Tokuno Shima

Tokunoshima (Tokuno Shima) is an island in the Amami group of Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, and part of the Ryukyu island chain. The island is noted for its subtropical environment and distinctive local culture.

Visitors encounter sandy beaches, coral reefs, low forested hills and agricultural landscapes dominated historically by sugar cane and other crops. A prominent cultural highlight is the island’s traditional form of bullfighting (tōgyū), plus local festivals, village settlements and coastal scenery.

The island has been inhabited by Ryukyuan people for centuries, later incorporated under the Satsuma domain after the early 17th century. Tokunoshima, along with other Amami islands, experienced U.S. administration after World War II and was returned to Japanese administration in the 1950s.

Geographically it lies in the East China Sea within the Amami archipelago of Kagoshima Prefecture, between the larger Amami Ōshima and the Okinawa island groups. The island is part of Japan’s subtropical southern islands and is served by regional transport connections.

• Bullfighting tradition: Local bullfighting is a distinct cultural tradition; event schedules are tied to local festivals and public holidays.
• Transport links: Island transport includes an airport and regular ferry links to nearby Amami islands, making it accessible from the rest of Kagoshima Prefecture.

What to See #

• Tokunoshima Airport: Regional airport providing scheduled flights to larger islands and the main transport link for visitors arriving by air.
• Bullfighting arenas: Traditional bullfighting venues where locally bred bulls contest one another in non-lethal matches that are important cultural events, especially during festivals.
• Beaches and reefs: Sandy beaches, coral-fringed coasts and nearshore reefs used for swimming and snorkeling; coastal landscapes alternate with low, forested hills inland.