YakushimaKuchinoerabujima Guide
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Yakushima& KuchinoerabujimaGuideYakushima Island and Kuchinoerabujima IslandIn October 2007 Kamiyaku Town and Yaku Town merged to form Yakushima Town.Yakushima Town consists of two islands, Yakushima Island and Kuchinoerabujima Island. Yakushima is located 135 kilometers south of Kagoshima City and Kuchinoerabujima Island is located 12 kilometers west-northwest of Yakushima.Yakushima Island is a round shaped island with a circumference of 132 kilometers and an area of about 504 square kilometers. There are many mountains over 1,000 meters high, including Mt. Miyanoura which is the highest in Kyushu at 1,936 meters. Most of the island’s mountains are covered with forest. For this reason Yakushima is called “The Alps on the Ocean”. Kuchinoerabujima Island is an active volcanic island with a length of 12 kilometers and width of 5 kilome-ters. It is also known as a green volcanic island because of its vegetation coverage. The volcanic activities of Mt. Shin, a 626 meter high volcano, give Kuchinoerabujima Island some wonderful hot springs. Over 30 percent of the island is covered with bamboo. Some areas are sloped gently and are natural pastures.Yakushima because of its environment and resources became the rst World Natural Heritage Site in Japan in 1993. The old growth forest and the vertical distribution of vegetation, ranging from a subtropical zone to a subarctic zone, are some of the reasons why Yakushima has been recognized as a world treasure.One characteristic of Yakushima is the abundant rain, around 4,500 millimeters annually, 8,000 to 10,000 millimeters in the mountains. Annual rainfall in Yakushima is more than double of mainland Japan. Half of Yakushima’s yearly rainfall is from May to August. The average temperatures of Yakushima’s coastal areas are a mild 20 degree as it is located in a subtropical zone. In winter owers can be seen but the mountains on the other hand will be covered with snow. Season InformationSpring(March ‒ May)The mountains are still very cold with occasional sleet. Although it is the beginning of the mountain climbing season, the weather is unpredictable and a cause of some mountain accidents. You must be very careful climbing the mountains during this time. It is still cold, so you should prepare for it with proper climbing equipment. In May loggerhead turtles start laying their eggs on some of the beaches around Yakushima. The nesting areas are protected during this season. Sea turtle observing tours are conducted on Nagata Beach.Late May is the best time to view ‘Shakunage’ rhododendron (alpine rose). It is also the start of the marine sports season, such as kayaking, snorkeling, scuba diving, shing, surng and so on.Summer(June ‒ August)June is the beginning of the rainy season. During this time many beautiful rainbows can be seen. Yakushi-ma is also known as ‘the rainbow island’.In mid-July, the rainy season is over and it is the beginning of the summer season. Typhoon season start in around August and ends in mid-October. It is always advisable to check the weather report and trail conditions in advance when planning a trip during this season.During the summer season, there are many popular activities that you can enjoy, such as mountain climbing, river and ocean sports, many summer festivals and observation of loggerhead turtle eggs hatching.Autumn(September ‒ November)The amount of precipitation is very light. Yakushima will have clear blue skies and beautiful autumn days but for occasional typhoons. Autumn is the best season to go mountain climbing and hiking. During this season the beautiful colors of autumn leaves can be seen. Winter(December ‒ February)Coldest temperature along the coast is around 8 degree Celsius. December has the least rainfall of 120mm during the year.The mountain tops may have over one meter of snow which may last until March. At an altitude of about 1,600 meters you may see hoarfrost on branches of Yaku-sugi cedars.In December the climbing route to Mt. Miyanoura is possible for advanced level climbers. The roads to the mountains may be closed due to icy conditions. Winter mountain climbing will require planning with current information on mountain conditions and weather. During December to January Ponkan is harvested. 35.030.025.020.015.010.05.00.0℃12345maxClimate Statistics in Yakushimamin.67891011121200.01000.0800.0600.0400.0200.00.0mm12345YakushimaYakushima(max.)Yakushima(min.)TokyoMonthlv Precipitation6789101112

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