Tokunoshima, UNESCO Heritage island in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan
Tokunoshima is an island between Amami Oshima and Okinoerabujima covering 248 square kilometers and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in Kagoshima Prefecture. The coasts are made of coral, while dense laurel forests grow inland and cover much of the landscape.
The territory became part of the Satsuma Domain during the Edo period and maintained links with both mainland Japan and the Ryukyu Kingdom. This double connection shaped local administration and trade for several centuries.
The island preserves a tradition called togyu, where bulls face each other in organized contests while people stand and watch. These matches have taken place for more than four centuries and draw locals and visitors who gather in simple arenas.
Flights from Kagoshima Airport or ferries departing from Kobe and Kagoshima bring travelers to the ports of Kametoku and Hetono. Walking through the forests requires good footwear, as the paths can be uneven and pass through humid vegetation.
The Amami rabbit and the Tokunoshima spiny rat live only on this island and exist nowhere else on Earth. Both species are nocturnal and usually appear only after dark on quiet forest paths.
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