Yakushima Island Vacations and Tourism

The stunning Japanese island of Yakushima, 80 miles south of mainland Japan's southernmost city, Kagoshima, is perhaps best known for its trees and its rain. Home to an indigenous population of Yakusugi cedars, the Jomon-sugi cedat thought to be over 2,000 years old and the ancient, gnarled roots of Wilson's stump (which is over 13 meters in circumference and big enough for several people to explore at once), the island attracts over 300,000 visitors every year to the famed Yakusugi Forest, which supposedly inspired Hayao Miyazaki's forest setting in the film Princess Mononoke. Declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1993, the island has excellent hiking trails that lead from the sub-tropical sea level to the top of Mt. Miyanoura (6,365 feet high). It takes three of four days to reach the island's highest summit, but the warm and temperate weather and spectacular surroundings make it a favorite excursion for nature lovers. For the best tree viewing, head to Yakusugilando, an all-natural Magic Kingdom populated with majestic cedars. If you hike across the island, from the northern point of Nagata to Anbo in the south, Yakusugilando is a stop along the way. A good public bus system goes all the way around the island and is a good way to reach the Okawatake waterfall and the Onaida Onsen. Yakushima also has one of the worlds highest precipitation levels, between 4,000 to 10,000 mm, and it is said that rain falls there 35 days a month. The autumn and winter do see some dry periods and the heaviest rainfall occurs in spring and summer. For more personalized travel recommendations, visit Tripbase's Yakushima Island travel ideas.

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