Yakushima, Island town in Kumage District, Japan
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.
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.
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.
You can reach the island by plane or ferry from the mainland. Local services connect the different coastal settlements across the island.
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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