1
Amami Airport
ASJ • RJKA
Northern Tatsugo diving bases are typically reached by road; central Naze is further southwest. • Airport to Naze by airport bus about 55 minutes; Setouchi/Koniya needs an additional onward road/bus connection.
Logistics · Destination Guide
Coral bays, rare macro life and World Heritage forest, with a separate Kakeroma boat-and-ferry circuit.
Use this travel brief to set arrival flow, local transit, and gear movement before you lock your itinerary.
Fly to Amami Airport (ASJ/RJKA) in northern Amami Oshima. The airport publishes domestic services through JAL/JAC/J-Air, Peach and Skymark; actual routes and seats change by date. JNTO also documents the overnight Kagoshima-to-Naze passenger-ferry route, and Marix Line posts dated sailings and cabin prices. There are no direct overseas flights to assume. Naze is a central logistics base, Tatsugo is more convenient for northern diving, and the road south to Koniya is a separate leg. To visit Kakeroma itself, take the municipal Koniya-Sesou or Koniya-Ikema ferry or a verified sea taxi; a guided boat dive around Kakeroma does not imply a passenger landing.
Amami Airport
ASJ • RJKA
Northern Tatsugo diving bases are typically reached by road; central Naze is further southwest. • Airport to Naze by airport bus about 55 minutes; Setouchi/Koniya needs an additional onward road/bus connection.
Amami Oshima domestic gateway near Kasari/Tatsugo; the airport lists JAL/JAC/J-Air, Peach and Skymark route information. Verify actual route, aircraft and baggage capacity with the airline.
Transport: Rental car, Shima Bus toward Naze, Prearranged hotel/operator pickup where offered, Taxi
Renting a car is usually the most flexible way to connect Tatsugo, Naze, Koniya and remote beaches. Shima Bus operates an airport-Naze route (about 55 minutes) and onward connections to Koniya; current schedule pages were updated for October 2026. Confirm last services and operator pickup points. On Kakeroma, the tourism association identifies limited rentals and bus service but no conventional taxi system; arrange transport for the correct landing (Sesou or Ikema). Do not assume road or ferry schedules allow the same-day return after a late dive.
Amami Oshima is part of Japan. Visitors enter under the same Japan passport and visa rules as other domestic destinations, with no separate island immigration visa. JNTO advises a valid passport and nationality-specific checks through Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including whether a short-stay visa exemption applies. Diving, protected forest access and wildlife participation may impose separate operator qualification or certified-guide requirements.
Local shops advertise rental scuba sets, snorkel equipment and wetsuits; reserve sizes ahead and verify cylinders, weights, refill and tank collection if using personal gear. Kohollo requires a certification card for fun diving and appropriate certified/open-water skills for whale swimming. RIKI runs all boat dives from its Kakeroma base. AMAMI Freediving normally meets at the training site and does not provide routine pickup. Pack warm surface layers for winter boat trips, protection for tropical sun and a backup land day for wind or typhoon cancellations.
Japanese Yen (JPY)
Use yen for dive boats, ferries, car rentals and rural food. Credit cards are increasingly accepted in central Naze, but the Amami tourist association warns that many outlets outside central areas are cash-only. Ask each operator about its accepted payment methods.
Amami tourism reports bank/postal ATMs at the airport and selected FamilyMart locations plus the Aeon Amami area. Withdraw enough yen before heading to Koniya or Kakeroma; do not depend on an ATM near remote dive meeting points.
100V • 60Hz • A, B
Standard Japanese household electricity is 100V; Kagoshima/Amami uses western Japan 60Hz. Most travelers need a Type A compatible adapter; Type B grounding may not be available at every socket. Confirm camera charger and medical-device voltage ratings.
Communications
Mobile service exists on much of the main island, but official Amami tourism advice warns of gaps in mountain areas and on Kakeroma. Download offline maps and keep operator telephone numbers available; do not rely on mobile coverage for remote marine emergencies. Wi-Fi may be found in some hotels and public places, not every harbor or beach.
Language
Japanese is dominant in villages, ferry offices and smaller dive shops. Some providers publish English pages, including Kohollo and AMAMI Freediving, but English-speaking staff are not guaranteed on every departure. Use written Japanese place names for Koniya, Sesou, Ikema, Tatsugo and Naze when arranging transfers.
Insurance
Check that medical, accident, chamber/recompression, maritime search/evacuation, scuba depth and freediving are covered, including optional whale or dolphin swim activities. AMAMI Freediving explicitly warns instructor liability cover may not insure participant injury. The hospital's documented hyperbaric unit does not remove the need for appropriate evacuation and treatment coverage.
Packing list
Bring a sun hat, UV clothing, rash guard, current-season wetsuit or drysuit as directed by operators, windproof/waterproof boat layer in winter, motion-sickness medication if appropriate, reef-conscious sunscreen, personal dive certification card, medications, cash, insect repellent, trail shoes, a dry bag and offline maps. For a one-day island extension, carry return-ferry buffers and rain protection.