Yakushima, Island town in Kumage District, Japan
Description
Yakushima is an island town in the Kumage district characterized by mountainous terrain, dense forests, and coastal settlements. The main population centers cluster around ports like Anbo and Miyanoura, which serve as gateways to the forested interior.
History
The town as it exists today was formed in 2007 when two smaller municipalities merged into one. However, people have inhabited this island since prehistoric times, giving the place a deep-rooted history.
Culture
People here have built their lives around the ancient cedar forests, using and protecting them through traditional practices passed down over generations. The relationship between the community and these trees shapes how locals view their surroundings and their daily work.
Practical
You can reach the island by plane or ferry from the mainland. Local services connect the different coastal settlements across the island.
Did you know?
The island receives unusually heavy rainfall throughout the year, which creates distinctive forest types and rare plants found nowhere else. This exceptional climate has shaped an ecosystem unlike most other places in Japan.
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Yakushima
12.3 km
Jōmon Sugi
11.9 km
Mount Miyanoura
15.4 km
Senpiro Falls
15.7 km
Yaku Shrine
8.7 km
Mount Nagata
16.2 km
Ōko Falls
24.9 km
Mount Kuromi
15.9 km
Mount Kurio
15.2 km
Mount Shindake
42.3 km
Torōki Falls
16.6 km
Nagata Beach
22.6 km
Wilsons Stump
11.2 kmYayoi Sugi
7.7 kmYakushima and Kuchinoerabu Jima Biosphere Reserve
15.9 km
Matsumine Ōhashi
7.8 km
Road bridge
8.6 km
Ambo-gawa bridge
8.6 km
Kigen Sugi
14.2 kmNakama banyan
25.8 kmSecret waterfall + spring entrance
16.5 kmDaio Sugi
11.6 kmNagata Umigame Sea Turtle Nesting Tour
21 kmGoddess Cedar
8.6 kmDripping moss
8 kmKaminarionji
8.6 kmStump
8 kmMoss covered forest
8.2 kmDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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