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Draft data. Times, fares and step counts are desk estimates awaiting field checks. Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify

Major city · Japan

Yakushima屋久島

Go for 2 nights minimum: one full day for the Shiratani Unsuikyo forest, one for the coast. Skip the Jomon Sugi hike unless you want a 10-hour day.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
JPY
Best months
Mar–May, Oct–Nov
avoid Jun–Jul (rainy season), Aug–Sep (typhoons)
Airport
KUM
Nights
2–3
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 5
  • East Asia ↗Every border in East Asia is a full international border, Hong Kong and Macau included: an entry permission for one never covers the next.
  • East Asia ↗Ferries between Korea, Japan and China cancel in rough seas and typhoons; keep a flight or a spare day behind every sea leg.
  • Japan ↗IC cards (ICOCA/Suica) are topped up with cash at station machines.
  • Japan ↗Smoking while walking is banned in most city centres; use designated areas.
  • Japan ↗Shinkansen bags 160–250 cm (L+W+H) need a seat reserved with the oversized-baggage area.

Yakushima is a round granite island off southern Kyushu, 2 hours by jetfoil from Kagoshima, with mossy yakusugi cedar forest, deer and monkeys, and one road around the coast. Most visitors come to walk; the island is one of Japan's rainiest places, so plan around rain rather than avoiding it. Two nights covers the main forest and the coast; three nights adds the Jomon Sugi trek.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Yakushima, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee¥400–700 (≈ US$3–5)
  • Street or quick mealNoodle soup or set lunch¥800–1,500 (≈ US$6–11)
  • Beerdraught / can at a shop¥500–750 (≈ US$4–6)¥250–350 (≈ US$2–3)
  • Metro or bus rideBus, Miyanoura to Arakawa trailheadcheck¥1,400 (≈ US$10) one way
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week¥2,000–4,000 (≈ US$14–30)
  • Museum or sight ticketShiratani Unsuikyo trail entry¥800 (≈ US$6)
  • Budget bedHostel or guesthouse bed, a night, per person¥3,500 (≈ US$25)
  • Mid-range bedGuesthouse or hotel double room, a night, per room¥16,000 (≈ US$110)
  • High-end bedGuesthouse or hotel double room, a night, per room¥38,000 (≈ US$300)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget ¥8,000 (≈ US$55) · Mid ¥14,000 (≈ US$95) · High ¥26,000 (≈ US$180)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Yakusugi cedar forestShiratani Unsuikyo gorgeJomon Sugi treeOoko-no-taki waterfallSea turtles at Nagata beach
Airports
KUM Yakushima Airport (Flights from Kagoshima (about 35 min), Fukuoka and Osaka Itami; the airport sits between Miyanoura and Anbo on the coastal road.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Yakushima: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

14°C

8°C

15 rd

Feb

15°C

8°C

14 rd

Mar

17°C

10°C

16 rd

Apr

20°C

13°C

14 rd

May

23°C

16°C

14 rd

Jun

26°C

20°C

19 rd

Jul

29°C

23°C

15 rd

Aug

30°C

24°C

15 rd

Sep

28°C

22°C

15 rd

Oct

24°C

18°C

13 rd

Nov

20°C

14°C

13 rd

Dec

16°C

10°C

14 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

One coastal road circles the island in about 3 hours by car. Buses run roughly hourly 07:00–18:00 on the coast, but only 4 a day reach the Arakawa trailhead, 2 to Yakusugiland and 6 to Shiratani Unsuikyo. A rental car or scooter is the practical choice; book ahead in season. An unlimited bus pass costs ¥2,500 (1 day), ¥4,000 (2 days) or ¥5,000 (4 days) as of 2026 (check).

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Tanegashima

overnight

Door to door: About 1–2 h crossing plus port time

Jetfoil or ferry from Miyanoura or Anbo

Worth a night of its own; not a same-day return.

Kagoshima

skip

Door to door: About 3 h

Jetfoil from Miyanoura or Anbo, about 2 h

This is your arrival and departure route, not a day out.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Miyanoura

Main port and ferry terminal; most restaurants, shops and the tourist information centre. Best for a first visit without a car.

Anbo

Second port on the south-east coast, closer to the Yakusugi Museum and the Arakawa trailhead road. Quieter, fewer places to eat.

Nagata and the west coast

Beach and turtle-nesting area; very few beds and almost no evening food. Only with a car.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
¥8,000–12,000 (≈ US$55–85) excl. bed
Mid
¥12,000–20,000 (≈ US$85–140) excl. bed
High
¥20,000 (≈ US$140)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Guesthouse or hotel double room1 × 2 nights × ¥16,000¥32,000
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × ¥14,000¥56,000
Jetfoil Kagoshima ↔ Miyanoura, return2 × ¥25,900 · check¥51,800
Unlimited bus pass, 2 days2 × ¥4,000 · check¥8,000
Rental car, 1 day (small car)1 × ¥5,000 · check¥5,000
eSIM, about a week of data2 × ¥2,500¥5,000
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge¥15,780
Trip total≈ ¥43,400 per person per day, bed included¥173,580≈ US$1,200

2026 estimate in yen; flights and ferry fares excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee¥400–700 (≈ US$3–5)
Noodle soup or set lunch¥800–1,500 (≈ US$6–11)
Beer: draught / can at a shop¥500–750 (≈ US$4–6) / ¥250–350 (≈ US$2–3)
Bus, Miyanoura to Arakawa trailheadcheck¥1,400 (≈ US$10) one way
Shiratani Unsuikyo trail entry¥800 (≈ US$6)
Yakusugi Museum entry¥600 (≈ US$5)
Rental scooter (50cc), 1 daycheckabout ¥4,000 (≈ US$30)
eSIM or data SIM, about a week¥2,000–4,000 (≈ US$14–30)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Very low crime; the real risks are weather, trail fatigue and the last bus. Tell someone your route before any forest hike and carry rain gear even on a clear morning.
  • Rain is normal: measurable precipitation on about half the days of the year. Bring a shell and dry bags, and treat any forecast as provisional.
  • Jetfoil and ferry crossings are cancelled when waves exceed about 3 m; keep a buffer day before a flight home.
  • Cash up before you arrive. The reliable ATM is at the post office, a 30-minute walk from Miyanoura port.
  • Do not feed or approach the monkeys; they are not habituated to handouts and should stay that way.
  • Trailhead buses are few and fill up; the last return bus leaves early afternoon.
  • Turtle watching at Nagata is a rare, early-hours event (roughly late May–Aug, 01:00–02:00) and only with a licensed guide and red light.

Emergency numbers

Police
110
Fire and ambulance
119

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Yakushima屋久島

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

ここまでお願いしますTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police110
  • Fire and ambulance119

Embassy

No embassies on the island; consulates-general are in Fukuoka and Kagoshima, embassies in Tokyo (check).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Jetfoil Kagoshima → Miyanoura: about ¥13,000 (≈ US$90) one way, about 2 h (check)
  • Bus Miyanoura → Arakawa trailhead: ¥1,400 (≈ US$10) one way, 4 buses a day (check)
  • Taxi, Miyanoura port → Anbo: ¥4,000–5,000 (≈ US$30–35) (check)

Say or show

  • すみません — Excuse me / Sorry (sumimasen)
  • ありがとうございます — Thank you (arigatō gozaimasu)
  • いくらですか？ — How much is it? (ikura desu ka)
  • バス停はどこですか？ — Where is the bus stop? (basutei wa doko desu ka)
  • 今日、フェリーは動いていますか？ — Is the ferry running today? (kyō, ferī wa ugoite imasu ka)
  • カードで払えますか？ — Can I pay by card? (kādo de haraemasu ka)

Carry cash: card acceptance is limited outside Miyanoura.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Yakushima. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Mar–May, Oct–Nov · avoid Jun–Jul (rainy season), Aug–Sep (typhoons) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 2 day-trips, door to door
  6. 6 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport and port-to-bed contracts for KUM, Miyanoura and Anbo: last bus and jetfoil times field-checked, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: Miyanoura, Anbo, the Shiratani Unsuikyo trailhead and the west-coast road.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Shiratani Unsuikyo, Yakusugiland, Yakusugi Museum, Ooko-no-taki) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Rain-day and cancelled-crossing fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to Japan

Sources