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Archipelago within the Ryukyu Islands
Photo: Soica2001 (talk), Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
The Tokara Islands (トカラ列島 Tokara-rettō, sometimes 吐噶喇列島) are a small archipelago in Japan, south of Kyushu and north of the Amami Islands. They are also sometimes known as the Toshima Islands (十島), lit. "Ten Islands", and the name is preserved in the name of the administrative division, Toshima-mura, that covers them.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
中之島天文台 Nakanoshima-tenmondai
The largest telescope in Kyushu, with a 60-cm mirror. Open most evenings, but reservations required.
歴史民俗資料館 Rekishi-minzoku-shiryokan
The only museum in the islands. A modest affair, and the exhibits are only in Japanese.
ボゼ祭り
A local variant of Japan's Bon festival, held yearly on the 16th of July in the old calendar; meaning sometime between August and September. The island's men dress up in bizarre, spectacular costumes made of palm leaves and husk, representing the Masked God Boze, and dance to scare away the devils and bring in a new year.
民宿くらしおの宿
すわのせゲストハウス
Three air-conditioned free-standing cabins, two of which have kitchen facilities for self-catering.
html, tel. 099-222-2101, which sails between Kagoshima and Naze on Amami Oshima twice a week, dropping in at all the islands on the way.
Read in the guideSince the Ferry Toshima is the only way to travel, island-hopping is time-consuming: once you get on an island, you're generally stuck there for several days.
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Amami · Regional · ASJ
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