{"id":10129,"date":"2015-09-25T16:57:48","date_gmt":"2015-09-25T15:57:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.insidejapantours.com\/?p=10129"},"modified":"2020-01-29T14:44:13","modified_gmt":"2020-01-29T14:44:13","slug":"7-reasons-to-visit-magical-yakushima","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/2015\/09\/25\/7-reasons-to-visit-magical-yakushima\/","title":{"rendered":"7 reasons to visit magical Yakushima"},"content":{"rendered":"<h4>Like this post? Help us by sharing it!<\/h4><ul class=\"wpfai-list\"><li class=\"wpfai-list-item facebook\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F10129&amp;t=\" title=\"Facebook\" class=\"wpfai-facebook wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-facebook fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item twitter\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F10129\" title=\"Twitter\" class=\"wpfai-twitter wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-twitter fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item pinterest\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F10129&amp;description=&amp;media=\" title=\"Pinterest\" class=\"wpfai-pinterest wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-pinterest fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item linkedin\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F10129&amp;title=\" title=\"Linked In\" class=\"wpfai-linkedin wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-linkedin fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item envelope\">\r\n      <a href=\"mailto:?subject=&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F10129%20-%20\" title=\"E-Mail\" class=\"wpfai-envelope wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-envelope fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item stumbleupon\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stumbleupon.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F10129\" title=\"Stumble Upon\" class=\"wpfai-stumbleupon wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-stumbleupon fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item reddit\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F10129\" title=\"Reddit\" class=\"wpfai-reddit wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-reddit fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><\/ul><p>Yakushima is a firm favourite amongst the InsideJapan team. With lush rainforest, coral reefs, beautiful beaches and fascinating wildlife \u2013 this certainly isn\u2019t the Japan you\u2019re used to seeing in films and on TV! Here are a few reasons why you should buy plane ticket, pack your bags, and head straight to Yakushima without a moment\u2019s delay:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC03182_ScreenSharpen.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10144\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC03182_ScreenSharpen.jpg\" alt=\"That road!\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC03182_ScreenSharpen.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC03182_ScreenSharpen-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC03182_ScreenSharpen-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC03182_ScreenSharpen-720x480.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC03182_ScreenSharpen-390x260.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC03182_ScreenSharpen-780x520.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC03182_ScreenSharpen-510x340.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h2><strong>1. It has the world\u2019s oldest trees (maybe)<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Yakushima is covered with primeval rainforest \u2013 that means that much of its forest has not been cut down, replanted, or messed about with in any way since the dawn of time. The island is famous for its cryptomeria \u2013 or Japanese cedar \u2013 trees, many of which are over 1,000 years old. It\u2019s thought that Jomon Sugi, the oldest tree on the island, could have been around for over 7,000, which would make it the oldest tree on earth. So if you ever wanted to feel like an insignificant blip in the vastness of time, try standing under that.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10136\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10136\" style=\"width: 1000px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02923_ScreenSharpen.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-10136\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02923_ScreenSharpen.jpg\" alt=\"One of Yakushima's ancient trees\" width=\"1000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02923_ScreenSharpen.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02923_ScreenSharpen-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02923_ScreenSharpen-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02923_ScreenSharpen-900x1350.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02923_ScreenSharpen-720x1080.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02923_ScreenSharpen-390x585.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02923_ScreenSharpen-780x1170.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02923_ScreenSharpen-510x765.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10136\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">One of Yakushima&#8217;s ancient trees<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><strong>2. You can see baby turtles hatching on the beach!<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Between mid-May and the end of July, Yakushima\u2019s beaches become nesting grounds for the North Pacific\u2019s endangered loggerhead turtles. Early in the season, you can watch as the mothers come ashore, lay their eggs, then carefully cover their nests before heading back into the water. Later in the summer, baby turtles begin to hatch and crawl down the beach to the waves.<\/p>\n<p>Tours are easily arranged to see this amazing natural event \u2013 and you can rest assured that they are conducted with the utmost respect for the turtles.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10135\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10135\" style=\"width: 1000px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02665.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-10135\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02665.jpg\" alt=\"Turtles eggs in their nest\" width=\"1000\" height=\"664\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02665.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02665-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02665-900x598.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02665-720x478.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02665-390x259.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02665-780x518.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02665-510x339.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10135\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Turtles eggs in their nest<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10149\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10149\" style=\"width: 1000px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/LoggerheadTurtles.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-10149\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/LoggerheadTurtles.jpg\" alt=\"A baby turtle heads for the sea\" width=\"1000\" height=\"1498\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/LoggerheadTurtles.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/LoggerheadTurtles-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/LoggerheadTurtles-684x1024.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/LoggerheadTurtles-900x1348.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/LoggerheadTurtles-720x1079.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/LoggerheadTurtles-390x584.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/LoggerheadTurtles-780x1168.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/LoggerheadTurtles-510x764.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10149\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A baby turtle heads for the sea<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><strong>3. The hiking is incredible<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Did I mention yet that Yakushima is a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site? The island\u2019s mountainous topography means that it harbours an incredibly diverse ecosystem for such a small area, with habitats ranging from subtropical coastal regions through temperate rainforest and cold-temperate grasslands to almost subarctic peaks. All this makes for some truly incredible hiking opportunities, and some dazzlingly beautiful views. It\u2019s not hard to see why this island inspired Hayao Miyazaki\u2019s animated masterpiece, Princess Mononoke.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-10129 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/2015\/09\/25\/7-reasons-to-visit-magical-yakushima\/sony-dsc-135\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02960_ScreenSharpen-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-10140\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02960_ScreenSharpen-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02960_ScreenSharpen-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-10140'>\n\t\t\t\tFamily hike\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/2015\/09\/25\/7-reasons-to-visit-magical-yakushima\/sony-dsc-134\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02944_ScreenSharpen-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-10139\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02944_ScreenSharpen-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02944_ScreenSharpen-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-10139'>\n\t\t\t\tTwisted tree roots\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/2015\/09\/25\/7-reasons-to-visit-magical-yakushima\/sony-dsc-133\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02931_ScreenSharpen-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-10138\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02931_ScreenSharpen-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02931_ScreenSharpen-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-10138'>\n\t\t\t\tYakushima&#8217;s forest\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/2015\/09\/25\/7-reasons-to-visit-magical-yakushima\/dsc02515\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02515-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-10133\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02515-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02515-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-10133'>\n\t\t\t\tA  misty valley\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/2015\/09\/25\/7-reasons-to-visit-magical-yakushima\/sony-dsc-137\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC03058_ScreenSharpen-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-10142\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC03058_ScreenSharpen-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC03058_ScreenSharpen-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-10142'>\n\t\t\t\tMountains and rivers\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<h2><strong>4. There are more monkeys and deer than people<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>To the Japanese they\u2019re pests, but to outsiders the sight of monkeys and deer roaming brazenly through forest and street alike never gets boring. Though neither deer nor monkeys will seem bothered by your presence, you should refrain from feeding or approaching either.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10146\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10146\" style=\"width: 1000px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC03284_ScreenSharpen.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-10146\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC03284_ScreenSharpen.jpg\" alt=\"Hitch-hiking, Yakushima-style\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC03284_ScreenSharpen.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC03284_ScreenSharpen-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC03284_ScreenSharpen-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC03284_ScreenSharpen-720x480.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC03284_ScreenSharpen-390x260.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC03284_ScreenSharpen-780x520.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC03284_ScreenSharpen-510x340.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10146\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hitch-hiking, Yakushima-style<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10141\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10141\" style=\"width: 1000px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02997_ScreenSharpen.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-10141\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02997_ScreenSharpen.jpg\" alt=\"A Yakushima deer\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02997_ScreenSharpen.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02997_ScreenSharpen-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02997_ScreenSharpen-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02997_ScreenSharpen-720x480.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02997_ScreenSharpen-390x260.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02997_ScreenSharpen-780x520.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/DSC02997_ScreenSharpen-510x340.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10141\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Yakushima deer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><strong>5. There are <em>onsen<\/em>. And beaches. And there are <em>onsen<\/em> ON beaches.<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Japan is not known for its beaches, but it actually has rather a clutch of lovely seaside spots. <em>Onsen<\/em>, or hot spring baths, are rather more common \u2013 but combine the two and you\u2019re in for a real treat! Head to Hirauchi Kaichu Onsen in the south of the island and you\u2019ll have the unique chance to soak in a hot spring bath on the beach. But make sure you check the tide times, as the <em>onsen<\/em> is underwater for a portion of the day!<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10148\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10148\" style=\"width: 1000px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Inakahama1-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-10148\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Inakahama1-1.jpg\" alt=\"Inakahama Beach\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Inakahama1-1.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Inakahama1-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Inakahama1-1-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Inakahama1-1-720x480.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Inakahama1-1-390x260.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Inakahama1-1-780x520.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Inakahama1-1-510x340.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10148\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Inakahama Beach<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10153\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10153\" style=\"width: 1000px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/\u753b\u50cf-296.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-10153\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/\u753b\u50cf-296.jpg\" alt=\"Yakushima's beachside hot spring\" width=\"1000\" height=\"750\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/\u753b\u50cf-296.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/\u753b\u50cf-296-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/\u753b\u50cf-296-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/\u753b\u50cf-296-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/\u753b\u50cf-296-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/\u753b\u50cf-296-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/\u753b\u50cf-296-510x383.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10153\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Yakushima&#8217;s beachside hot spring<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><strong>6. It has some kickass waterfalls<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Yakushima is notable for its flora and fauna, but its waterfalls offer another dramatic highlight for visitors. Some, like the Oko Waterfall or Senpiro Waterfall, are very easily accessible by car \u2013 others, like the Janokuchi Waterfall, make excellent hiking destinations. Toroki Waterfall, which is the only waterfall in Japan to pour directly into the sea, is also accessible by kayak \u2013 a fantastic way to admire the cascade!<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10152\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10152\" style=\"width: 1000px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Yakushima1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-10152\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Yakushima1.jpg\" alt=\"Toroki Waterfall\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Yakushima1.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Yakushima1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Yakushima1-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Yakushima1-720x480.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Yakushima1-390x260.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Yakushima1-780x520.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Yakushima1-510x340.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10152\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Toroki Waterfall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10154\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10154\" style=\"width: 1000px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/10KE_Yakushima61.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-10154\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/10KE_Yakushima61.jpg\" alt=\"Oko Waterfall\" width=\"1000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/10KE_Yakushima61.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/10KE_Yakushima61-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/10KE_Yakushima61-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/10KE_Yakushima61-900x1200.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/10KE_Yakushima61-720x960.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/10KE_Yakushima61-390x520.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/10KE_Yakushima61-780x1040.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/10KE_Yakushima61-510x680.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10154\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oko Waterfall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><strong>7. The diving\u2019s pretty good too<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Finally, if the hiking, turtles, deer, monkeys, beaches, onsen, trees and waterfalls weren\u2019t already enough for you, Yakushima is also a great place to squeeze in a spot of diving. Though Okinawa is more famous in terms of underwater treats, ocean diversity surveys suggest that the water surrounding Yakushima is actually more diverse than anywhere else in Japan. Expect coral, turtles, and a wide range of marine life \u2013 not to mention excellent visibility.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/IMG_5119.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10147\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/IMG_5119.jpg\" alt=\"Diving on Yakushima\" width=\"1000\" height=\"666\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/IMG_5119.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/IMG_5119-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/IMG_5119-900x599.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/IMG_5119-720x480.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/IMG_5119-390x260.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/IMG_5119-780x519.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/IMG_5119-510x340.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h4>Like this post? Help us by sharing it!<\/h4><ul class=\"wpfai-list\"><li class=\"wpfai-list-item facebook\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F10129&amp;t=\" title=\"Facebook\" class=\"wpfai-facebook wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-facebook fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item twitter\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F10129\" title=\"Twitter\" class=\"wpfai-twitter wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-twitter fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item pinterest\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F10129&amp;description=&amp;media=\" title=\"Pinterest\" class=\"wpfai-pinterest wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-pinterest fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item linkedin\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F10129&amp;title=\" title=\"Linked In\" class=\"wpfai-linkedin wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-linkedin fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item envelope\">\r\n      <a href=\"mailto:?subject=&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F10129%20-%20\" title=\"E-Mail\" class=\"wpfai-envelope wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-envelope fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item stumbleupon\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stumbleupon.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F10129\" title=\"Stumble Upon\" class=\"wpfai-stumbleupon wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-stumbleupon fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item reddit\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F10129\" title=\"Reddit\" class=\"wpfai-reddit wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-reddit fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Like this post? Help us by sharing it! Yakushima is a firm favourite amongst the InsideJapan team. With lush rainforest, coral reefs, beautiful beaches and fascinating wildlife \u2013 this certainly isn\u2019t the Japan you\u2019re used to seeing in films and on TV! Here are a few reasons why you should buy plane ticket, pack your [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":54,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2362],"tags":[1608,1948,2334,2579,2580],"class_list":["post-10129","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-places-and-where-to-stay-in-japan","tag-hiking","tag-off-the-beaten-track","tag-yakushima","tag-rainforest","tag-turtles"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10129","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/54"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10129"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10129\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25460,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10129\/revisions\/25460"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10129"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10129"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10129"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}