Lee Shu ShienHave you ever watched Princess Mononoke (もののけの姫), one of the many celebrated masterpieces from Studio Ghibli? Devotees of Ghibli’s animated films will recall the beautifully ethereal setting of Princess Mononoke and its profoundly moving narrative.
The remarkable reality is that Yakushima, the very island that inspired the film, is just as otherworldly and enchanting as its cinematic portrayal. As I walked the forest path leading to Shiratani Unsuikyo Ravine (白谷雲水峡), I could almost sense the presence of the small spirits believed to dwell in trees (known as kodama 木霊 in Japan) all around me. Blessed with a humid subtropical climate – famously experiencing rain on most days of the year – Yakushima flourishes with lush greenery year-round. Interestingly, statistics indicate that this UNESCO World Heritage site is home to more deer than humans!
The day after our arrival, we embarked on the longer of the two trails we had planned, venturing into Arakawa Forest (荒川山) towards Joumonsugi (縄文杉), reputedly the oldest tree in Japan. By “longer,” I mean a full ten hours of trekking! Our day began at 4 am when our guide collected us in his four-wheel drive to take us to the bus stop at the foot of the mountain, where a coach awaited to transport us to the trail’s starting point. By 7 am, our adventure into this captivating forest had begun. For those considering a visit to Yakushima in 2025, be prepared for a truly magical encounter with nature.
The trail started as we trekked along an old railroad track into the forest. As we gradually made our way into the depths of the forest, our heart began to swell in gratefulness to Mother Nature for endowing us with such impressive natural masterpieces.
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When we finally arrived at the end of the trail where the 2000-year old Joumonsugi (pictured above) stands proud and erect, unmoved by the transcendence of time. It was a little past noon. It was time to start devouring our bento meticulously prepared by the cook at the hostel, and a warm cup of miso soup complimentary of the guide, before the next 5-hour journey back.
The day ended with a hearty dinner at the hostel. The fish was fished by the hostel owner himself and all other ingredients were sourced from within Yakushima. Recharged for the next hike!
The next day, rain started pouring quite heavily in the morning, delaying our departure. Typhoon was also predicted (it hit us at Miyazaki later in the week-long Kyushu trip; we were stranded in a karaoke room the entire day) but we insisted that even if we had to miss the ravine, we had to trek to the moss forest at least. After all, it’s Princess Mononoke’s forest, the very reason for our trip to Yakushima! The guide relented and gave us the green light, and trust me, the dense moss forest was worth braving the wind, rain, cold and awkward clamber-over-slippery-boulders for.
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Tip: If you only have one day to spend in Yakushima, opt for this trail (Unsuikyo) instead of the Joumonsugi one. This course also takes only 5 hours.
The morning air was so fresh and crisp, the thousand shades of green so pleasing to the eyes. All the life happening around me – immensely, overwhelmingly, inspiring. The rain did not daunt us one bit.
The moss forest looked exactly like how it is portrayed in the film Princess Mononoke. We were brought to the spot where Hayao Miyazaki sat inspired, sketching the first blueprint for the film. So much feels.
Some practical information
1. How to get there
Take the ferry from Kagoshima Port (minami futou 南埠頭). This is probably the most convenient way to enter Yakushima, unless you fly directly into the island from Kagoshima, Osaka or Fukuoka. A round-trip ferry ticket costs an eye-popping 16,700yen. Keeping in mind lodging and trekking expenses, it is very expensive to travel into and around Yakushima. Nevertheless the unforgettable trekking experience makes up for the exorbitant cost. They say, travel is the only thing you spend money on that makes you richer.
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2. Where to stay
We stayed in Minshuku Manten (民宿まんてん), a humble guesthouse within walking distance from Yakushima port (miyanoura 宮之浦), and would highly recommend you to stay there too! Of course, there is a whole range of other guesthouses and hotels to choose from, but Minshuku Mantan stands out because it offers the convenience of signing up for trekking packages when booking for rooms, which I believe most of us appreciate. This leads me to the next point…
3. Signing up for trek courses
So we signed up for trekking with Minshuku Manten when we made our room reservations. Both the guides we had for the two trails (Joumonsugi course and Unsuikyo course) were very friendly and professional. I don’t think there are any shady businesses going around in Yakushima, so feel assured to sign up for any courses you come about! It is definitely safer to follow a trained guide as certain parts of the trail are rather tricky and dangerous.
