How to enjoy Amami Oshima, registered as a World Natural Heritage site

On July 26, 2021, Amami Oshima Island was registered as a World Natural Heritage site along with Tokunoshima Island, northern Okinawa Main Island, and Iriomote Island. The importance of the island as a habitat for valuable endemic species and endangered flora and fauna was recognized, making it the fifth natural heritage site in Japan. Kagoshima Prefecture is home to another natural heritage site, Yakushima. In fact, Kagoshima Prefecture is the only prefecture in Japan with multiple natural heritage sites. However, the reasons why Amami Oshima/Tokunoshima and Yakushima were registered as natural heritage sites are different. Yakushima was registered because of its unique ecosystem of plants and animals, unparalleled natural beauty, and natural phenomena, while Amami Oshima and Tokunoshima were registered because of their biodiversity.

Amami Oshima Island is geographically located on the borderline between the northern and southern limits of biological habitats. In addition, there are endemic species and subspecies of organisms that were separated from the continent millions of years ago and evolved uniquely on the island. These two factors have nurtured a diversity of living organisms, and even though Amami Oshima accounts for less than 0.2% of Japan's land area, approximately 13% of all the living species in the country have been confirmed. However, the road to registration as a World Heritage site has had its twists and turns.

"In fact, the registration of Amami Oshima Island as a World Heritage Site has been postponed once in 2018. There are several reasons for this, but in addition to the request to review the selection of the area due to the large number of enclaves in the nominated area, measures against invasive alien species such as mongoose and wildcat, a management plan for the increase in tourists after registration, and the need for monitoring to continuously investigate the impact of human influence and global warming on endangered species were also mentioned. When I heard that the registration was postponed, I was of course disappointed, but on the other hand, I also felt that it was inevitable. The island had not yet made any systematic efforts to protect nature, but the term "World Heritage" had become a household word, and more and more tourists were coming to the island with high expectations. However, there were not enough eco-tour guides, and what the island should introduce with confidence was unclear. "
So says Kosuke Kijima, chairman of the Amami Oshima Ecotour Guide Liaison Council.

"During the preparation period of three years, various attempts were put into practice. In terms of protecting nature, we established a rule regulating admission to Kinsakubaru, a popular natural heritage spot, starting in February 2019. In recent years, there were concerns about the destruction of the natural environment at Kinsakubaru due to the increase in the number of visitors. Therefore, in addition to accompanying certified eco-tour guides, we decided to limit the number of vehicles allowed to enter at the same time to eight to protect the environment and ease congestion. 3 years later, the vegetation on the road shoulders has recovered considerably. On the software side, we also focused on training and educating guides. There are currently 78 certified guides on Amami Oshima. They have basic knowledge of nature, history, and culture, but each guide has his or her own specialty and is full of individuality," he said.

Once asked to review the rules by UNESCO's advisory body, Kijima says that the islanders once again recognized the difficulty of protecting and passing on the island's natural environment, and from October 2021, rules for nighttime use of the Amami City Road Santaro line in Sumiyo-cho were put into trial.

"As a frequent area for Amami black rabbits, the nearby area was attracting more visitors at night, and adverse effects, such as roadkill and increased stress on wildlife, were reported. Therefore, it was decided to require eco-tour guides to accompany visitors and to restrict traffic on the Santaro municipal road to one vehicle each from both directions every 30 minutes.
In fact, both Kinsakubaru and the Santaro line are self-imposed rules that have no legal force. Under the current circumstances, it is not easy to create regulations with penalties, even for nature conservation, and these are voluntary rules set by the islanders to protect the island. However, I urge everyone who visits the island on vacation to respect these rules in order to protect the island's irreplaceable animals and natural environment."

How can travelers enjoy Amami's nature to the fullest?
"We recommend that you take a tour with an eco-tour guide. The attraction of Amami's nature is its "biological diversity," which is one of the requirements for being registered as a World Heritage site.
Going into the forest, seeing different plants and animals one by one, looking them up in picture books if you are curious, there is no end to it (laughs). Of course, that is one way to spend time, but unless you are a researcher, I am sure you will get bored. Each guide has his or her own specialty, and they devise various ways to help visitors learn more about Amami. In addition to listening to what visitors want to see and showing them what they want to see, I myself place importance on conveying the wind and air of Amami. The smell of the sea, the scent of flowers, the chirping of birds... The air that envelops the island is something that many of us enjoy. The air that envelops the island teaches us many things. From there, we can learn about nature, flora and fauna, human life, traditions, culture, and history. I believe that if you can learn about the interconnected matters from many angles, your trip to Amami will be even more memorable. However, we also recommend that you spend some time relaxing on the beach without thinking about such difficult matters. I have seen many tourists return home with a completely different look after spending a few days in Amami's forests and beaches. This is probably due to the power of nature in Amami. Also, since Amami is surprisingly large, please stay for a few days if possible. In fact, that may be the best way to enjoy Amami. "

"The forests tend to get a lot of attention on Amami Oshima, but for my part, I want people to get to know their elders in the village. When I hear them talking in their dialect, I get sleepy (laughs). It is like listening to an old tale, and you are enveloped in a comfortable slumber. I would like to encourage travelers to visit the villages. And in the future, I would like to create a system that allows money to circulate properly in such places. I think this is an important element for tourism to continue for a long time. "

"I feel that the World Heritage registration has deepened the needs of visitors to Amami. In the past, many visitors wanted to visit Kinsakubaru, but now they have more specific requests, such as "I want to see the giant flying fox in Kinsakubaru," or questions about culture and traditions. Many of the visitors from overseas come to the island for birdwatching, and they are not only eager to cross the ocean and visit such a small island, but they are also very enthusiastic about it (laughs). As guides of the island, we feel keenly that we need to learn more so that we can answer their wishes and questions. Every time I encounter a new aspect of the island, I am more and more fascinated by the island of Amami."