Yakushima
Yakushima is one of those magical, mystical places that if you have the time to visit, you will never regret. It is not the easiest place to get too, but it makes the journey all the more worthwhile. Belonging to Kagoshima Prefecture, Yakushima is one of the Osumi Islands just under 505sqm in area. The majority of the island has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and when you finally get a chance to explore it you will understand why. The biodiversity of its flora and fauna is diverse and lush, in fact if you go in the right season you can see loggerhead turtles use the island as a nesting ground on their migration route.
One word of advice for Yakushima is do plan in advance, and give yourself some extra buffer days depending on how you’re choosing to get there, accounting for bad weather on the island. There are less flights(3-5 daily from Kagoshima, 1 daily from Fukuoka and Osaka) than hydrofoil (several a day) especially in the high season, but if you plan to go off peak time you will have even lesser options and also run the risk of temperamental weather cancelling boats & flights. We went off peak, and flew Tokyo - Kagoshima - Yakushima and actually caught the edge of a typhoon on our Kagoshima - Yakushima leg, which to be honest was not a lot of fun in a small propeller plane. However the upside of being off peak was of course, even less visitors.
TIP: Hire a rental car to explore the island, there’s a bus system but the timetable is few and far between.
As we arrived earlier than check in at our darling minshuku, we decided to weather the rainy weather by enjoying a dip in the onsen baths at Jyoumon no Yado Manten which have a range of onsen baths available. It was so relaxing after the rather nerve-wracking flight and bad weather, to just soak away in their public open-air baths watching the rain pass me by and get warm again! Jyoumon no Yado Manten is literally opposite the airport, so it’s convenient and close by for a brief respite. Accommodation is also available.
There are several accommodations available in Yakushima ranging from the simple to expensive, and it took me quite a bit of research to discover this lovely gem of a minshuku Shiki no Yado at the base of Mt Mocchomu. It doesn’t have many rooms, and is quite popular so if you can do stay here for a truly delightful local experience.
IL MARE
Il Mare is a sweet little Italian and take away restaurant pretty much right next to the airport. Since we were in Yakushima during off peak time, a lot of businesses had irregular hours and we decided to give this little place a go and was delightfully surprised by not only the flavour of his pasta dishes but the lightness, crispyness of his pizza base and fluffiness of his home baked bread! His pizza and pasta with deer meat is a must have!! soooo good! we were actually sad that we were unable to return again!
One can definitely drive around Yakushima in a day when you look at the circumference of the island, however we were a bit shocked when google maps told us to drive through the UNESCO forest edge it would take us 2-3 hours for only several kms… we were like no that must be wrong! and then we realised why, as you’re driving underneath the forest’s canopy… you slow down to appreciate the many trickling waterfalls… and then you pretty much come to a crawl as the local shika deer and monkeys take over the road… so you just wait patiently as they meander across back and forth, play and you inch forward… it’s a delightful experience! However yes it will take you at least 1-2 hours to get through it! I would also advise stay in the car, don’t walk out and try and follow them, this is their world not yours. DO NOT FEED THEM!
Stopping for a delicious gelato break after driving around and exploring for awhile! I’ve tried my hardest to find where this was and the name of the place, but I can’t! So if anyone goes to Yakushima and discovers this place - please tell me the name!
HIRAUCHI KAICHU ONSEN
A natural onsen hotspring only accessible before and after lowtide. Hirauchi onsen is part of the daily life of the local population, it’s been around for 400 years so please be respectful of its rules and customs which I will share in a more detailed post because I just loved this ocean onsen.
YAKUSUGI LAND (not withstanding it’s themepark-esque name) is a gorgeous lush forest that has been reclaimed and revitalized after it was logged in the Edo period. There are various walking trails available that take you pass stunning Yakusugi specimens, and other greenery especially some beautiful species of moss.
Yakusugi is the name given to a specific type of cedar tree that only grows on Yakushima, what differentiates them from the rest of the cedar trees that grow around Japan, is that Yakusugi tend to have a life expectancy of over 1000years, whilst the normal cedar trees are about 500 years. The Jomon sugi is the most famous and eldest out of all the Yakusugi trees as it’s estimated to be anywhere between 2200-7000years old. The trek to Jomon Sugi is rather moderate, but unfortunately we couldn’t reach it, as due to the weather, certain paths were closed off from Shiratani Unsuikyo so we just appreciated the other Yakusugi trees we came across. Also the Jomon sugi is now only viewable from viewing platforms, as to protect the tree, visitors are no longer allowed to come close and touch it.
SHIRATANI UNSUIKYO
is a beautiful, mystical, magical dream. It was primarily my reason for wishing to visit Yakushima for so long. Famed for it’s low, hovering mist over waters and plethora of moss covered rocks that helped to inspire the scenery of Hayao Miyazaki's” Mononoke Hime”; it truly is a breathtaking experience. Be prepared for light rain, heavier mist as your explore further into the forest. There are multiple trails to explore, some will close depending on the weather, landslides etc which is why we couldn’t reach Jomon Sugi, however it’s stunning to just explore it’s vast biodiversity.
OHKO NO TAKI
One of the Top 100 waterfalls in Japan, Ohko no Taki has a height of 88m and is easily accessible from the Bus Stop Ohko no Taki by a 5 min walk. There are also parking spots available nearby and you just meander a short walk down.
YAKUSHIMA’S COASTLINE
The beauty of renting a car is that you can fully explore the island’s hidden and smaller roads and find beautiful pockets of coastline that visitors rarely get to see.
Matsutake (no website: phone number 09 9748 2323) is a delicious local soba restaurant in the south-west of Yakushima. If you have a car make sure to stop here for lunch one day and just enjoy their home made meals, and the delightful picturesque traditional Japanese home and garden it’s set in. It really is reminiscent of a Studio Ghibli film. This was one of our last meals in Yakushima, and it was the best way to end our stay there.
