The Amami Islands (Japanese: 奄美群島, Hepburn: Amami-guntō) are a Japanese archipelago in the Satsunan Islands, which is part of the Ryukyu Islands, and is southwest of Kyushu. Administratively, the group belongs to Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. The Geospatial Information Authority of Japan and the Japan Coast Guard agreed on February 15, 2010, to use the name of Amami-guntō (奄美群島) for the Amami Islands. Prior to that, Amami-shotō (奄美諸島) was also used. The name of Amami is probably cognate with Amamikyu (阿摩美久), the goddess of creation in the Ryukyuan creation myth.

The Amami Islands are limestone islands of coralline origin and have a total area of approximately 1,240.28 square kilometres (478.87 sq mi), of which 308.3 square kilometres (119.0 sq mi) constitute the city (-shi) of Amami, and 931.9 square kilometres (359.8 sq mi) constitute the district (-gun) of Oshima. The highest elevation is Yuwandake with a height of 694 metres (2,277 ft) on Amami Ōshima. The islands have a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with very warm summers and mild winters. Precipitation is high throughout the year, but is highest in the months of May, June and September. The area is subject to frequent typhoons.

The population of the Amami Islands on 1 October 2020 was 104,281, of which 41,390 were in the city of Amami-shi and 62,891 were in the district of Oshima-gun.

Islanders started to produce earthenware from 6,000 years ago, affected by the Jōmon culture in Kyushu. Initially, the styles were similar to those of the main islands of Japan, but later, a style original to Amami, known as "Usuki Lower Style", was developed.

Among Japanese literature, mention of the islands first appeared in the late 7th century. The Nihon Shoki contains an entry dated 657 referring to Amami-shima (海見嶋; "Amami Island"), and to the Amami-bito (阿麻弥人; "Amami people") in 682. The Shoku Nihongi refers to Amami (菴美) in 699 and Amami (奄美) in 714. All of these are believed to be identical to the current Amami. The tenth kentō-shi mission (Japanese Imperial embassies to China) traveled to Tang dynasty China via Amami Ōshima.

Among locals, this prehistoric period is called the Amami period (奄美世, Aman'yu).

Agriculture came to the islands around the 12th century, and the people shifted to farming from hunting. As on Okinawa Island, this resulted in the development of a nobility class called the aji, who resided in castles called gusuku. Famous gusuku included Beru Castle in Kasari, Amami, and Yononushi Castle in Wadomari. Stronger aji battled each other to expand their territories. Local folklore states that some Taira clan members, having lost the Battle of Dan-no-ura in 1185, fled to Amami Ōshima. The historical accuracy of this claim is unknown.

This gusuku period is sometimes called the Aji period (按司世, Ajin'yu).