Edateku Island, Desert island in Uken, Japan.
Edateku Island is an uninhabited island in the Amami archipelago, located roughly 380 kilometers south of Kyushu in the Pacific Ocean. The island retains its natural form with coastlines and vegetation that remain largely untouched by human activity.
In the 1970s, authorities planned to use the island as an oil reserve, but residents of nearby villages successfully opposed this project. This rejection saved the island from industrial development and preserved its untouched condition.
The island belongs to the Amami Islands region, where traditional crafts, music practices, and local customs remain preserved through generations of inhabitants.
Visitors need careful planning and must rely on populated neighboring islands, as direct transportation to the island is limited. There are no established visitor facilities or services there, so self-sufficiency is required.
The island is the original habitat of Achalinus werneri, a snake species found nowhere else in the world. This rare creature makes the island a place of biological interest for natural scientists.
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