Places to See

Yakushima, Japan

It is very possible that many places in Japan may eventually wind up being discussed on this blog..but for good reasons, and Yakushima is no exception! Yakushima was one of my favorite places I visited while living in Japan. I loved how beautiful it was, I loved that it wasn't super touristy (it is kind of inconvenient to get there and there isn't a ton of published information about it, but I will give you some pointers), the people were warm and friendly, and the island itself just seemed magical. It has a beach (duh it's an island) and a mountain/semi subtropical forest in the center.

If anyone has seen Princess Mononoke, please know that the animation was inspired by this island. The artists actually went there to sketch. There is even a bit of the forest called Mononoke Hime no Mori (Princess Mononoke's forest). 

Some Must Sees & Dos

Some of the growth I saw along the way.

• Jomon Sugi hike- This was a grueling hike, I won't lie. It is about 9 hours return. However, it was VERY worth it. The first part of the hike starts following a neat old logging rail track, and then you start actually "hiking" uphill for the second half (where the grueling comes in). The flora and fauna is so gorgeous, and becomes more and more intense as you continue deep into the mountain towards Jomon Sugi. What is Jomon Sugi you ask? He is a very old tree... possibly 5-7,000 years old in fact (no one is 100% certain his age). However, I did not find him the best part of the hike. I found the way getting to him to be the highlight. For the real adventurous and well-prepared, once you get to Jomon Sugi, you can continue up to the top of the mountain where there are free mountain huts (that smell) and an amazing panoramic view of the island. If you don't rent a car, you can get to this hike by a special public bus that picks people up (and packs them in) around 5 am and returns to take people down around 4 pm which I believe costs around $20 each way...don't miss it though or you may find yourself an additional 4-7 mile hike down to the main road...in the dark...

• Onsen (hot spring) in the ocean- After exploring the mountains, it is a must to visit the beaches as well. There are several hot springs in the ocean in Yakushima! How cool is that? I was only able to visit one, because the other one depended on the tide and it just didn't jive with my schedule. However the one I visited was really cool. When you go down to the hot springs, there are several that are more "man made" outside of the ocean with a lovely view. These are a little more like typical Japanese hot springs, with bowls to wash yourself, and since it is outdoors, there is a little wall dividing the men from the women for a bit of privacy (yes you still have to go naked even though it is outside). However, if you walk a little more to the left, and down a small path towards the water, you will find a much cooler hot spring. I recommend this one. It isn't incredibly hot, but it is really neat to be sitting in it and being in the ocean at the same time. I believe it is about 400 yen (approx $4) to do this, and you put your money in a little box upon entering this area.

• Nagata Beach- If you go to Yakushima between May-July, you can watch sea turtles lay their eggs. This is a big yearly event on the island, and many people come out to observe this amazing sight. I wasn't there at the right time (one month early-darn!), but it is still a lovely beach to visit and catch some rays. There are a lot of other beautiful beaches around the island, and scuba diving is actually a very popular activity as well.

Staying in Yakushima

It can be difficult to make traveling arrangements to Yakushima if you don't speak Japanese. Guidebooks unfortunately don't give much information either. There is actually a lot of lodging of all price ranges (some of it even free- see mountain huts!) in Yakushima, but can be tricky to reserve as a foreigner. Several youth hostels cater a bit more to foreigners, but I have yet to see one that can be booked online. JR has a nice hotel that is near the hot springs for those with a little more money to burn, this could also be a lot easier to book since you could do it through JR and they have a lot of English speaking staff. Worst case scenario, if you show up on the ferry there is a visitor's office that has English speaking staff that can give you a list of places to stay and (if you ask nicely) try to call and reserve for you. 

I highly recommend renting a car or a moped while here, because the public transport is infrequent and stops running very early, making it difficult to see everything you want. 

To get to Yakushima, you have to book a four hour ferry in Kagoshima. There are a few jetfoil ferries you can take as well if you have more money, and only take about two hours. However, the four hour ferry is not bad at all. It has a bath house, several food stations, a large lounge with a TV playing movies, and even many compartments to sleep in. I found it rather relaxing. This ferry only runs once a day though, so it is important to know the time schedule and not miss it! If you are feeling really high class, or in a hurry, you can also fly to Yakushima.

Cuisine to Try

There are several kinds of fruit that are local specialties in Yakushima- try tankan and ponkan oranges as well as passion fruit. Flying fish is their meat of choice (and very delicious!). If you are a drinker, be sure to try Mitake Shochu (Japanese spirit-a little like whiskey but lighter) made from fermented sweet potatoes. 

Culture Tip

The locals joke that it rains 366 days a year in Yakushima. I somehow got lucky and managed to miss the rain my entire stay, but be ready for a downpour any minute. If you are hiking, be sure to buy protective rain gear that is breathable. You can also easily rent this from some local shops in town before you leave on your hike. For those of us who are concerned about looking cute while hiking in Yakushima with rain gear (you are going to be taking a lot of photos!), there are plenty of colors to rent it in, including pink.

There are a lot of wild animals roaming the island including deer and monkeys. If you have been to other parts of Japan already you may be used to "people friendly" animals, but just be aware these animals are still human-fearing and skiddish (the way wild animals should be). 

To Learn More About Yakushima (and maybe a tad about Japan itself as well)...