2026 Setouchi Travel Guide: must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transport & travel experiences (updated in January)

#FireworksFestival Kuniya, Amami Oshima Setouchi Sea Station🎇 #MinatoFestival ----- The fireworks festival held at the "Setouchi Sea Station" in Kuniya, Amami Oshima, is a summer event where you can experience the warmth and excitement that only a remote island can offer🎆 Stalls lined up along the seafront, the scenery of the port town unfolding, and fireworks exploding right before your eyes! The contrast of the light reflected on the sea surface was truly fantastic, and it felt like being part of a local festival 🌺 I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to spend a relaxing summer night that they can't experience in the city ✨ Please stay at a hotel in Kuniya on the night of the festival and enjoy the starry sky in full bloom 🌌 Then, spend the next day watching the sunrise on the beach 🌅 ※This is the state of the event in 2024 (please check for the latest information) ----- Venue 📍Around Setouchi Sea Station 26-14 Kuniya Ominato, Setouchi-cho, Oshima-gun, Kagoshima Prefecture ----- #Fireworks festival #Amami Oshima #Setouchi Sea Station #Remote island trip #Japanese summer

Unlike other sandy beaches, this coast is characterized by a wide expanse of round stones carved by rough waves. The cave on this coast is very mysterious and is a recommended photo spot! ୨୧ ‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥୨୧ Location: Honohoshi Beach Address: Sokari, Setouchi-cho, Oshima-gun, Kagoshima Prefecture Access: Approximately 2 hours by car from Amami Airport Approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes by car from Naze Port Parking: Free parking available ୨୧ ‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥୨୧ #Kagoshima #Kagoshima Tourism #Amami Oshima #Amami Tourism #Kyushu Tourism #Coast #Sea #Nature #Amazing Views #Ocean View #Travel with Me

Address: Take a ferry from Amami Oshima to Kakeroma Island, then rent a bicycle from the ferry dock. Atmosphere/Facilities: The hangars that used to be the base for kamikaze pilots are quietly lined up on the coast. Evaluation: It's important to take seriously the heavy history that once existed on this now peaceful and quiet island. From Amami Oshima, we took another ferry to Kakeroma Island, then rented a bicycle to get there. It was a bit of a struggle to get there, but it was well worth it.

Next, we went to Yadori Beach 🐬 As expected, the water is extremely clear no matter where you go! You can't help but go into the turquoise blue sea. It's mainly a sandy beach, so it's a little difficult to walk, but it's definitely worth it! The southernmost beach in Amami, and you can see Kakeroma Island on the opposite shore. There's shade, so you can escape the heat 🙆🏻‍♀️ There's a parking lot? You can also go by rental car 😚 However, there is no running water, so be careful. Just before, there is another famous beach, Honohoshi Beach, and it looks like you can go there and back 🍒 By the way, someone who works there told me about it. Please go and check it out 🥰 #FreeSpot #AmamiOshima #YadoriBeach #AmazingSeasideView #IslandHopTrip #SummerShortTrip#AmazingView

📅 Itinerary Day 1: Chicken rice, shochu factory, supermarket, Oshima Tsumugi factory Day 2: Mangrove forest, Kochiyama Observatory Day 3: Heart Hill, Hoshino Hoshi Beach, sunset yoga, night tour 🏨 Accommodation: Waterras, Yagijima Hotel, The Scene 🍴 Food spots: Hisakura, Kitahachi 📌 Useful tips: Renting a car is recommended

📍Location: Amami Oshima, Kagoshima Prefecture Approximately an hour by plane from Kagoshima Airport Registered as a World Heritage Site, Amami Oshima is the third-largest island in Kagoshima. ✨ In addition to pristine natural beauty and tourist attractions, the island is also home to delicious delicacies like brown sugar shochu, the only product of its kind in Japan, and chicken rice. ♥️ ♡Recommended Spot 1 Heart Rock, a power spot for love. 🩷 Approximately a 13-minute drive from Amami Airport. Located about 3 minutes from Hotel Basha Yamamura. Apparently, fish swim in the heart-shaped tide pools, which only appear at low tide. Be sure to spot them! 😊 ♡Recommended Spot 2 One of the Ten Views of Amami and the New 100 Views of Kagoshima. The name Ayamaru Pass comes from the resemblance of its rounded, woven "mari" (ball). I'm not sorry at all, but I did a dogeza (a bit of a dogeza) for fun. 🤣 ♡ Recommended Spot 3 One of Amami Oshima's popular tours: Mangrove Canoeing This tour takes you through untouched nature while paddling a canoe. You can get off the canoe and take photos along the way! I recommend doing this at low tide and when there's no wind. 😊 Kuroshio Forest Mangrove Park 60 minutes, 3,000 yen Wear comfortable clothing that you don't mind getting wet! ♡ Recommended Spot 4 Soak up negative ions at Arangachi Falls...♡ After enjoying mangrove canoeing, be sure to experience the waterfall as well. 🎶 Arangachi Falls is about a 25-minute drive from the Mangrove Park! There's a footbridge right up to the waterfall, so anyone can get close safely. 😊 By the way, being a curious and wild person, I walked barefoot across the river rocks to get close to the waterfall basin. lol The waterfall was so impressive! 😮´- ♡ Recommended Spot ⑤ Honohoshi Beach, which was also used as a filming location for a TV drama. The waves here are high and swimming is not permitted, but even just seeing the rounded stones engulfed by the waves is worth seeing! By the way, please be careful not to take the stones home! ♡ Recommended Spot ⑥ A View Reminiscent of a Heart This is an observation deck located on the way from the city to Honohoshi Beach. The intricate bay is shaped like a heart, so be sure to find it! ✨ ♡ Recommended Spot ⑦ Night Tour Hotel pickup and drop-off included. You can see wildlife, plants, and even vipers that are unique to Amami Oshima. When I went, I happened to spot an Amami rabbit in its hole, which I was super lucky to do! We also heard a lot of unusual bird calls, making it a really fun tour, and I highly recommend it! ✨ ♡ Recommended Spot 8 Night Tour at Oyado Nepusu Oyado Nepusu is located near the ocean, and since they offer night tours, we decided to join! If we were lucky, Nora the cat would guide us to the beach! And, as luck would have it, he actually led the way! He even stayed by our side, watching over us until we returned to the inn. 😭 I hope you all get to meet Nora, who is so well behaved...🙏 ♡ Recommended Spot 9 Manenzaki Observatory: A viewing spot overlooking Katetsu Bay and Oshima Strait Not only is the view from here amazing, but even the single tree is charming and makes for some great photos, so I highly recommend it! lol ✨ ♡ Recommended Spot 10 A hill overlooking two oceans Although I didn't include any photos, this spot is also highly recommended! Amami Oshima is a great place to spend just two nights and three days, so be sure to use this as a reference for your trip! 😊✨ #japan #domestictravel #amamioshima #kagoshima #tourism #accommodationreview #enjoyjapan #zeroyentravel2025autumn

📍Location: Kakeroma Island, Kagoshima Prefecture Approximately 20 minutes by ferry from Amami Oshima A very quiet place with few tourists and untouched nature. I rented a car on Amami Oshima and took the ferry, but I think renting locally is less risky, so I recommend renting locally! ♡Recommended Spots♡ Setouchi Town, Kagoshima Prefecture, where Kakeroma Island is located, is said to be the number one bluefin tuna farm in Japan. ✨ One restaurant I recommend for delicious tuna there is Shimagyo Amaumi. Their fresh seafood bowl was so delicious I almost drank it, so I highly recommend giving it a try. 😋 ♡Recommended Spots♡ Kakeroma Island has several beaches! Miku Beach, in particular, is beautiful with its shallow, clear water! Tokuhama Beach was also used as a filming location for the movie "Otoko wa Tsurai yo" (It's Tough Being a Man)! There seems to be a Lion Rock nearby, so try to find it! ❣️ ♡ Recommended Spots ♡ For those looking to relax on the island, we recommend the Pension "Horizon Club." This is a handcrafted inn built by a couple who moved to Kakeroma Island. The owner's attention to detail was evident everywhere, from shellfish lights to shark teeth and musical instruments made from turtle shells! Both dinner and breakfast were made with locally sourced ingredients and were delicious! ✨🤤 The inn is close to the ocean, and the surrounding area is not densely populated, making it a very quiet and relaxing place. The stars are beautiful at night. 🌟 If you're planning a trip to Kakeroma Island, please use this as a reference. 😊 #japan #domestictravel #kakeromaisland #kagoshima #tourism #accommodationreview #enjoyjapan #zeroyentravel2025autumn

"Showa-so" Since I was staying on Amami Oshima for two nights, I stayed at a local guesthouse. It had a warm and welcoming atmosphere, perfect for solo travelers! It was the cheapest place in the area! And it allowed me to experience the mysterious atmosphere of Amami Oshima! Run by a married couple, they were incredibly interesting and I had a great time. They also offer bicycle rentals and guided tours, and next time I'd like to take a night tour of the Amami rabbits! You should definitely try staying on Amami Oshima! #solotravel #domestictravel #amamioshima #guesthouse #solotravel #japantravelguide

📍Kakeroma Island 💰: ¥690 (round-trip ferry fare from Amami Oshima) If you want to see untouched nature, this is the place! It's a bit inaccessible, but the rewards are spectacular and beautiful natural scenery.✨ Kakeroma Island, about a 20-minute ferry ride from Amami Oshima, is home to untouched nature. There are several hotels, restaurants, and cafes, making it a comfortable environment despite being a remote island. Since I was traveling alone this time, I cycled around the island instead of renting a car! It was quite hilly, so I was very tired, but it was also refreshing to ride through nature.☺️ There was a restaurant I wanted to go to for lunch, but it closed around 2 PM, so I couldn't eat there.🥲 I recommend going to cafes and restaurants early.⚠️ #Let'sTravelWithPochikatsu

Traveled solo to Honohoshi Coast 🏝️ I stayed at a hotel called "THE SCENE" near Honohoshi Coast. The meals there were made with local ingredients, and they were all amazing... 😋🥰 It takes about 2 hours by car 🚗 from Amami Airport to the hotel. A rental car is a must! There are almost no traffic lights along the way, so it's easy 😏 The hotel is apparently lively during the season. The hotel's accommodation fee is not cheap, but it was very satisfying. Above all, the hotel staff were so nice...! I would like to go again. No, I definitely want to go again...! It was a wonderful solo trip. Thank you ☺️ #DomesticTravel #KagoshimaTrip #KagoshimaHotel #KagoshimaGourmet #Sea #SeasideScenery #AmamiOshima #AmamiOshimaTrip #HonohoshiCoast

If you want to see the sunset in Amami Oshima, Nishikomi is recommended ☀️❤️ It's about 2 hours by car from Amami Airport 🚗💨 It's about 1 hour and 20 minutes by car from Naze in the city 🚗💨 It's a little far, but if you want to see the sunset in Amami, Nishikomi is a hidden gem that I recommend 🥰🔥 There are no people on the coast, so you can have the sunset all to yourself ☀️ The sea is very beautiful, so you can swim in the sea during the day ✨ In the Nishikomi area, there are cafes, shrines, and buildings used by the former army, so there are surprisingly many places to visit in addition to watching the sunset ✍️💕 Please go to Nishikomi to see the beautiful sunset 🥹☀️ 📍 〒894-1855 Nishikomi, Setouchi-cho, Oshima-gun, Kagoshima Prefecture #DomesticTravelRecordLine #Kagoshima #AmamiOshima #Sunset #Hidden gem

An ocean view restaurant inside the sea station. You can eat freshly caught fish dishes at reasonable prices. The portions are quite large, so you'll be very satisfied! ୨୧ ‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥୨୧ Restaurant: Setouchi Sea Station Seafood Restaurant Address: 2nd floor, 26-14 Koniya Ominato, Setouchi-cho, Oshima-gun, Kagoshima Prefecture Opening hours: 11:00-14:00 Closed: Thursdays Parking: Available ୨୧ ‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥୨୧ #Kagoshima #Kagoshima sightseeing #Amami Oshima #Amami sightseeing #Kyushu sightseeing #Lunch #Seafood #Amami Oshima lunch #Ocean view #Travel with me

The Oshima Strait, located between the main island of Oshima and Kakeroma Island, has been selected as one of the top 10 scenic spots in Amami. The Oshima Strait Observatory is a spot where you can get a panoramic view of the Oshima Strait. ୨୧ ‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥୨୧ Location: Oshima Strait Observatory Address: Satsumakawa, Setouchi-cho, Oshima-gun, Kagoshima Prefecture Access: Approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes by car from Amami Airport Approximately 1 hour by car from Naze Port Parking: Free parking available ୨୧ ‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥୨୧ #Kagoshima #Kagoshima Tourism #Amami Oshima #Amami Tourism #Kyushu Tourism #Observation Deck #Travel with Me

#0yentravel There are few hotels in Kuniya, the southern tip of Amami Oshima, but this hotel was clean and comfortable. There are many convenience stores and izakayas in the area, and the sea station is nearby, so I think it would be a good base for sightseeing on Kakeroma Island. There are two elevators, so there was no waiting time and it was a stress-free stay. 📍Location: Amami Oshima🏖️Atmosphere/Facilities: Clean💰Price per person: 5,000-10,000 #AmamiOshima #KakeromaIsland

📍Honohoshi Beach, Amami Oshima This beach is located on the cape at the southern tip of Amami Oshima. Unlike other beaches on the island, the waves are always rough, so the stones on the beach are round and boulder-like. This spot became famous as the location for the drama "Heaven and Hell: Two Psychos" starring Haruka Ayase and Issei Takahashi. It has been said since ancient times that if you take a stone from Honohoshi Beach home, bad luck will come your way! (Even the sign prohibits taking stones out.) The story of the legend was recreated in the drama. The best time to visit is around low tide! At low tide, you can enter the cave on the beach. I tried making the letters AMAMI out of stones! Lol A photo for memory~📷✨ There are dynamic rock formations that look like they might be found overseas It's a spot with a lot of things to see👍 Add excitement to your daily life:🌙 📍Honohoshi Beach, Amami Oshima📮 Sokari, Setouchi City, Oshima District, Kagoshima Prefecture🚗 About 2 hours by car from Amami Airport🅿️ Parking and toilets available #Sakura2024 #Domestic travel #Scenic spots #Remote island trip #Amami Oshima #Girls trip #Power spot

The Hotel the Scene where I stayed has a heart-shaped pool♥️ It's too small and shallow to swim in, but you can see it from the guest rooms and it's so cute😍 The first floor of the hotel building is the lobby, dining room, and recreation area, and if the weather is good, you can see the stars on the roof! The rooms have a simple white interior. The large glass panels allow you to view the beautiful ocean of Amami Oshima all day long🏖 Also, the guest room bathrooms are made of glass, so you can take a bath while looking at the ocean during the day🛀 Although it's not in the guest rooms, the Scene has the only hot spring on Amami Oshima, which was also very good♨️ I even got to experience sunrise yoga on the wooden deck in the hotel's garden, which refreshed both my body and mind🧘 #AccommodationReport #AmamiOshima #AmamiOshimaTrip

On Kakeroma Island, another ferry ride away from Amami Oshima, stands the Toshio Shimao Literary Monument. Shimao Toshio was assigned to this island as a kamikaze pilot during the war, but remained there until the end of the war. I visited the island along with the remains of the kamikaze boat base next door, and it was a time to reflect on history. #Kagoshima Trip

#SummerWeekendTrip Honohoshi Beach, south of Amami Oshima This is the view in June, with no settlements in the distance and few people around. The water is incredibly clear and the beach is full of boulders. It feels like the far south, like something out of a movie. It's the kind of beach that would look better with gloomy clouds than the midsummer sun.

▽Kakeroma Island It's about a 20-minute ferry ride from the port south of Amami Oshima. Kakeroma Island is a small island with a population of less than 1,000 people. The sea is clean and warm on this island, and there are many beautiful beaches. If you have a car, you can enjoy a lot, such as the large banyan tree and the pier! Please also take a look at Mamoru in front of the elementary school! #Breathtakingview #KakeromaIsland #RemoteIslandTrip

📍Spot📍 Amami Oshima Honohoshi Beach 2 hours by car from Amami Oshima Airport Free parking Honohoshi Beach faces the Pacific Ocean, and the rough waves have made the stones round (*´꒳​`*) They are called jade stones. It's a cool and intense sea that's a little different from the calm and relaxed sea◡̈* The waves are rough and scary, but the sea is really beautiful and you can enjoy watching it (*´꒳​`*) It's also said to be a power spot🥺 I recommend going to Yadori Beach together◡̈*.。 It's the same sea on Amami Oshima, so the atmosphere is completely different and interesting◡̈*.。 #Remote Island Trip #Amami Oshima #Honohoshi Beach #Seaside Scenery #Tourism Support #Breathtaking Scenery