Crossing Yakushima

From bus stop no. 94 in Onoaida (尾之間 - Onoaida), walk east for about 50 meters until you reach an intersection with a traffic light and a fire hydrant, then turn left (north). Follow the road north and then east until you reach a small café and an onsen (hot spring). Near the onsen, you will see a sign marking the beginning of the trail.

This section of the trail is considered difficult — though exceptionally beautiful — and many hikers skip it, which is a shame. Instead, most choose to take a taxi from Onoaida to the starting point at Yodogo Tozanguchi (see below).

The trail begins along the right bank of the Suzuko River. After about an hour, you will reach a junction leading in approximately 15 minutes to the impressive and unique Jyanokuchi-daki Waterfall (蛇之口滝). Here, water cascades over a massive 30-meter-high rock into a clear pool where hikers can swim and stop for a picnic.

From the waterfall, the trail continues north, gradually climbing, and after about three hours reaches a saddle between two ridges. In the lower area between the mountains, you will arrive at the Tai-no-ko River (鯛之川 - Tai-no-ko), around 8 km from Onoaida. Cross the river carefully, especially after heavy rain, and then begin the ascent toward the ridge extending westward.

After about half an hour, you will reach another trail junction. Continue west, crossing a hill until the open area of Yodogo Tozan-guchi (淀川登山口, elevation 1,360 m) comes into view. This is the starting point of the two-day route that most hikers reach by taxi.

From here, continue for about 40 minutes through a forest of endemic Cryptomeria trees, firs, and Japanese hemlocks. The trail descends through a marshy area until you reach Yodogo Hut (淀川小屋 - Yodogo-goya).

The hut, built from massive logs, can accommodate around 40 hikers on a polished wooden floor and a long raised platform. There are restrooms nearby, and the hut is open year-round and free of charge. Please help keep it clean.

Nearby flows the Yodo River (淀川 - Yodo Gawa), whose crystal-clear water is so transparent that it is difficult to judge its depth. The water is generally considered drinkable, and many locals fill their bottles here, though filtering it before drinking is still recommended.

Next to the hut are two compacted-earth areas designated for tents.

This morning, immediately after leaving Yodogo Hut, you will cross a metal bridge over the Yodo River before beginning the climb toward the ridge through dense forest. The ascent gradually becomes steeper, and after about an hour you will reach a viewpoint overlooking the peaks of Kōban-dake (1,711 m - 高盤岳). This mountain is often nicknamed “Tofu Rock Mountain” because a huge boulder on its summit resembles a giant block of tofu cut into pieces. Also visible from here is Jinnemu-koban-dake (1,734 m - ジンネム高盤岳).

Continue for about fifteen more minutes to reach a small marsh surrounded by wildflowers and ancient cryptomeria trees. The setting resembles a carefully designed traditional Japanese garden, though it is entirely natural.

After another fifteen minutes of walking, you will arrive at Hananoego Marsh (花之江河 - Hananoego), a junction of four trails built on a boardwalk made of heavy logs. Be careful here in wet weather, as the wood can become slippery. Trails from this point lead toward Anbō (安房), Yudomari (湯泊), Kurio (栗生), and back to Onoaida (尾之間 - Onoaida). From here onward, the routes merge into a single trail leading toward the summit of Miyanoura-dake (宮之浦岳 - Miyanoura-dake), which is your route.

From the marsh, continue north toward the junction for the summit trail to Kuromi-dake (1,831 m - 黒味岳 - Kuromi-dake). About half an hour later, the steep ascent to Nageishi-dake (1,830 m - 投石岳 - Nageishi-dake) begins.

The trail then traverses the western slopes of Anbō-dake (1,847 m - 安房岳) and Okina-dake (1,860 m), crossing a small stream that serves as the last water source before the summit. From there, the route climbs toward Kurio-dake (1,867 m).

Approximately fifteen minutes later, you will reach the summit of Miyanoura-dake (1,935 m - 宮之浦岳 - Miyanoura-dake), the highest mountain on Yakushima Island and the southernmost peak included in Japan’s famous “One Hundred Famous Mountains” list (日本百名山, Nihon Hyaku-meizan), published in 1964 by writer and mountaineer Kyūya Fukada.

From the summit, the trail descends through dense sasa bamboo grass until you reach the Yakeno trail junction. Continuing north for about twenty minutes brings you to a small shelter at Hiraishi, where the trail briefly becomes rough before leveling out near a water source.

After about half an hour, you will arrive at “Viewpoint Two” (Dai-ni Tenbōdai), overlooking ancient cryptomeria forests, and roughly an hour later at “Viewpoint One” (Dai-ichi Tenbōdai).

A short walk from there leads to Shintakatsuka Hut (1,500 m - 新高塚小屋 - Shintakatsuka-goya). Like the previous hut, it is free to use, though it can become crowded during the peak hiking season from May to September. The hut has drinking water, toilets, and space for up to 60 hikers on two wooden sleeping platforms.

If you prefer a quieter place to stay, continue for another 50 minutes to Takatsuka Hut (1,320 m - 高塚避難小屋 - Takatsuka-goya), a smaller and more peaceful shelter that can accommodate around 20 people.

Both huts are open year-round and provide only basic facilities: wooden sleeping floors marked with white lines indicating sleeping spaces, along with nearby tent platforms for hikers who prefer camping.

The best times to visit are early in the morning, before the crowds from day hikes arrive, or in the evening, especially at dusk, when the tree’s mystical atmosphere is at its strongest. This is also an ideal place to experience shinrin-yoku, or Japanese forest bathing, on the nearby wooden viewing deck.

Continue descending for about half an hour to the “couple trees,” Meoto-sugi, two cryptomerias that appear to be holding hands. Further along stands Daiou-sugi, another ancient tree, though significantly younger than Jomon Sugi at around 3,000 years old.

A steep staircase then leads down to Wilson-kabu, the enormous stump of a cryptomeria tree that was cut down approximately 400 years ago. The base has a circumference of 32 meters, and visitors can step inside, where a small shrine is dedicated to the tree’s spirit (kami). If you find the correct angle and crouch low to the ground, the opening above frames the treetops in the shape of a perfect heart.

From the stump, continue for about 20 minutes to the entrance of the Okabu-hodo Tozanguchi trailhead, then begin descending along an old, disused railway track. This section is an easy and pleasant walk of about an hour to the Kosugawa trail junction. Wooden planks laid over the tracks make the route comfortable and enjoyable to walk on.

At the junction, take the northern (left) path, where a one-hour ascent begins toward Tsuji-toge Pass (979 m), through a lush, moss-covered forest with a small stream flowing nearby. This landscape inspired the background artwork for the animated film Princess Mononoke.

From the pass, descend for about 20 minutes to Shiratani-sanso Hut. Here, you can choose between two routes:

Left toward the Shiratani Unsuikyo Nature Reserve

Right along an old stone path dating from the Edo period

The right-hand route crosses a stream, which can become difficult after rain, and continues to a suspension bridge spanning the Shiratani Gorge. From there, descend along a paved path to a rest area and the road, where you will find the Shiratani Unsuikyo bus stop.

Buses to Miyanoura depart every two hours, with the last bus leaving at 17:00.

Hikers who prefer to continue on foot can turn right along the road and walk about half a kilometer to the Kosugawa hiking trail. The path descends steeply through a damp, green forest, crossing streams and slippery rocks after rain, but it is especially rewarding in dry weather.

After about an hour, the natural forest gradually gives way to dense cryptomeria plantations, leading to Kosugawa Tozanguchi. From here, the route becomes easy: a gentle one-hour descent through farmland and planted forest to the Kosugawa bus stop.

You can continue walking west to the town of Miyanoura, about 35 minutes away, or head east for roughly one kilometer along Route 77 to relax in the Kosugawa onsen (hot springs).