Adan trees that belong to the Pandanus family range from the
Tokara Islands southward to Australia. Most coastlines of the Amami Islands are
bordered with the Adan-belt. Every seaside village in Amami used to have an Adan
forest along its beach. Today, the concrete seawall and tetrapods have almost destroyed its Adan
forest. But at inhabited shores, the Adan forests still function as natural
breakwater.
When it comes to a village with the most pristine Adan forest, the only village that
comes to mind is Katoku (where singer Chitose Hajime is from). However,
uninhabited shores like Tebiro Beach (which is a favorite with surfers) and
Yo-miskai (Cape Kasari) still have a long greenbelt of Adan trees. Development
on these beaches should be the last thing done, if these Adan trees are to
survive.
The Adan (Pandanus Odoratissimus) is dioecious and blooms in
the summer. The fruit seems to mature after two years. When I was a boy, I once
tried some pieces from a ripe, deep orange collective fruit. They were sort of
sweet, but I remember I got an itchy throat after eating them. Overripe fruit
drops and falls apart. The fallen pieces are a weakness of hermit
crabs.
