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- Jōmon Sugi — The island’s most famous ancient cedar and the reason many people make the long trek here. Seeing that gnarled, enormous trunk in person gives you a real sense of scale and time; it’s a full-day, rugged hike (often 10-12 hours round-trip) unless you plan an overnight on the trail, but worth it for the history and atmosphere.
- Shiratani Unsuikyo Ravine — A moss-draped, fairytale-like forest of streams, granite boulders and old cedars that inspired Studio Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke. Trails range from easy loops to longer routes; the light filtering through the moss makes every photo look otherworldly. (Personal favorite — brilliant for a half- to full-day wander without committing to the Jōmon Sugi slog.)
- Yakusugi Land — A tidy network of boardwalks and marked loops giving up-close
- Jōmon Sugi — The island’s most famous ancient cedar and the reason many people make the long trek here. Seeing that gnarled, enormous trunk in person gives you a real sense of scale and time; it’s a full-day, rugged hike (often 10-12 hours round-trip) unless you plan an overnight on the trail, but worth it for the history and atmosphere.
- Shiratani Unsuikyo Ravine — A moss-draped, fairytale-like forest of streams, granite boulders and old cedars that inspired Studio Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke. Trails range from easy loops to longer routes; the light filtering through the moss makes every photo look otherworldly. (Personal favorite — brilliant for a half- to full-day wander without committing to the Jōmon Sugi slog.)
- Yakusugi Land — A tidy network of boardwalks and marked loops giving up-close views of several huge, ancient cedars without the ultra-long hikes. Great if you want iconic Yakushima cedar scenery on a shorter, more relaxed walk.
- Mount Miyanoura — The island’s highest summit and a serious alpine trek with rewarding views, rare high-altitude plants, and dramatic ridgelines. It’s for fit hikers and often done as a multi-day route; summit sunrise is a proper payoff if you’re prepared.
- Senpiro & Ōkō-no-taki (waterfalls) — Two very different, beautiful falls: wide, curtain-like cascades and more dramatic plunges into deep basins. Easy viewpoints make them accessible even if you’re not up for a long hike, and they’re especially photogenic after rain.
- Nagata Inakahama Beach (sea turtle nesting) — A rare chance to see loggerhead turtles come ashore to nest (mainly June-August). There’s a small visitor setup and nighttime observation rules to protect the turtles — hugely moving to watch if you time it right and follow the guidelines.
- Moss forests, endemic wildlife and plants — Beyond the big trees, Yakushima’s charm is the carpet of mosses, the island-specific plants and the wildlife: Yaku macaques, Yaku sika deer, and a handful of endemic birds. Hike slowly and you’ll notice tiny ecosystems everywhere — it’s the detail work of the island that stays with you.
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Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past 3 decades, I’ve backpacked through 90+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.