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YAKUSHIMa

屋久島

• In three words: MOUNTAINS RIVERS BIODIVERSITY

• Recommended for: Nature lovers, hikers, cyclists, kayakers, adventurers.

• Size: About 500km²

• Population: About 12,500

• Boats depart from: Kagoshima & Tanegashima

• Planes depart from: Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Osaka

• Yakushima and us: Yakushima is our base now. I work here and the surrounding islands.

in brief:

Yakushima was the first UNESCO world heritage site in Japan and for good reason. The island is teaming with life. The biodiversity is written all over the moss-covered old forests. The rivers are so pure that you can swim in them and drink from them at the same time. The beaches are littered with egg laying female loggerhead turtles. The trees grow thousands of years old. The mountains are the biggest found in Kyushu. This is an adventurers paradise and one of the Osumi islands.

too touristy?:

Yakushima has been a popular tourist destination with Japanese tourists for a long time. For the past few years many international visitors have been discovering Yakushima too. Despite the attention it gets, Yakushima is big enough to never feel very full. It is full of family run guest houses and only a few larger resorts. It is well protected from over expansive tourism, with a ban on building larger hotels now in place.

getting there:

You can either get to Yakushima by boat or by plane. Planes leave from Osaka, Fukuoka and Kagoshima. Boats all leave from Kagoshima. To get to Yakushima from Tokyo you will have to transfer at some point. Despite it being quite well connected, getting to Yakushima can be a little more expensive than other islands.

The fastest boats in are the hydrofoils named Toppy and Rocket. They take between two and three hours to arrive from Kagoshima and cost 9,000 yen for a one way ticket and 16,200 yen for a return. The return journey must be used within 7 days. They run around 8 times a day and will land and depart in either in Miyanoura or Anbo, so make sure you plan accordingly. The official timetable can be found here. During high season boats can be sold out. Reservations are recommended. Online booking can be done here. Also note that when the waves are high the boats do get cancelled. Status can be checked here. These boats also stop at Tanegashima Island and then continue to Yakushima. These are great island hopping opportunities.

Next is the Yaku 2 Ferry service. It takes around four hours and costs 4,900 yen one way and 8,900 yen return. They leave from Kagoshima at 8:30 and arrive at Miyanoura at 12:30. On the return leg they leave Miyanoura at 13:30 and arrive at 17:40. Cars, motorbikes and bicycles can be taken on this service at an extra cost. Check out their website here. This is a real 80’s love boat! It has a functional sauna inside as well as a mini aquarium. There is a non functional cinema area, a soba shop and library service. Fun times.

The slowest and cheapest is the Hibiscus. This boat goes overnight from Kagoshima to Yakushima. It leaves at 18:00, stays overnight in Tanegashima, and arrives at 7:00 the next day. That day it returns, leaving Miyanoura at 8:10 and arriving in Kagoshima at 14:40. One way costs 3,800 yen and return is 7,600 yen. This boat also carries cars and vehicles for a cheaper price than the Yaku 2. The boat is very basic with only a couple of small areas for customers to relax in. Bookings are over the phone and this is their official website.

All plane operations to Yakushima are run by JAL. This site is in English and much easier to navigate and book yourself. The runway is only large enough for propeller planes which cannot fly to far, thus no planes from Tokyo.

When on the boat, look out over the sea and watch for flying fish, a Yakushima delicacy.

getting around:

The take home message of this section is: do not attempt to enjoy Yakushima with the buses. They are infrequent and irregular. They might be tempting at an inexpensive at 3,000 yen for a 2 day pass. But it should be thought of as a last resort. And don’t even think about walking from town to town. You will find yourself on a winding road with no sidewalk and cars zooming past.

Here are your other options: use a tour guide, rent a car, rent a scooter, rent a bicycle, rent a camper van, or if you do only want to walk, go straight into the mountains.

Having a car or a scooter really increases your freedom, you can choose from a variety of day hikes, waterfalls, onsens, cafes, restaurants, etc. and have the freedom to do it when you please. No more planning your day around a limited bus timetable. Having a camper van is the ultimate freedom enhancing move. With plenty of free parking spots with 24 hour toilet facilities, this method is highly recommended and there is only one company providing this service with 2-3 cars. Although the heavy rain of Yakushima might make it a little rough for the not-so-hardy. Renting a bicycle is an excellent way to see the perimeter of the island. But with circumference of 100km, this is for the seasoned cyclist. Lastly, if all you came to Yakushima for is to go up into the mountains and hike, you could go straight up with your food and your sleeping gear and enjoy the wilder side of Yakushima and then come back down to catch you boat. Accommodation is free yet bare bones up in the mountains.

food and drink:

Yakushima has so many places to eat and drink that people have written books about it, so I will introduce a few highlights around the island and let you discover the rest:

Kotobuki (古都蕗): In Koseda there is a restaurant famed for its elegant, delicious and cheaply priced Japanese course lunches and dinners. A recommendation for a day with heavy rain forecast. You can take your sweet time over your delicious food. Only open Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Reservation has to be made at least a day in advance.

Warung Karang: In Anbo, a restaurant with an Indonesian influence. They do lunch for around 1,300 yen. It is basically a hot food deli, you choose from a range of dishes, choosing your favourite 5 things and they bring it to you with a drink. A great lunch option for a quick but exotic eat.

Yukigokeya (雪苔屋) - This cafe is our top recommendation for an easy going coffee and cake in a stylish cafe. They really have perfected the art of the cafe.

Matsutake soba (手打ちそば 松竹) - This wonderful and old feeling soba shop way in the countryside in the village of Kurio do great lunches at amazing prices. The make their own soba noodles and their sushi is recommended.

Catch the Beer - This micro brewery makes a few different beers which can be bought all over the island. They use local ingredients such as the sugi trees themselves to make their beers. They open 13:00-18:00 during which you can get their handmade draft beers too.

There are so many more places worth mentioning but without enough space to do so, I will leave it at that and let you explore. Some people even visit Yakushima to ‘cafe meguri’ which basically means spending all day trying all the different cafes on offer.

Local delicacies include: flying fish, mackerel, oranges, tea, shouchuu, beer and coffee.

things to do:

Yakushima offers hiking, cycling, kayaking, scuba diving, river swimming, sea swimming, hot springs and more! There are several ways that you can do it. You can do it on your own. The hiking is tougher than a lot of people anticipate, with steep, uneven scrambling paths being the norm in mountains. You can get a guide. I work as a guide in Yakushima for YesYakushima. Why not take a look? Renting a bicycle is simple and possible but again, don’t overestimate yourself. The 100km around the island is no mean feat. River and sea swimming can be dangerous especially with heavy rain and strong currents. Basically, my message to you is proceed with caution and don’t go out of your safety comfort zone.

accommodation

Places to stay range from ultra luxury splurge, to staying up in the super austere mountain huts for free, and everything in-between. Here are a few in those ranges:

Mountain huts: free of charge to use. You need to bring your own mat, sleeping bag and food. When you enter the mountains from Shiratani or Yakusugi Land they will charge you a 2,000 yen donation to stay. Be warned: it gets cold.

Suishodama - In the village of Nagata is a very old house that allows very cheap stays in gorgeous, old fashioned surroundings. I highly recommend Nagata. The river is beautiful, the turtles lay their eggs there. It is the only place in Yakushima that you can just stay still and enjoy it.

Minshuku’s - The Japanese mid range. These places are everywhere and I found it difficult to choose one. Basically they are your bed and breakfasts with a homely atmosphere.

Sankara - At the very top end and from around 500 dollars per person per night comes a place which goes above and beyond to give you luxury in Yakushima.

There are so many places in all of the ranges.

wildlife

Now this is really where Yakushima excels. With indigenous species of monkey and deer, as well as several other animals, this island is teaming with life. There are over 50 indigenous flower species, trees that grow thousands of years old, moss covering every tree and rock in sight. Sightings of monkeys riding deer are rare but do happen. Birdlife everywhere. See it to believe it.

sealife

Though not quite the coral mecca that Okinawa is, Yakushima still gets fed by the same nutrient rich current called the ‘kuroshio’. All kinds of tropical fish, sea snakes and turtles make their homes here. Most notable is the loggerhead turtle. From May-September their eggs are laid and hatched on the beaches of Yakushima. Inakahama Beach in Nagata gets the most activity. This is the prime loggerhead beach in all of Japan. Very important and very impressive!

possible itineraries

Itinerary 1 - The Camper Van Option

Day 1-7 - Rent the van, get supplies and go. Slowly take the island on. There are so many wonderful day hikes: Shiratani, Aiko, Mocchomu, Janokuchi Waterfall, Ryujin Sugi, Yakusugi Land etc! Swim in the rivers, watch the turtles lay their eggs, picnic by day and eat out by night. Yakushima is ideally set up for this as there are plenty of 24 hours free car parks with toilets there too. The camper van company will explain all this to you when you begin. This is my top tip for people on a bit of a budget looking to maximise their freedom. Renting a car and staying in different locations along the way is also a good shout.

Itinerary 2 - The Guided Tour Option

Day 1-7 - Stay somewhere nice with breakfasts and dinners. There are plenty of gorgeous and delicious hotels and ryokans here. Relax and allow the tour guides to take care of the details. The guides will tell you more about the island than you could know from reading on the internet, believe me, I am a guide here. For beginners try Shiratani or Yakusugi Land. For more experienced hikers, try Jomon Sugi, Aiko, Mocchomu or Tachu etc. You could go for a tour all around the island, you can scuba dive, kayak, cycle etc. This is an expensive way to do it, but it will save you a lot of time on planning and research and will maximise your enjoyment.

Itinerary 3 - Into the mountains

Day 1-3 - When you arrive catch a bus straight up into the mountains. Bring everything you need including sleeping bags, and enough food for your whole trip. Make sure you plan your route properly and know the weather conditions you will be facing. Also don’t forget to log your plans at the desk at the trail head. The mountains huts are totally free but totally basic! Two nights is really as far as this island can take you.

the sights

Too many to mention but here are a few of the hits:

Jomon Sugi - The oldest tree in Japan. By some estimates, Jomon is as old as 7,200 years old. This tree is located a long way inside the interior of the island.Shiratani Unsui Gorge - This trail leads to the moss-covered forest, which used to be called ‘The Mononoke Forest’ until Studio Ghibli sued the island. Power on to the top and you will get great views at Taiko Iwa Rock.

Mount Miyanoura - The highest mountain on Yakushima at 1936m. It is also the highest mountain in Kyushu. Possible in a day trip or an overnight.

Inakahama Beach - This is the spot for loggerhead turtles in the North Pacific to lay their eggs. In a year around 500 female turtles visit. Also the best looking beach in Yakushima and the best for sunsets.

Yoggo Valley - The best river swimming on the island. Yoggo Valley is cold water freshness on a hot summers day. Quietly located above the sleepy village of Nagata, this is my favourite spot.

Hirauchi Onsen - The coast side onsen is only useable 3 hours either side of low tide. It is beautiful. Be warned that it is a nude only mixed onsen.

Ohko Waterfall - This 88m waterfall lets you get up close and personal. On a really rainy day this place gets crazy and you can’t even get close to it. Walk down from the toilets to get to a lovely secret pebble beach. Another iconic waterfall is Senpiro.

The West Forest Road - The road on the westside of Yakushima is windy and long and full of indigenous monkeys and deer. You almost can’t fail to find them. Please don’t feed or get too close to the animals. This area is one of the areas designated world heritage by UNESCO.