travel guide of Kuchino-erabu island

We islanders are hoping that the population will increase a little more and that young couples with children in particular will come to live on the island. The school will not be able to survive if the number of children decreases. Without a school on the island, a young couple would no longer be able to live on the Kuchinoerabu-jima.
As a result, the population of the island would be reduced at an accelerated rate. We are worried about the above situation.
We need to create more jobs in order to encourage young people to live on the island.

Kuchinoerabu-jima Activation Cooperative

The second half of the 2000s, with a sense of crisis, the islanders began various new efforts.
One of them was launched in 2007. It is "Kuchinoerabu-jima Activation Cooperative".
In order to cultivate Gajitsu (raw materials of medicine) and sweat potatoes (raw materials of Shochu), the youth and seniors leaders of the island joined forces.

Future Creation Council

In 2011, "Kuchinoerabu-jima Future Creation Council" was established by several young islanders.
It was launched for the purpose of remote island activation, to promote efforts to have youths settle on the island.

Hekinko Association

There is a business activity that Mr. Tatsuma Yamachi began. He I-turned to the island in 2006. He founded a "Hekinko Association" and began Kuchinoerabu-jima activation project.

Traditional Arts Preservation Society

Traditional events of Kuchinoerabu-jima are "the dance of Hino-moto" and "the stick dance", which are dedicated to God . The society has been working to try to leave the next generation with these traditions.




"the dance of Hino-moto" :Hinomoto-odori

Ren Minetoma, a junior high school student in Erabu, introduces about Erabu. Dance There were Bo-odori and Hinomoto-odori, before I was born. Bo-odori is dangerous and so violent. However, Hinomoto-odori is gorgeous and gentle. I think both of them are so cool. We have to practice maybe for a month. The real thing makes me feel so nervous and so hot. But we will try hard. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　June, 2014 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　By Ren Minetoma

"the stick dance":Bo-odori

Activities of nature conservation

"The Erabu-Senior Group" has been active in trying to protect the nature. Their purpose is to protect the nature so that people can continue to live on the island and enjoy its rewards.
Their dream is that Kuchinoerabu-jima will be registered as one of the Biosphere Reserves (BR, UNESCO's Man and Biosphere programme).

Biosphere Reserves (UNESCO's Man and Biosphere programme) Biosphere Reserves (BR) are areas of terrestrial and coastal ecosystems, promoting solutions to reconcile the conservation of biodiversity with its sustainable use.

　Academic Activity

A couple of Universities each have continued research in various fields on Kuchinoerabu-jima Island.

Hiroshima University

The graduate students of the aquatic resources biology laboratory of Hiroshima University, have studied on the ecology of fish in the waters of Miura fishing port. In the long-running studies that have lasted 40 years are currently led by Professor Yoichi Sakai.


The following is from the laboratory website:
"In the sea of Kuchinoerabu-jima, water clarity is high, and the water is warm. Moreover, fish that have settled to the reef there are countless. So we study here. Our study aims to explore in detail the society of coral reef fish.
In other words, we study the way of life of individuals."

Kagoshima University

Kagoshima University,Research Center for the Pacific Islands (KURCPI) aims to promote interdisciplinary studies on islands and islands zones in Oceania and its surroundings.
In 2009, the survey was conducted in KuchinoeErabu-jima.

Kagoshima International University

Professor Kimitake Funakoshi of Kagoshima International University and Mr. Satoshi Kunisaki have continued to study on the ecology of Erabu flying fox since the 1970s.

Mr. Yushi Osawa and Mrs. Keiko Osawa

Mr. and Mrs. Osawa have researched the Erabu flying fox. They have visited Kuchino-Erabu several times to study it.

Yakushima Overall Conserving Association (YOCA)

YOCA has been engaged in research of Takaturu-ran (a mycoheterotrophic orchid, Erythrorchis altissima) . Recently, Kuchino-Erabu Senior group joined to the YOCA's project together with associate Professor Yuki Tujita of Saga University.

Hokkaido University

Dr. Shiro Tatsuzawa has been studying Siberian reindeer and the deer of Magejima and Yakushima from the point of view of wildlife management science and conservation ecology. In 2009, survey of deer of Kuchinoerabu-jima was conducted.

Kyoto University

Kyoto University has continued the observation of the active volcano Shin-dake.
By making use of the observation equipment such as seismograph, GPS, television cameras, and satellites to collect data over the Internet, the research is continues to monitor the volcano..

　　　　　　　　　Return to Top