Amami Tours

Amami Tours is a wholly independent tour guiding service owned and operated by long-time Japan resident John Cantu. Originally from Perth, Western Australia, John has built a rich and diverse connection with the country he has called home for over 22 years.

Before establishing Amami Tours, John spent 5 years working as an adventure guide in Australia and over a decade as a translator in Tokyo. Prior to all of this, he studied in Niigata and later at Tokyo's Komazawa University, where he majored in Japanese History.

John has also worked closely with the Ministry of Environment and Kagoshima Prefecture on projects focused on Amami’s nature and culture. Most recently, he served as translator for the 2025 publication of the "Amami Islands" guide issued by the prefectural government.
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As the first and most experienced English-speaking guide on Amami, John has been sharing the island’s hidden beauty since founding Amami Tours in 2021 — from extraordinary scenery and exquisite oshima tsumugi to breathtaking beaches, delicious local cuisine, enchanting shima uta, rare wildlife, and the island’s beloved kokuto shochu — explore this gorgeous island with him.