliff jutting out into the sea.
Mushiroze
Mushiroze is the name for a granite coastline, which can be found on the northwestern tip of Tokunoshima.
Kanamisaki Sago Palm Tunnel
This narrow pathway through a 200 meter-long tunnel of sago palm trees gives a tropical island feeling.
Commemorative Statue of the 46th Yokozuna, Asashio Taro
Inokawa is home to a commemorative statue of Asashio Taro (1929–1988), a Tokunoshima-born sumo wrestler who was named yokozuna, the highest rank in sumo.
Tokunoshima Tourist Guide
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Tokunoshima offers visitors a relaxing and culturally rich experience
You can often be heard humming traditional island songs (shimauta), which are a mix of Amami and Okinawa music in this island. Every year, lively events, including bull fighting competitions and a triathlon, bring out their passionate spirit.
Local people’s snack of choice tends to be a cup of green tea with a treat made from kokuto, a brown sugar unique to Japan’s southern islands. The island is also renowned for the locally produced distilled spirit, kokuto shochu, which has a sweet aroma and is soft on the tongue.
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