Jomon Sugi Trek on Yakushima: Route, Timing and Gear

The trail, stretch by stretch

Arakawa trailhead to Okabu (about 8 km). Most of the distance follows the tracks of an old logging railway. It is nearly flat but hard on the feet: you step from sleeper to sleeper or walk the narrow boards between the rails, crossing several river bridges. Halfway along you pass Kosugidani, where a logging village with its own school once stood; only stone walls and a small clearing remain. Along the later part of the tracks, look for Sandai-sugi, a cedar growing on the stumps of two earlier generations.

Okabu to Jomon Sugi (about 2.5 km). At the Okabu trailhead the real mountain path begins, and it climbs hard over roots, rocks and long wooden staircases. The first landmark is Wilson Kabu, the hollow stump of an enormous cedar named after Ernest Wilson, the English plant collector who documented it in the early twentieth century. Step inside and look up: the opening in the canopy forms the shape of a heart. Further up come Daio-sugi, the "great king cedar", and Meoto-sugi, two trees joined by a branch like a married couple, before the final push to Jomon Sugi.

The return. You come back the same way, mostly downhill, which is hard on tired knees. Allow nearly as long for the return as for the climb. The full round trip takes about 10 hours for most hikers.

Staying overnight in the mountains

Beyond Jomon Sugi, the unstaffed Takatsuka and Shin-Takatsuka huts let you break the walk. You carry your own sleeping bag, food and stove, but you get the tree almost to yourself in the early morning, before the day hikers arrive. Strong hikers use the huts to continue to Miyanouradake, at 1,936 m the highest peak in Kyushu, and descend by a different trail.

When to go

Yakushima is famously wet; a line in Fumiko Hayashi's novel Ukigumo claims it rains 35 days a month on the island. Rain gear is needed in every season.

• Spring (March to May) is mild and green, but Golden Week in early May fills the buses and trail.
• June brings the rainy season; heavy rain can suspend buses and swell streams.
• Summer is hot and humid, and typhoons from late summer can cancel boats and flights for days.
• Autumn is usually calmer and one of the best times to go.
• Winter can bring snow and ice to the upper trail, and the Arakawa bus does not run; this is for experienced hikers only.

What to pack and how to pace it

• A headlamp: you will start in the dark, and delays can bring you back at dusk.
• A two-piece rain suit, a pack cover and waterproof boots with good grip; wet roots and wooden steps are slippery.
• Water (around 1.5 to 2 litres) and all your food. There are no shops on the trail, and many lodges will pack a breakfast and lunch box for trekkers if you ask the evening before.
• A portable toilet bag. There are basic toilets at a few points, but the island encourages hikers to carry their own.

Set a turnaround time and keep to it: if you are well behind schedule by late morning, turn back, because missing the last bus means a very long walk down the forest road. Do not feed the Yakushima macaques or deer, keep to the trail, and cap the tips of trekking poles.

If ten hours sounds too much, Shiratani Unsuikyo offers a shorter walk through the moss forest said to have inspired the film Princess Mononoke.

Plan your trip

Give Yakushima at least three nights: one to arrive, one for the trek, and one spare in case rain or a typhoon forces you to postpone. First-timers will find plenty of local guides on the island. For a sample itinerary, local food and lodging ideas, see our complete Jomon Sugi trekking guide.