Did the Taikowa Rock round trip course today. Early part of the trail requires a small detour as the route shared by the two cedar courses is currently closed due to maintenance. What an amazing experience! The trail combines a good challenge with amazing nature and great sights. Definitely a must-do if you’re on these parts. The ground can be slippery due to both wet rocks and tangling roots, in particular after rain. So bring proper equipment. The final stretch to Taikowa rock is a steep climb - but worth it if you’re up to the challenge. Note that the view over the mountains may be limited in foggy weather (see pictures). Still, I’d say it is worth it.

Shiratani Unsui Gorge is a breathtaking paradise that has been on my bucket list since 1997, when I first learned that this ancient forest inspired the enchanted woods in Miyazaki’s "Princess Mononoke." Finally visiting this magical place exceeded all my expectations and left me in awe of its natural beauty. As soon as you enter the gorge, you are enveloped by a serene atmosphere that feels like stepping into another world. The towering trees, some of which are thousands of years old, create a majestic canopy that filters the sunlight, casting a soft, dappled glow on the forest floor. The air is fresh and invigorating, infused with the earthy scent of moss and rich vegetation. The forest is renowned for its vibrant moss, which blankets the rocks and tree trunks in a lush green carpet. This enchanting sight adds a mystical quality to the surroundings, making you feel as if you are wandering through a fairy tale. It’s truly a photographer’s dream, with countless opportunities to capture the beauty of nature at its finest. One of the highlights of Shiratani Unsui Gorge is the crystal-clear water flowing through the rivers and streams. The water is so pure that you can drink it straight from the river, a testament to the pristine environment that this area boasts. Sipping on the cool, refreshing water while taking in the breathtaking views was a moment I will cherish forever. The trails are well-maintained and offer varying levels of difficulty, making it accessible for everyone from casual walkers to seasoned hikers. No matter how far you venture, the tranquility of the forest and the soothing sounds of nature create a deeply calming experience. Overall, Shiratani Unsui Gorge is a must-visit destination for anyone who appreciates the beauty of nature. It’s a magical place that truly captures the essence of what makes Yakushima so special. I can't recommend it highly enough! Whether you’re a fan of Miyazaki’s films or simply looking for a breathtaking escape into nature, this ancient forest will leave you enchanted and longing to return.

This place was so beautiful and serene. The hike to the moss covered forest was challenging but rewarding with the beautiful scenery. Good hiking shoes is a must as it could be muddy and good grip is needed for climbing up and down the rocks in some sections. Highly recommend bringing snacks or a packaged meal to eat at a rest break for fuel. The hike to the moss forest and back took us around 4 hours! There are bathrooms before you begin your hike and I highly recommend bringing water!

Shiratani Unsui Gorge in Yakushima is one of the most magical places I’ve ever visited. The moss-covered forest feels like stepping into a fantasy world — no wonder it inspired Princess Mononoke. The air is fresh, the sound of running water is soothing, and every corner looks like a scene from a movie. Even in light rain, the mist adds to the mystical atmosphere. The hike can be a bit challenging, but it’s completely worth it. A truly unforgettable experience in Yakushima.

An incredible experience. This tranquil place is inspirational to walk through and leaves a lasting impression on your mind. This is the place that inspired the film 'Princess Mononoke'. There's so much to see. I saw monkeys on the way in, and the entrance has a beautiful waterfall that's worth the drive for that alone. There's lots of mossy rocks and trees, several Japanese trees whose age dates back to around the years of the Roman Republic, and lots of waterfalls and streams. Some of the paths have steep climbs, and it was physically challenging in parts, though I had no hiking gear bar the boots. Hiking poles would've made the return journey more enjoyable. Recommended times on the map are conservative. I did the longest walk which recommends 4 hrs, though even with many photo breaks and some rest it was still only about 3 hrs or less. Time the course you want to do depending on your fitness level, and climbing confidence. If you want to give yourself time and do multiple trails, go first thing in the morning and pack water and snacks. Though one water bottle is enough as the water from the streams are delicious.

Part of the driveway towards the valley was very narrow, which might be difficult for some drivers to pass with confidence. Free carpark was available beyond the ticketing office. There were toilets here. A small fee was required to enter the area. The staff introduced a few routes with different levels of difficulty and time required. A one hour walk was minimal. The forest was misty during my visit, like a fairy tale. After several visits to this kind of sightseeing point, it was not so unique without trees aged more than three thousand years old. But it was worth going on the island.

We chose the green route to walk into the mossy 🌳 forest, blessing us with a fine day in the morning hike. Surroundings are stunning giant cedars and mossy plants on the trees and stones. The formed wooden stairs and the stone steps are well maintained, not a difficult climb all the way. We haven’t climb up to the Taiko Rock due to the knee pain. Indeed, it is a wonderful place to enjoy the beauty of nature.

Beautiful waterfall. It’s a quick visit, but worth it!

Oko Waterfall in Yakushima is absolutely breathtaking. The sheer height and power of the water are amazing, and the lush green forest surrounding it makes the whole scene feel alive. You can feel the mist as you get closer, and the sound of the falls echoes beautifully through the valley. It’s not an easy spot to reach, but that makes it even more peaceful and rewarding. A must-visit if you want to experience Yakushima’s wild nature at its best.

A short walk from a parking lot to thks wonderfull waterfall! Its huge, and you can get fairly nearby. The water will splash up into the air and you will get wet!

Amazing waterfall which isn't far from the main road and has easy access and decent facilities. Beautiful at multiple angles.

Beautiful and accessible view of the waterfall. There’s also a bus stop nearby (with only 4 buses each direction per day). The other option is to walk 4.5 Km to Kuriobashi station.

Magical. We arrived at 5:30pm just before sunset and were the only ones there. The road of the waterfall and the sheer size of it were a sight to behold. Utterly magnificent.

stunning! do walk down to the beach!

Yakusugi Land is a natural forest park located, featuring ancient Yakusugi cedar trees, many over 1,000 years old. What I liked was the range of hiking trails—from easy 30-minute walks to longer 3-hour treks. The trails are well-maintained and wind through lush, mossy forests filled with old-growth cedars, fallen logs, and diverse plant life. Two buses travel to the park entrance, starting at Gochomae stop 62.

My family enjoyed hiking the trails at Yakusugi Land. Although my daughters are quite young (5 and 7 years old), the trails were clearly marked and not too difficult for them. During the hike, we saw many beautiful gorges and ancient cedar trees, some of which are over 1,000 years old. I would recommend going early in the morning, as the tree cover provides natural shade, keeping you cool while you hike.

There were no spiders this high up so even if you are nervous about walking through the bush with spiders - this is a good place to go. The 50 minute walk was more like 30 minutes and was very cool - if I was doing it again I would do the longer 80 minute trail.

Good way to see the depth of the natural first including some millenarian cedars without heavy hiking. It's good if you have younger kids or can't hike for multiple hours in the forest

A magical place and everything is well marked. I did the 210 min trail solo and it wasn’t overly strenuous. Some parts are a little bit technical or tricky, but not too bad. If you’re short on time, the 150 min trail seems just as good as the 210 min one. Saw maybe 10 other hikers, and I went on a Saturday.

Achingly beautiful forest and river. Well marked trail, lots of signage. They have several hiking loops of different lengths and difficulties.

This is a must. You have to drive up a very windy road to get here but well worth it. Just wow. There is something for everyone. You can do a short walk or longer. The short walks have boardwalks and lots of steps. Just breath taking. There is a gift shop also.

The hike there is great, but this magnificent, ancient tree is some thing you look at an say " wow, ...ok". It is impressive but a huge old tree has limited appeal. "The journey there, is more important than the destination"

Jomon sugi is just a big tree, you cannot even touch it. There are viewing decks 50meters away from the tree. What made the 10hour trek worth it is the breathtaking sceneries along the trek. Every rest, I can’t stop saying it’s so beautiful here.. Straight out of the fairytale book. Pictures don’t do justice. The view is so inspiring. I understand why Hayao Miyazaki got inspired by the forest and used it in his works. The trek is easy. There are stairs and paths that are easy to follow. 100m pass the Jomon sugi is a small house/ a camping house where people can stay overnight. It’s free. No staff. There is a tent toilet near it. The las bus from the trail entrance is 5:45pm so it’s advisable to get there early.

For the forest bathers and tree enthusiasts, Jomon Sugi is like having ambrosia injected straight into the veins. You will experience the sublime. The hike itself is quite easy as 70% is on a set track. If you're a more experienced hiker, you will find this more annoying than enjoyable as it is difficult to pass people in groups. Once you get to the back 30% it becomes more invigorating, although partially all tracked, mostly wooden steps. That said, it is gorgeous landscape and forest, so you being able to turn off your brain to watch around you without considering your foot placement is a decent exchange for the loss of intensity. Time needed: I drew 6 sketches on the way up, it took about 5 hours and my hike back was 2 hours 20 minutes. Transport: For in season, bus schedules are not the same as online currently. You have to take the bus before 5:40 (5:40 being the last bus now) If you miss the bus you can sometimes order a taxi (which I ended up taking for ¥6,000.) Expensive, BUT I did have a delayed start and had the trail to myself for about 60% of it until I caught up to the other groups. Truly magical. Water: You can refill along the way, Yakushima water is safe to drink from the mountain. Bathrooms: there are some operating bathrooms at the very start and the transition point from rail track to stairs area. There is also portable toilet you need to have a bathroom bag with to use. Bring food! All over Yakushima you can buy a bento to take with you. I regret only having baked goods, fruit, and snack bars. There are a lot of stops to be able to eat and it would have been dreamy to have eaten a whole, rejuvenating meal versus snacks along the way.

A hike that many may consider to be the most popular on the island. Definitely can be done within 6-8 hours, and without a tour guide. Highly advise starting around 5-6:00 in the morning just to be safe. Tickets for the bus ride to the starting point can be bought at the bottom parking lot. Most of the hike is straightforward, while the last mile and a bit gets a bit steeper and tougher. Bring some snacks and beverages for hydration as there are rest stops a long the way and places to go sit down and eat at the top (please remember to take your trash home!!). Beautiful and breath-taking, rain or shine, an absolute must experience for all.

I visited Yakushima and Jomon sugi in October via tour from Tokyo. It took a day to get to Yakushima with an airplane and cruiser. It was raining the day of the hike :( I'm so glad that I prepared for it with raincoat, rain cover for the back pack etc still it made the hike really miserable and hard to complete. It took us for 10-11 hours to finish. I felt like this is some sort of very hard training that I walked and eat foods in the rain. Though it was such an unfortunate weather I had, the experience and the glance of the Jomon sugi is unforgettable memory by now. So please prepare for the rainfall! And pack enough foods and water with good hiking shoes!

A challenging hike, depending on your starting point. But it feels like an incredible to make it there. It's a beautiful hike. More amazing than my pictures could capture.

Beautiful 8-10hr trail to and from Jomon Sugi. Whilst impressive, the tree shouldnt be the main attraction. Make sure you enjoy the walk and soak in the surreal forest energy. Almost mystical.

I love this place than the Jomon-sugi, will feel much relaxed inside the broken cedar, you could hear the flow of spring water inside and there is a little shrine inside the tree and Seriously I was trying to take the heart shaped photo through the tree but eventually I got failed, give a try in take the Photo as heart shaped ❤️ Thanks

Beautiful place. Walk inside the cedar tree stump and look up. At a certain angle you will see a heart. Definitely worth stopping while hiking in this area.

Cool

Nice place to have a rest

It is of a very impressive size. Don't forget to find a spot inside from which the outline of the stump looks like a heart shape.

Really beautiful scene and we managed to encounter a Yakushima monkey during our walk.

Sweet heart shaped sky

Beautiful falls from a distance. The walkway going to the falls could not be accessed due to landslide. It’s a quick 10 minute visit. Nov 2024.

Nice water fall with two look outs and one trail to get closer look

A lot of stairs to go back up (around 200, I counted) after you get down to see the falls but it’s totally worth it. The observatories are amazing, too.

It's a big and beautiful waterfall. Note that a short trail taking you closer to the waterfall has opening hours, I can't remember exactly, but I think it closed at 17.

Chihiro Falls is currently inaccessible due to a landslide. But even just closing your eyes and listening to the sound of the waterfall is deeply soothing and refreshing.

The waterfall it self is very big and nice, the road to walk up to it was sadly at the moment closed

Beautiful view from a far. Easy access from the car park next to げじべえの里 cafe. Please note. Don’t follow google maps directions. It will take you the wrong direction up a no exit mountain road.