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Amami in a Nutshell: Amami City Museum

Few destinations can boast a taste of Amami’s nature, culture and history without leaving downtown Amami City. Let's take a deep dive into what makes the Amami City Museum hold this rare distinction!

Front of the City Museum

Open every day from 9-5, this museum has been active in recording and compiling the island’s history since 1987. Its three floors of exhibits are each given a unique theme, introducing you to the Amami Islands through different lenses.

Floor 1 – Sea

Entrance view of the Amami City Museum.

Emphasizing Amami’s oceanic location, the first floor is themed to the sea surrounding Amami Oshima: this is a fantastic space to learn about the island's unique geography and regional characteristics. A large-scale model of the island greets you at the entrance, introducing you to Amami's mountanous and beautiful terrain.

Inner exhibits of the first floor

Exhibits further inward introduce you to the many towns on the island, as well as key cultural aspects, such as the island’s unique music known as Shima-uta.

Floor 2 - Village

Relics of the US Occupation Era (1945-1953) Exhibit

The second floor lets you dive deep into Amami’s rich history, with a particular theme on what the museum calls “boundary history.” This refers to Amami’s unique location between Japan, Okinawa, and China; showing how Amami has been influenced by all three. The second-floor walls narrate the long-term changes in Amami over its various historical eras, while relics and stories illustrate how this affected life on the island.

One of the most interesting parts of Amami's history is that it is divided into different eras than that of mainland Japan, including the Aji Era (800s-1400s) and Naha Era (1400s-1609). The City Museum is the best place to learn about this one-of-a-kind history, unique from anywhere else in Japan.

Excerpts and interactive replicas from the Nanto Zatsuwa exhibit

Extra attention has been paid to recreating scenes and tools from the 'Nanto Zatsuwa,' an Edo-era account of the Amami Islands. Try your hand at some of the interactive exhibits and experience the working life of a traditional islander!

Floor 3 – Mountains

An owl says hello from the model forest

The third and final floor embraces the theme of the mountains, to give a detailed introduction to both natural and human life on Amami. This includes a large replica of Amami’s forests, featuring unique flora and fauna only found on the island. There is also information dedicated to its recent registration as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site.

Next, the exhibits display how this nature has influenced daily life on the island, featuring month-by-month descriptions of seasonal foods, weather, and special events. Here, you can experience a year on the island in just a few minutes!

Outer Garden - Village Recreation

Finally, the museum grounds also contain a model village, showcasing traditional Amami architecture.

This serene location is the perfect opportunity to see the history displayed in the museum brought to life.

Amami City Museum or Amami Park?

Sunlight illuminates Amami Park's main hall

Previously, we covered Amami Park, another essential visit which also contains exhibits relating to Amami’s culture and natural beauty. Both are worth seeing, but they are in different areas of the island, with some distance between them as a result.
If you’re in a situation where you must choose visiting one over the other, consider the following:

Amami City Museum or Amami Park? - Facilities

Recreation of a traditional Amami village in Amami Park's exhibition area.

Amami Park consists of an exhibition area as well as an art museum, observation tower, cafeteria, and a small movie theatre.
The exhibition space here focuses more on communicating the island’s traditional lifestyle and culture, as well as recreating the atmosphere of a rural island town.

The Amami City Museum is a smaller, more compact space made up of just the three floors of exhibits and a small reading space. There are, however, several restaurants located nearby.

The Museum offers a lowkey, relaxed environment for learning more about the island. By comparison, Amami Park varies greatly by area: the main hall and exhibition area have a busier, more energetic atmosphere, while the art museum is beautifully tranquil.

Amami City Museum or Amami Park? - Time

Lobby of the Tanaka Isson Memorial Art Museum

The larger number of attractions at Amami Park make it more suitable for longer outings, providing anywhere from a couple of hours to a half day's worth of things to do and see.
When it comes to the smaller City Museum, 1-2 hours will be enough to sate most visitors’ curiosity.

Also be sure to consider travel time, which leads us to…

Amami City Museum or Amami Park? - Location

Amami City Museum from a distance.

Depending on where you are staying in Amami, one will likely be closer than the other.

Amami Park is located in Kasari: very close to the airport, as well as the many beach resorts operating in the northern part of the island.
The City Museum is in the Nagahama district of the main city, Naze, located in the center of the island. This places it close to most major hotels, as well as right next to where cruise ships enter at Naze Port.

Keep these locations in mind when planning out your trip for the most pleasant experience in discovering the beautiful Amami Islands.