Yakushima has one of the wettest climates in the world, so much so that locals say it rains “35 days a month”.

About 60km south of the southernmost point of Kyushu island, Japan, there is a beautiful island that many people wish to visit even once – called Yakushima. Because of its remote location, completely isolated, this island still retains its original wild look.

And there, there is a lush green tropical forest that is listed among the best preserved forests in Japan.

The island rains year-round throughout the month

According to Atlas Obscura , Yakushima is an island that is almost perfectly round. It is located about 60km south of Kyushu – one of the four main islands of Japan – which is a remote and completely isolated island.

Yakushima has one of the wettest climates in the world, so much so that locals say it rains “35 days a month”. It’s an overstatement to imply that here, it rains all year round, it rains non-stop, at least one rain a day.

Here, the ecosystem is also extremely diverse, from subtropical lowlands, to cool temperate highlands, even with snowfall. So one can experience in this island both tropical and temperate climates, which is truly amazing.

The trail is as beautiful as a fairy tale.

The combination of these factors gives Yakushima an aura of mystery often compared to fantasy lands like the island where King Kong resides, as well as providing inspiration for the animated film Princess Mononoke by Japanese animation studio Studio Ghibli.

A thousand year old tree

Trails wind among the cedars of Yakushima (Yaku-sugi), which are famous for their incredible age. Most of the old trees here are around 1,000 years old and a few are said to be up to 7,000 years old.

The undulating mountains in the central area of ​​the island.

People here also take advantage of floating tree roots and rocks and wood to make stairs, making it easier for visitors to move on slippery ground. But sometimes, visitors still have to crouch or crawl over some trees because they block the path.

Due to the abundant rainfall, there are moss-covered rocks all over the forest floor, adding a fresh green color. The surface of the forest is nowhere lacking in the green color of life.

This trail is named Shiratani Unsuikyo.

The island’s fauna is also quite rich, including 16 species of mammals, 150 species of birds, 15 species of reptiles, 8 species of amphibians and 1,900 species of insects. Compared to the modest size of Yakushima, these numbers are quite large.

The largest animals found are the Yakushima macaque and the spotted white sika deer. These are considered two species endemic to the island. These two species of organisms sometimes exhibit a symbiotic relationship. Some visitors have even reported seeing monkeys hitchhiking on deer.

Road to Yakushima

To get to Yakushima, you can sit back and enjoy the beautiful scenery on the ferry for 4 hours from Sakurajima, which is famous for its active volcano that becomes the focus of attention every few years as it spews ash. city.

Ferries dock on the northern side of the island in the Miyanoura port settlement, where most of the population of Yakushima (about 13,000 people) live. The rest of the population is scattered along the coast, supporting mainly tourism, replacing the logging economy that once flourished here.

Many Japanese office workers often come to this island to mingle with nature, relieve anxiety, relieve stress at work by walking up the mountains.

There are many walking trails, some of which cross from one side of the island to the other. For those who want to hike overnight, pre-built huts are available free of charge along certain sections of the trail.