12 May 2025

The Beautiful Beaches and Ancient Forests of Yakushima Island

With the island of Yakushima known as the wettest part of Japan, it was no surprise when we were greeted with a light drizzle as we sailed into port.

Gathering wet-weather gear and umbrellas we boarded our coaches and wound our way along the rugged coast, passing small villages and towns before we turning towards the mountains and entering the UNESCO World Heritage area. Happily, the weather cleared during the drive and the remainder of the day was warm, dry and occasionally sunny. The road quickly became narrow and twisty, climbing steeply with many one-lane sections. The drying weather enticed the local Japanese Macaque population onto the road, as it dries and warms quickest.

Arriving at Yakusugi Land we set off on our chosen circuits to exploring the lush forest, along moss-flanked streams, along wooden walkways and over bridges. The forest was composed of many different species of trees, undergrowth, and mosses, but the Sugi were the stars with the oldest estimated to between 5,000 – 1,200 years old.

Some of us made a stop at the Yakusugi Museum where we learned about the natural and human history of the area, and could see the beauty of the timber from which the museum was built. After lunch we headed along the coast in the other direction bound for Inakahama Beach, Japan’s largest turtle nesting site. On the beach we saw the restricted areas where the Loggerhead Turtles build their nests and lay their eggs. We also saw turtle tracks from the previous night. The turtles are only seen at night, but the information from our guides, combined with the wild and gorgeous sand, surf and rocks made for an excellent afternoon out.

Back on board Heritage Adventurer we were farewelled from this remarkable island by a spirited Taiko Drumming session.

Images © S. Bradley & J. Mishina, Heritage Expeditions