Amami Onsen

Amami Onsen on Amami Oshima Island, the largest in the Amami archipelago of Kagoshima Prefecture, serves an island designated as a UNESCO Natural Heritage Site for its extraordinary subtropical biodiversity, including the endemic Amami rabbit, Amami woodcock, and numerous species found nowhere else on earth in the ancient laurisilva forest that covers much of the island's mountainous interior. The siliceous spring water provides warm mineral baths accessible to visitors who come to experience the island's exceptional natural heritage, its distinctive Shima Uta folk music tradition, and its traditional weaving art of Oshima Tsumugi, one of Japan's most prized and expensive silk fabrics. Amami's combination of natural world heritage, living cultural traditions, and accessible onsen creates a distinctive blend of island wellness that rewards visitors willing to make the journey to this subtropical paradise.