Trip to Yakushima
- October 8-11 (2004), Yakushima (Yaku Island), Kagoshima
Prefecture
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When my parents came to see me in Japan for the third time in October 04', I had to think about where they had yet to visit in Japan. Yakushima turned out to be a great choice, as the subtropical island is completely different from any island in Norway. My parents even got to taste dragon fruit for the first time in their lives. |
Yakushima does not have any gigantic waterfalls with regard to water volume or height, but just seeing an waterfall that has not been dammed is a rare experience in Japan. This is, however, not the reason why Yakushima was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. |
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| I hope all prudent Americans will forgive me, but here is a picture of yours truly taking a nude bath in a natural hot spring. It is only possible to enter the hot spring at low tide, which basically means twice a day for about an hour each time. | The island is one of the wettest areas in Japan, and it apparently rains on the island almost every day. 75% mountainous, the island is clad in trees and greenery. |
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| There are lots of wild monkeys on the island, thus it is necessary to drive very carefully. | Yakushima is most famous for its gigantic cedar trees, some of which are believed to be more than 1,000 years old. |
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| This picture made by mother very proud. | My parents bragging about having entered a UNESCO World Heritage Site. |
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| Another picture of Yakushima taken from the top of Mount. Tachu-dake in Yaku-sugi Cedar Land. | There are lots of wild deer on the island as well. Perhaps the best place to see them is from the Seibu Rindoh Forest Path that runs through the western part of the island. |