5 Things to See at the World Heritage Site Covered with Primeval Forests, Yakushima

Yakushima is an island approximately 60km to the south of the main island of Kyushu. It is a small island with a circumference of about 130km but has many mountains that are higher than 1,000m. The area from the western coastline to the mountains in the middle of the island is registered as a World Heritage site.
Its biggest attraction is the forest that covers all of the island. Here, you can see a mystic scenery created by a primeval rainforest. It is famous for the clusters of sugi (Japanese cedar), tall evergreen trees unique to Japan, including some trees that are more than 1,000 years old. More than 70% of the flora native to Japan can be seen on the island, and approximately 40 of them are unique to the island. It is referred to as the Galapagos of the East for its unique ecosystem.

Natural sugi trees in Yakushima that are more than 1,000 years old are referred to as Yakusugi. Those that are particularly old are called Jomonsugi and are estimated to be between 2,000 and 7,200 years old.
To go see the Jomonsugi, you will need to take a 19km hike that will take about 10 hours, starting at Arakawa Tozanguchi, which can be accessed by bus. There are observation decks near the Jomonsugi to prevent hikers from damaging the roots.

Shiratani Unsuikyo is a Natural Recreational Forest that spreads out around the upper reaches of Shiratani River. It is a popular area for hiking at an altitude of 600~1,100m and with about 424ha of virgin forests of Yakusugi and other evergreens. There is much to see in the moss-covered forest, such as massive rocks, a steep ravine, and 3,000-year-old Yayoisugi. There are three trails with the shortest one that is on a paved path taking about an hour and those on hiking trails taking three to four hours.