Yakushima

is one of the Ōsumi Islands in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. The island, in area, has a population of 11,858. It is accessible by hydrofoil ferry, car ferry, or by air to Yakushima Airport.

The island is part of the town (chō) of Yakushima, which includes the neighbouring island of Kuchinoerabujima. 42% of the island is within the borders of the Yakushima National Park. and surplus power has been used to produce hydrogen gas in an experiment by Kagoshima University. The island has been a test site for Honda's hydrogen fuel cell vehicle research.

World Heritage designation

In 1980, an area of was designated a UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Reserve. In 1993, of wetland at Nagata-hama was designated a Ramsar site. Yakushima is the largest nesting ground for the endangered loggerhead sea turtle in the North Pacific. The island's unique remnant of warm/temperate ancient forest has been a natural World Heritage Site since 1993.

Geography

Overview

thumb|left|150px|Relief map

thumb|Osumi Islands map

Yakushima is located approximately south of the southern tip of Ōsumi Peninsula in southern Kyushu, or south of Kagoshima. The Tanegashima Strait (Tanegashima Kaikyō) separates it from the nearby island of Tanegashima, which is home to the Japanese Space Centre. Periodic rocket launches from Tanegashima can clearly be seen from Yakushima.

The bedrock of the island is granite, so there are no active volcanoes. The island has an area of and is roughly circular, with a circumference of and a diameter of . Its highest elevations are , at , and , at . Yakushima has another 30 peaks of over in height. There are numerous hot springs on the island.

Yakushima Mitake.jpg|Yakushima Mitake, Mount Miyanoura, Mount Nagata, and Mount Kurio

Anbo River 03.jpg|Anbo River

Ooko Falls 03.jpg|Ooko Falls

Senpiro Fall Yakushima 01.jpg|Senpiro Falls

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Settlements

Major settlements of the island, which make up Yakushima municipality, are the port towns of Anbō and Miyanoura; between them is located Yakushima Airport. Other settlements are the coastal villages of Onoaida, Hirauchi, Kurio, Nagata, and the abandoned forest village of Kosugidani.

History

Yakushima has been settled since at least the Jōmon period. It was first mentioned in written documents of the Chinese Sui dynasty of the 6th century. In 601, the Chinese sent an expedition to the "Country of Liukiu" (流求國). They noted that the people were small but pugnacious. They could not understand the local language, however, and returned to China. In 607, they sent another expedition to trade and brought back one of the islanders.

In the ancient Japanese history text Shoku Nihongi, in an entry dated 702 CE, it is said that Yakushima formed part of ancient Tane Province.

During the Edo period, Yakushima was ruled by the Shimazu clan of the Satsuma Domain and was considered part of Ōsumi Province. Following the Meiji restoration, the island has been administered as part of Kagoshima Prefecture.

In 2017, Yakushima was struck by Typhoon Noru, causing one death.

In November 2023, a United States Air Force V-22 Osprey crashed off the coast of Yakushima, killing seven crew members, with one crewmember going missing.

Demographics and economy

The population of Yakushima reached its peak in 1960, with 24,010 inhabitants. It thereafter declined until about 1995 but has subsequently stabilized at 12,053 inhabitants as of 2020. Humans are far outnumbered on the island by wildlife.

Traditionally, the economic mainstays of the population were forestry and the export of wood products (principally cedar roof shingles), and commercial fishing. Cultivation of oranges and tea, the distilling of shōchū, and tourism are now the main sources of income.

Flora and fauna

Yakushima contains one of the largest tracts of existing Nansei Islands subtropical evergreen forests, an endangered habitat ecoregion. The only large animals indigenous to the island are Yakushima macaques and a variety of sika deer. Japanese weasels (Mustela itatsi) may also be seen from time to time. The island is a spawning ground for migratory loggerhead turtles, and dolphins are to be found offshore. The coastal areas have coral reefs in places, although to a much lesser extent than are found farther south in the islands of Okinawa.

Over 150 bird species live on Yakushima.

Yakushima is known for its lush vegetation. Most of the island has at one time or another been logged (dating back at least to the early Edo period), but it has been extensively replanted and reseeded since logging ended in the late 1960s, at which time a conservation regime was established. and annual precipitation there is one of the world's highest, at .

Pollution

According to a disputed theory published in a 2009 paper, airborne pollutants from China may have affected the Yakushima white pine.

Transportation

Airport

Yakushima Airport (KUM) is the only airfield serving the island. A flight to KUM from Kagoshima Airport takes approximately 40 minutes.

Ferries

Tanegayaku High Speed Ship Jetfoil "Toppy" "Rocket"

Kagoshima Port, Minato Pier, Kagoshima City – Ibusuki Port (Ibusuki City) in Tanegashima, Nishinoomote Port (Nishinoomote City), Yakushima, Miyanoura Port, or Anbo Port.

Other

Orita Kisen "Ferry Yakushima 2"
Kagoshima Minato-ku Minami Pier-Yakushima / Miyanoura Port
Kagoshima Merchant Ship & Shinyashiki Shoji Ferry "Haibisukasu" [40]
Taniyama Port 2 Ward (Kagoshima City) – Tanegashima Nishinoomote Port (Nishinoomote City) – Yakushima Miyanoura Port
Yakushima Town "Ferry Taiyo"
Kuchinoerabujima – Yakushima / Miyanoura Port – Tanegashima / Shimama Port (Minamitanemachi)

Railway

The last operating narrow-gauge (762mm gauge) timber railway in Japan is on the island, but it only transports freight.

Hot springs

thumb|Yudomari onsen in Yakushima

There are several onsen (hot springs) on Yakushima. They can be used for bathing or as natural spas.

Yakushima is the inspiration behind the forest of Dremuchij in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.
The fictional characters Jun and Jin Kazama of Tekken lived on Yakushima.
The landscapes in Oni: Thunder God's Tale are inspired by Yakushima's forests.
The main setting of episodes 1153 and 1154 of Detective Conan is Yakushima, where a murder takes place deep in the forest near the ancient Jōmon Sugi.