Yakushima, a beautiful and magical island
Dec 22nd, 2024 | 10:34 AM
#1
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Joined: Jan 2003
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Yakushima, a beautiful and magical island
Its been a month since we returned from our wonderful 5 week trip to Taiwan and Japan and I just have not been able to write a trip report this time around. Ill try to write more in the future, but, for now, please enjoy this write-up on Yakushima. There is little on this board about this wonderful island and I hope this adds yet another option when visiting Japan.
We spent 2 weeks in Taiwan then flew to Fukuoka and traveled through Kyushu for a little over 2 weeks by public transportation before flying to Kyoto to end our trip.
This was our second trip to Japan and, as many of you may remember, I went back and forth on the itinerary. Was it perfect, I dont know, but by the end of our trip, we were very happy with our travels. Kyushu, including Yakushima, is less-visited, more relaxed, a bit more outdoorsy focused, has 2 active volcanoes and a general emphasis on nature. Oh, and onsens! Cant forget the onsens!
Our itinerary in Kyushu was: Fukuoka (3); Kurokawa Onsen (2); Kumamoto (2); Nagasaki (3); Kagoshima (2) and Yakushima (3). We ended our trip in Kyoto (5 nights).
But Yakushima, a wild and beautiful island, was a highlight. I had debated whether or not to include this island and we were so glad we visited. Its a subtropical island off the southern tip of Kyushu and a UNESCO world heritage site, known for its natural beauty - an incredible landscape of dense mountains and ancient forests which are made up of mostly huge cedar trees. Its a magical place and was a fantastic place to visit.
The ferry, or high speed hydrofoil, from Kagoshima (loved this small city) took about 2 1/2 hours to Yakushima. We stayed 3 nights on the island at Minshuku Yakusugi Sou, a very simple guest house in Miyanoura, the largest village on the island and the location of the main ferry port. The minshuku provided excellent dinners and breakfasts and was very close to town. As we were unsure whether or not we were going to rent a car (Japan has left side driving) and its public transportation is limited, it was convenient and a good choice.
We booked everything through YES Yakushima, an excellent company (and the primary company on the island) running tours and working as a travel agent on Yakushima, and the bookings included our minshuku, ferry tickets, and yes, even a car.
https://yesyakushima.com
We took a round the island tour with YES Yakushima, and, through them, we met the delightful Miho, who was wonderful company for an amazing day, exploring many of the sites. And we made a new friend.
FYI - we opted not to do any of the hiking tours that the company also runs as we are not hikers and we were concerned that wed have a difficult time with a hike. And it turns out we were right! We met a much younger couple later on the trip who were very achey and described a difficult hike. Our round-the-island tour was perfect - it gave us a real flavor of the island without the stress.
One of the first stops gave us our taste of the beauty of the interior of the island, filled with rivers and streams, cedar and other trees bursting out of the ground and reaching the sky, waterfalls and rocks of all shapes and sizes that were shaped by the eons of rushing water.
As we drive, the weather changes so quickly that one can be in bright sun one minute and deep, dark clouds and even pouring rain the next moment! Yakushima receives the highest rainfall in Japan but we were lucky and only experienced a few short periods of rain during our stay.
While driving around the island, we saw lots of macaques and deer. Yakushima has a strict policy of not feeding macaques so they arent aggressive toward humans (unless, of course, they feel threatened), so we were able to get moderately close to them without their reacting. We saw groups of female macaques grooming each other - at one point, we saw 3 small groups near each other and were able to walk between them without disturbing them. Amazing experience.
Yakusugi Land
And, on our own, we traveled to Yakusugi Land, one of the nature parks on the island. This was an amazing visit and accessible, too, (although we arent hikers, we do enjoy walking). This was perfect for us - we got a wonderful flavor of the remarkable landscape and it didnt kill is!
Heres what Japan guide says about this site:
Yakusugi Land (屋久杉ランド) is a nature park populated by a number of yakusugi (Yakushima Cedars that are over 1000 years old), such as the Buddhasugi, Futagosugi and Sennensugi, along with a series of well developed trails that lead through them. The park is one of the most accessible places on Yakushima to see the ancient cedar trees, as many of the trees are just a short walk from the park entrance.
The park has a variety of hiking courses to choose from that will accommodate nearly any ability. The recommended courses vary in length from 30 minutes to 2.5 hours, and they all follow the same route into the park with different turnoff points that lead back to the trailhead.
Yakushima morning
The day we left, we walked down the road from our minshuku to see a master wood craftsman, Mr. Nakashima, who has a small guest house and the most beautiful gallery of work. And one who Id honor as a sensei, or master. His work is exquisite. On one side of the building is a shop with lovely items for sale and the other side is a gallery with the most beautifully-rendered wooden sculptures. I was sorry we didnt stay here (Id originally considered it), but it was just far enough down the road that if we didnt rent a car, it wouldve been a problem. But Im glad we stopped by and saw the work and bought a small but beautiful carved dish.
After a small lunch, we drive to the airport, where we took a domestic Japan Air flight to Osaka (Itami). And then we say farewell to the glorious Yakushima which now holds a special place in our heart.
We spent 2 weeks in Taiwan then flew to Fukuoka and traveled through Kyushu for a little over 2 weeks by public transportation before flying to Kyoto to end our trip.
This was our second trip to Japan and, as many of you may remember, I went back and forth on the itinerary. Was it perfect, I dont know, but by the end of our trip, we were very happy with our travels. Kyushu, including Yakushima, is less-visited, more relaxed, a bit more outdoorsy focused, has 2 active volcanoes and a general emphasis on nature. Oh, and onsens! Cant forget the onsens!
Our itinerary in Kyushu was: Fukuoka (3); Kurokawa Onsen (2); Kumamoto (2); Nagasaki (3); Kagoshima (2) and Yakushima (3). We ended our trip in Kyoto (5 nights).
But Yakushima, a wild and beautiful island, was a highlight. I had debated whether or not to include this island and we were so glad we visited. Its a subtropical island off the southern tip of Kyushu and a UNESCO world heritage site, known for its natural beauty - an incredible landscape of dense mountains and ancient forests which are made up of mostly huge cedar trees. Its a magical place and was a fantastic place to visit.
The ferry, or high speed hydrofoil, from Kagoshima (loved this small city) took about 2 1/2 hours to Yakushima. We stayed 3 nights on the island at Minshuku Yakusugi Sou, a very simple guest house in Miyanoura, the largest village on the island and the location of the main ferry port. The minshuku provided excellent dinners and breakfasts and was very close to town. As we were unsure whether or not we were going to rent a car (Japan has left side driving) and its public transportation is limited, it was convenient and a good choice.
We booked everything through YES Yakushima, an excellent company (and the primary company on the island) running tours and working as a travel agent on Yakushima, and the bookings included our minshuku, ferry tickets, and yes, even a car.
https://yesyakushima.com
We took a round the island tour with YES Yakushima, and, through them, we met the delightful Miho, who was wonderful company for an amazing day, exploring many of the sites. And we made a new friend.
FYI - we opted not to do any of the hiking tours that the company also runs as we are not hikers and we were concerned that wed have a difficult time with a hike. And it turns out we were right! We met a much younger couple later on the trip who were very achey and described a difficult hike. Our round-the-island tour was perfect - it gave us a real flavor of the island without the stress.
One of the first stops gave us our taste of the beauty of the interior of the island, filled with rivers and streams, cedar and other trees bursting out of the ground and reaching the sky, waterfalls and rocks of all shapes and sizes that were shaped by the eons of rushing water.
As we drive, the weather changes so quickly that one can be in bright sun one minute and deep, dark clouds and even pouring rain the next moment! Yakushima receives the highest rainfall in Japan but we were lucky and only experienced a few short periods of rain during our stay.
While driving around the island, we saw lots of macaques and deer. Yakushima has a strict policy of not feeding macaques so they arent aggressive toward humans (unless, of course, they feel threatened), so we were able to get moderately close to them without their reacting. We saw groups of female macaques grooming each other - at one point, we saw 3 small groups near each other and were able to walk between them without disturbing them. Amazing experience.
Yakusugi Land
And, on our own, we traveled to Yakusugi Land, one of the nature parks on the island. This was an amazing visit and accessible, too, (although we arent hikers, we do enjoy walking). This was perfect for us - we got a wonderful flavor of the remarkable landscape and it didnt kill is!
Heres what Japan guide says about this site:
Yakusugi Land (屋久杉ランド) is a nature park populated by a number of yakusugi (Yakushima Cedars that are over 1000 years old), such as the Buddhasugi, Futagosugi and Sennensugi, along with a series of well developed trails that lead through them. The park is one of the most accessible places on Yakushima to see the ancient cedar trees, as many of the trees are just a short walk from the park entrance.
The park has a variety of hiking courses to choose from that will accommodate nearly any ability. The recommended courses vary in length from 30 minutes to 2.5 hours, and they all follow the same route into the park with different turnoff points that lead back to the trailhead.
Yakushima morning
The day we left, we walked down the road from our minshuku to see a master wood craftsman, Mr. Nakashima, who has a small guest house and the most beautiful gallery of work. And one who Id honor as a sensei, or master. His work is exquisite. On one side of the building is a shop with lovely items for sale and the other side is a gallery with the most beautifully-rendered wooden sculptures. I was sorry we didnt stay here (Id originally considered it), but it was just far enough down the road that if we didnt rent a car, it wouldve been a problem. But Im glad we stopped by and saw the work and bought a small but beautiful carved dish.
After a small lunch, we drive to the airport, where we took a domestic Japan Air flight to Osaka (Itami). And then we say farewell to the glorious Yakushima which now holds a special place in our heart.
Last edited by progol; Dec 22nd, 2024 at 10:43 AM.
Dec 22nd, 2024 | 11:09 AM
#3
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,398
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Around the island with Miho, our YES Yakushima guide
Overlook
The marvelous Miho, a dancer who moved to Yakushima
A macaque
A wonderful walk into the beauty of the island
A wonderful walk into the beauty of the island
A wonderful walk
A wonderful walk
I’m really overwhelmed - and we just started!
Amazing rocks and rushing water
Vistas everywhere
Walkway into the mystical land
Glorious!
The wildlife!
I love this photo that Miho took of us. It shows how close one can get without disturbing the macaques. The only time they reacted was when someone else who had stopped to photograph them walked right up to them. The few cars that came by drove right through without disturbing them!
Overlook
The marvelous Miho, a dancer who moved to Yakushima
A macaque
A wonderful walk into the beauty of the island
A wonderful walk into the beauty of the island
A wonderful walk
A wonderful walk
I’m really overwhelmed - and we just started!
Amazing rocks and rushing water
Vistas everywhere
Walkway into the mystical land
Glorious!
The wildlife!
I love this photo that Miho took of us. It shows how close one can get without disturbing the macaques. The only time they reacted was when someone else who had stopped to photograph them walked right up to them. The few cars that came by drove right through without disturbing them!
Last edited by progol; Dec 22nd, 2024 at 11:19 AM.
Dec 22nd, 2024 | 11:59 AM
#7
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,398
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Last morning in Yakushima
View from minshuku
View from minshuku
Inside the minshuku
Walking along the road
Mr. Nakushima, woodworker
Woodcarving
Woodcarving
Simple wood dish
A delightful meeting
Yakusugi and us!
Near the airport - a warm farewell!
View from minshuku
View from minshuku
Inside the minshuku
Walking along the road
Mr. Nakushima, woodworker
Woodcarving
Woodcarving
Simple wood dish
A delightful meeting
Yakusugi and us!
Near the airport - a warm farewell!
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Dec 22nd, 2024 | 12:26 PM
#10
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Joined: Jan 2003
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Oh, that youre now even thinking about Yakushima makes me so happy! We loved it - and were not really outdoorsy types! But Yakushima has such a wonderful vibe and is so beautiful that its hard not to be taken by the island.
Dec 22nd, 2024 | 12:33 PM
#12
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And no snakes.
Last edited by progol; Dec 22nd, 2024 at 12:51 PM.
Dec 22nd, 2024 | 01:19 PM
#13
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,318
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Thank you for that reassurance....
A few years ago I was in Iwakuni and did a detour around the Kikko Park area to avoid the White Snake Museum.....I know they are sacred but still....Unfortunately the weather was rainy and windy and I didn't take the ropeway up to the castle....
A few years ago I was in Iwakuni and did a detour around the Kikko Park area to avoid the White Snake Museum.....I know they are sacred but still....Unfortunately the weather was rainy and windy and I didn't take the ropeway up to the castle....
Dec 24th, 2024 | 01:05 PM
#14
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,398
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Thank you for that reassurance....
A few years ago I was in Iwakuni and did a detour around the Kikko Park area to avoid the White Snake Museum.....I know they are sacred but still....Unfortunately the weather was rainy and windy and I didn't take the ropeway up to the castle....
A few years ago I was in Iwakuni and did a detour around the Kikko Park area to avoid the White Snake Museum.....I know they are sacred but still....Unfortunately the weather was rainy and windy and I didn't take the ropeway up to the castle....
Dec 27th, 2024 | 04:20 PM
#16
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The flight from Yakushima was on a domestic JAL flight and we flew into Itami. Easy flight and comfortable, too. Hotel Mume then arranged for a driver since we arrived in Osaka in the late afternoon and it was a treat not having to deal with transporting ourselves to Kyoto.
Dec 27th, 2024 | 06:04 PM
#18
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I’m thrilled that Mume was a highlight for you! That is a special place and I love those folks dearly!
Last edited by progol; Dec 27th, 2024 at 06:07 PM.
Feb 5th, 2025 | 12:03 PM
#19
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 253
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We have cedar forests in our neck of the woods (Pacific Northwest) but not monkeys!
I'm getting started figuring out our first trip to Japan in November. Thanks for this report, it's good of you to make the effort, especially writing about an area that hasn't been reported on often on this forum. Not sure if we'll get to Yakushima since we only have 3 weeks but you never know!
I'm getting started figuring out our first trip to Japan in November. Thanks for this report, it's good of you to make the effort, especially writing about an area that hasn't been reported on often on this forum. Not sure if we'll get to Yakushima since we only have 3 weeks but you never know!
