I just got back from a trip to Amami-Oshima. It was our company trip, so the first two days, I enjoyed some activities my boss chose with my coworkers. And I stayed an additional night, which I paid for out of my own pocket. I want to talk about my trip in the next few posts. Today, I'll tell you a little about the island itself.

Amami-Oshima is the biggest island in the Amami Island chain, which is located halfway between Okinawa and Kyushu. The Amami Islands have a humid subtropical climate and a very complicated history. The people of these islands were at the mercy of neighboring powers, such as the Ryukyu Kingdom in Okinawa and the Satsuma Domain in Kyushu. They were also a key trading hub with China, and just after WW2, like Okinawa, they were placed under US control. The people speak a language similar to the Ryukyuan language, but it's more influenced by Japanese than the one spoken in Okinawa.

Amami folk music uses scales similar to those found in traditional Japanese music, while its rhythms are closer to those of Ryukyuan music. Yet its melodies and singing style are uniquely its own and cannot be described simply as a blend of Japanese and Ryukyuan traditions. It has a magical originality and complexity, and a lot of prominent singers come from there. As a music lover, I couldn't leave there without experiencing this aspect of the island culture. That's the reason I stayed longer than my coworkers.