I would like to introduce you an island called Amami Oshima (奄美大島:アマミオオシマ).
It’s located between Okinawa and Kyushu. (The blue dot is Okinawa.)
Amami Oshima is part of Kagoshima-ken not Okinawa-ken even if it is closer to Okinawa-ken.
You won’t find Amami Oshima in your tourist book. It’s not one of those famous tourist spots. But it’s definitely worth visiting if you like ocean and nature that’s not touched by many tourists.
It was when Jay and I were still dating. <3<3 I think it was the year 2013 when we went to Amami Oshima.
We took Vanilla Air which is LCC airline. They had direct flight from Narita Airport to Amami Oshima.
We arrived at Amami Oshima. It was a very tiny airport.
Back then neither Jay and I had driver’s license so we couldn’t rent a car.
We had to book a hotel close to the airport so there is pick up from hotel.
We planned to stay for 3 nights in Amami Oshima. We booked nicer hotel for the first night and cheaper place for the remaining 2 nights.
The first night was at Amami Oshima Hotel Resort Coral Palms. It’s located 7 minutes from the airport and they had free airport pickup. That was one of the main reasons why we booked the hotel. And most of all, it was right near the ocean that’s supposed to be one of the most beautiful ocean in the island – Dosakari coast (土盛海岸:ドサカリカイガン). It’s called “blue angel” and you will know what I mean once you see it yourself. I think it’s definitely more beautiful than Okinama oceans which is now polluted by many tourists.
There was a pool at the hotel. There was no one else. So we enjoyed the pool all for ourselves.
We had BBQ dinner set the hotel prepared.
We went to the beach. Basically it was a private beach!!!!
At one point, there were just Jay and me in the entire beach. I’ve never experienced such privacy in my entire life. It’s actually scarier than you think when you are alone in the beach.
That’s Jay you see in the picture. 😆
You see no one else.
Look at this clear water! You can see the sands at the bottom of the ocean. 😀
The sand is so white and soft!!
Even with the most people, there were not even 5 groups around. We could enjoy the emerald blue ocean all to ourselves.
Amami Oshima doesn’t have much public transportation. They have taxi but I don’t even know if they have bus. So if you don’t have a rent car, you are basically stuck. If you have a rent car, you have many other choices to go sightseeing in the island. I heard there are many other beautiful oceans for marine activities and placed you can do kayaking, etc.
We didn’t have a car. So we didn’t plan to go far. But we were fine with the blue ocean in front of us.
The next day we moved to the hotel near by. We didn’t have a car so we walked. I am sure it wasn’t that far. But it was burning hot, it felt so far away. By the time we arrived, we were covered with sweats. Yuck… 😥
The hotel was called “Rest and Lodge Sho“. It’s more like a lodge than a hotel just like the name says. We stayed at a twin room with own bathroom and toilet. It was small room but enough for two of us to stay. We didn’t have much to do inside the room anyway.
We enjoyed the “private beach” on the second day too. But the ocean was not as clear as yesterday and there were more waves. We couldn’t see inside the ocean as clear as yesterday but this time we enjoyed riding the waves.
When we got back to the lodge, okami told us there is storm coming. (this okami is not me. 😆 I’m referring to okami of “Rest and Lodge Sho”)
Uh oh…. the storm?!?!
It was THE FACT that we couldn’t go to the ocean the next day which was our last day at Amami Oshima. It was too bad but there was nothing we could do.
We woke up the next day and it was already pouring raining. 🙁 Look at the ocean.. It was completely different from the other day.
We didn’t have any other choice but to stay in our tiny room after we had breakfast. After a while, the owner came and blocked the windows with hurricane shutters just in case. We couldn’t see outside…. We had many yadokari(“hermit crab”) friends we brought us yesterday with us so we watched them play (or more like “fight”) for a while.
We received a phone call from okami saying she could lend us her car so we can go to other place if we want. She must have felt bad for us…
But we told her we don’t have driver’s license. She was very kind to offer to lend her car.
After a while, we got another call from okami saying she’s taking two other guests to a supermarket. If we want, we can go with them.
There was no supermarket or convenience store near so it didn’t sound like a bad idea to tag along.
Five of us including Jay and I got on the car and headed to the supermarket. We rode the car for more than 30 minutes and we still weren’t there yet. It must’ve been really inconvenient to live in this island if you have to drive more than 30 minutes to go to supermarket. Or maybe you get used to it.
The rain was getting worse by the time we arrived at the supermarket. Okami told us to shop for 30 minutes and be back. Jay and I bought some beer and snacks and also some food for lunch. It was survival food. 😯
Then we came back to the lodge and stayed in our room for a while drinking and eating what we bought. We had some nap and it was time for dinner. There was nothing to do if we couldn’t go to the ocean and we didn’t have a car. After we had dinner, owner and okami offered to come drink with them with other guests and friends. We had no better things to do so decided to join them.
Owner opened a bottle of shoju and offered us free drinks. That night we were not just guests staying at their lodge but more like friends visiting their place. We had good time drinking and eating. We were worried about our flight the next day. And everyone there were worried for us too.
The next day our flight got canceled and the storm continued… We were stuck in our room with blocked windows again. 😥
I had a rabbit at home with enough food and water for our trip so unplanned extra nights at Amami Oshima wasn’t good at all. I was worried about my rabbit….
But there was nothing I could do.
Okami also wasworried about my rabbit too. I really appreciated her sympathy.
We ended up staying extra 2 nights because of the storm. 😯
We were so happy when okami told us in the morning the flight will depart!! We could finally go home!!!!
The island was sunny and the ocean was blue again. After breakfast we briefly walked to the beach and enjoyed the last moment. We almost wanted to stay longer but at the same time we were glad we could finally get out of the island.
My rabbit also survived fine. I was so glad.
If I think back, that was Jay and my first experience of guest house. Rest and Lodge Sho wasn’t exactly a guest house, but the warm atmosphere and welcoming culture is what we would like for our guest house Omoide House. They are one of the role models.
One day I would like to visit the lodge again and tell them this myself.
Passion fruits we brought from Amami Oshima were soooooooo good!!!
Especially in the Amami Oshima shoju.
Okami 🙄