Yakushima: A Visitors Guide

Yakushima: A Visitors Guide

A Yakumonkey Guide to enjoying Yakushima 2019

  • NATURE
    • THE BASICS of YAKUSHIMA
    • YAKUSUGI TREES
    • MARINE LIFE
    • RIVERS
    • WATERFALLS
    • WEATHER
    • TEMPERATURES
    • IS IT GOING to RAIN ON MYTRIP?
    • Tides TIMES FOR YAKUSHIMA
  • FOOD/DRINK
    • WHAT TO EAT VIDEO?
    • RESTAURANTS & CAFES
    • UNIQUE YAKUSHIMA FOOD
    • UNIQUE YAKUSHIMA DRINK
  • TRANSPORT
    • KAGOSHIMA AIRPORT
    • Accommodation options in Kagoshima
    • The Travel options
      • BY PLANE
      • BY JETFOIL
      • BY FERRY
    • Moving around Yakushima
      • RENT A CAR
      • TAKE A BUS
      • RENT A BICYCLE
      • RENT A SCOOTER
      • TAKE A TAXI
    • Mountain Traffic Regulations
    • Bus Timetables
      • SUMMER BUS TIMETABLES
      • NORMAL BUS TIMETABLES 2018
    • Village Maps
  • Accommodation
    • WHERE TO STAY VIDEO
    • MOUNTAIN HUTS
    • CAMPSITES
    • Hostels, Guest Houses & Hotels
      • How to Book
      • On a Budget
      • MID-PRICED ACCOMMODATION
      • HIGH-END ACCOMMODATION
      • UNIQUE ACCOMMODATION
  • SIGHTS
    • TOP 10 SIGHTS
    • THE NORTH EAST
    • THE SOUTH EAST
    • THE SOUTH WEST
    • THE NORTH-WEST
  • HIKING
    • HIKING BASICS
      • PORTABLE TOILETS
      • Equipment Rental
      • The Best Time to Hike
    • HIKING TRAILS
      • A1 ARAKAWA TRAIL
      • S1 SHIRATANI UNSUIKYO
      • Y1 YODOGAWA TRAIL
      • Y3 YAKUSUGILAND
        • Tachu-dake live
      • M2 MOCHOMU TRAIL
      • O2 ONOAIDA TRAIL
    • WINTER HIKING
  • ACTIVITIES
    • WATER ACTIVITY VIDEO
    • SHOPS
    • ARTS & CRAFTS
    • PARKS
    • WATCH TURTLES
    • STANDUP PADDLEBOARDING
    • Yoga on Anbo River
    • SNORKELING
    • SWIMMING
    • Natural Hot Springs
  • INTERACT
    • Forum
    • Contact
    • Videos
      • YAKUSHIMA: STAY
      • YAKUSHIMA: EAT
      • YAKUSHIMA: WATER
      • INTRODUCTORY VIDEOS
      • PRINCESS MONONOKE
      • DOCUMENTARIES
      • Music Videos
        • You Say Party
        • SIGUR ROS

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The Eclipse

March 23, 2009September 5, 2019 Clive Witham 2040 Views Eclipse

A total eclipse of the sun on Yakushima will begin on July 22nd 2009 at 9.37am. The sun will be completely eclipsed between 10.55-11.00am and the whole process will finish by 12.23pm. The numbers of visitors to view this in special areas on Yakushima have been restricted to 4,500 and

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Arakawa Trail Entrance Shuttle bus

March 23, 2009September 5, 2019 Clive Witham 4249 Views Transport

The Arakawa Trail Entrance Shuttle bus. The stretch of road between Arakawa junction and the Arakawa Trail Entrance is closed to traffic and walkers between May 2th and 5th for 4 days and July 7th and Sept 22nd for 67 days. The only way you can get to the Trail

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Yakushima: A Yakumonkey Guide (Second Edition)

March 22, 2009September 5, 2019 Clive Witham 3149 Views Guide book

  Yakushima 2016 NOW IN BOTH PAPERBACK & EBOOK EDITIONS! No Japanese? No problem.  Everything you need to enjoy your visit to Yakushima in 2015 is right here! Be free, be independent and find your own adventure! The experience that I gained from living on Yakushima as a fisherman and

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Equipment Rental in Yakushima

March 20, 2009September 5, 2019 Clive Witham 4918 Views Hiking

The following are examples of the prices for renting equipment in Yakushima: Climbing gear – price based on a rental of 3 days/2 nights Hiking boots: 1000 yen Gore-tex hiking boots: 1500 yen Small backpack: 500 yen 45l backpack: 1000 yen 60l backpack: 1500 yen Mountain Tent: 1500 yen (1

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Temperatures in Yakushima

March 19, 2009September 5, 2019 Clive Witham 3295 Views Climate

The following table gives annual temperatures for Yakushima in degrees Celsius. It can however be quite deceptive as in the summer with high humidity it can get appallingly hot and in the winter, teeth-chatteringly cold. Below the table are the temperatures at each of the mountain huts (very important information

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Arakawa Trail

February 18, 2009September 5, 2019 Clive Witham 4186 Views Hiking

The Arakawa trail is the most used path on Yakushima as it goes past the most famous of Sugi trees – Jomon Sugi. The route starts at the old railway terminal and follows the train tracks past the following places… An abandoned wagon at the beginning of the trail A

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Eating and drinking on Yakushima

June 6, 2007September 5, 2019 Clive Witham 1158 Views

Furusatoichiba ふるさと市場 Location: Miyanoura near the port (See Google maps) Google Street view The menu is a bit like a ‘family restaurant’ but it has a wide variety of food. Il Mare イルマーレ  Location: Koseda (See Google maps street view) An authentic Italian restaurant as close as Yakushima gets to

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Kayaking on Yakushima

June 6, 2007September 5, 2019 Clive Witham 3027 Views Activities

SEA KAYAKING Kayaking with Field Guide Spinnaker Kayaking with Field Guide Spinnaker RIVER KAYAKING Kayaking on Anbo river Kayaking is a wonderful way to see nature. You start here at Anbo… Anbo river mouth …and head towards the mountains. The river is very beautiful after a few minutes paddling upstream

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Onsen – hot springs

June 4, 2007September 5, 2019 Clive Witham 2194 Views Activities

Yakushima is blessed with several onsen or natural hot springs. They range from the deluxe hotel based baths to the free outside natural hot rock pools. So should you get the urge to strip off with a bunch of complete strangers, here’s where to go. KOSEDA: Jomon no yado Manten  

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Hiking on Yakushima

June 4, 2007September 5, 2019 Clive Witham 2134 Views Hiking

Almost everyone who comes to the island goes hiking at some point. If you don’t have any walking shoes, or rain wear, or need a sleeping bag and a mat for an overnight stay in one of the mountain huts – don’t despair. Just about anything you could want can

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Yakushima Specialities

June 4, 2007September 5, 2019 Clive Witham 1396 Views Food and drink

FOOD SPECIALITIES: Tankan oranges: Ponkan oranges: Passion fruit: Flying fish: Just the smell of them now is enough to set the nausea wheels in motion (see creatures in the sea to find out why), but others insist how tasty they are. Mitake shochu: So popular that to buy a bottle

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The creatures in the forest

June 4, 2007September 5, 2019 Clive Witham 3165 Views

MACAQUES Yaku monkeys are smaller than the native macaques of mainland Japan. They are dark grey and have long thick hair. Before getting carried away about the cute and fluffy creatures however – the most important points to remember about the Yaku macaques are that: 1. They are wild. 2.

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Yakushima Accommodation

June 4, 2007September 5, 2019 Clive Witham 2634 Views Accommodation

This page contains a selection of the places to stay in Yakushima in 2016 and you can contact them directly as almost all speak English. The guidebook contains a whole lot more accommodation including all the contact details and latest prices. You can now book a range of hotels and

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Moving around Yakushima 2016

June 4, 2007September 5, 2019 Clive Witham 6278 Views Transport

Rental Car Most tourists choose to rent a car for convenience and there are many car rental outlets on the island – mostly near the airport and ports. I have been around many of the local rental companies in Yakushima and the few that seemed foreigner friendly were Suzuki Rentals

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Transport to and from Yakushima 2016

June 4, 2007September 5, 2019 Clive Witham 6746 Views Transport

BY AIR 1. VIA KAGOSHIMA JAL operates a JAC propellor plane 5 times a day from Kagoshima airport and the flight takes around 35 mins to cover 102 miles. The route south flies over Sakurajima volcano and offers wonderful views. One way: 13,900 yenReturn: 26,500 yen Current schedule up to

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  • Next →

WHERE TO STAY?

OUR PICKS OF YAKUSHIMA

 

SANKARA HOTEL & SPA YAKUSHIMA

 

 

YAKUSHIMA YOUTH HOSTEL

 

 

YAKUSHIMA EXPERIENCE GUIDES

 

 

GUESTHOUSE YAKUSHIMA

 

 

COTTAGE MORINOKOKAGE

 

 

GREEN MOUNT

 

 

GUESTHOUSE VIEWS

 

BUY THE COMPLETE GUIDE BOOK

YAKUSHIMA: A YAKUMONKEY GUIDE
3rd Edition

No Japanese? No problem. Everything you need to enjoy your visit to Yakushima in 2019 is right here!

Be free, be independent and find your own adventure!

BUY THE EBOOK HERE!
BUY THE PAPERBACK HERE! If you are in Europe don’t buy it from Amazon. Buy it from Wordery.com at the link.
You can also find a copy in Yakushima at the Tourist Information Centers.
Get the book update for 2019 HERE

THE WEATHER IN YAKUSHIMA

Weather Yakushima
  • YAKUSHIMA FORUM
  • YAKUSHIMA GUIDE 3RD EDITION
  • CONTACT
  • IS IT GOING TO RAIN?
Copyright © 2025 Yakushima: A Visitor's Guide | Clive Witham