According to a local newspaper, about 15,000 tourists visited Amami-oshima to watch the total solar eclipse on July 22, 2009. Hotels, inns and tourist homes were all booked up. Large-scale campsites were prepared for budget travelers both in Kasari-cho and Tatsugo-cho.

On that day, I left my home with my wife and a youth fromTokyo at seven thirty a.m. and arrived at a viewing site in Kasari-cho around eight o'clock. People were already gathering there by twos and threes. From the terrace where we stood, we were able to overlook Ogasari Village and Cape Ayamaru. But much to our regret, it was slightly cloudy. Soft beams of sunlight reached us from time to time, but they were shut out by the clouds very soon. Around nine thirty, we looked up at the sun wearing special glasses and noticed it started getting eclipsed from above. As time elapsed, we were able to confirm the sun was being eclipsed more and more. However, my digital camera captured only fuzzy images of the sun.

Around ten fifty, it suddenly became dark and the cool wind started to blow. After two minutes, the horizon was dyed reddish as if by sunrise or sunset. Itthen became so dark that it was almost impossible to distinguish people's faces. The total eclipse lasted for about three minutes and the light started to return very quickly. Everyone seemed impressed by this mysterious experience.