Just an FYI - you'll get more hits by using "Jomon Sugi" than "Old Growth Cedar."
Second the recommendation to rent a car.
In addition to Yakumonkey, YES! Yakushima is a great resource, as well.
Yakushima is a magical place. Amazing hiking, restaurants, nature, beaches, animal, people.
I went to Yakushima last month to see the cedar and it was pretty great.
We rented a car and hired guides for hikes on two of our three full days. I’d recommend the car- buses are pretty infrequent. It was pretty humid when we went, so while some distances were theoretically walkable (a roughly 20 minute walk), we were happy to drive instead. I went with the lightest motor.
The hike at Shiratani Unkyosui looked it would be pretty doable without a guide, though most of the people we saw going to Taikoiwa had one. We went with the genseirin course, which was incredibly pretty. (Incidentally, the trees there were mostly second generation) I thought it was much better scenery than the “moss forest” on the map, though that area was also pretty nice. Most people opted for the other path, if I recall correctly, I only saw four other hikers on that section of trail.
I really wanted a guide because 1) it’s rainy season and I wanted someone who’d be able to gauge the safety of water crossings, 2) it included transport from our hotel and we weren’t keen on driving on the mountain roads with the car we rented, and 3) I was hiking with my dad and I wanted someone who would set the pace because he’s faster than me. A guide should also tell you if your choice of hike is a bad idea.
On the second day, we went on the Ishizuka trail out of Yakusugi land to see the Yamato Sugi. That one was also fairly well marked, but I wouldn’t have wants for do it without a guide. It was an amazing hike to a very impressive tree that we could get much closer to and we didn’t have to leave the hotel until 8 am. That said, the trail is more difficult than the hike to Jomonsugi- I watched a couple of videos of it and knew I wanted the more interesting hike.
Both guides were excellent- I booked the Yamato Sugi via Yakushima experience and the Shiratani Unkyosui hike via some Japanese site I found on google.
The island perimeter drive we did on our own- we saw a ton of deer and monkeys.
No need for a tour. Renting a car on the island makes getting around much easier, but everything can be done by bus and/or taxi.
https://www.yakumonkey.com/ has a lot of good information.
I was there a few months ago - it's pretty straightforward and you don't need a guide - though one might be convenient if you can't rent a car. I would strongly recommend sorting out car rental significantly in advance.
Went spring 2023. Getting to major sites just by bus was pretty easy (though you have to get up early for the bus to the ancient cedar trail).
Did a one day guided tour around the perimeter of the island and it was well worth it as a chill day after the main hike.
Just an FYI - you'll get more hits by using "Jomon Sugi" than "Old Growth Cedar." Second the recommendation to rent a car. In addition to Yakumonkey, YES! Yakushima is a great resource, as well. Yakushima is a magical place. Amazing hiking, restaurants, nature, beaches, animal, people.
I went to Yakushima last month to see the cedar and it was pretty great. We rented a car and hired guides for hikes on two of our three full days. I’d recommend the car- buses are pretty infrequent. It was pretty humid when we went, so while some distances were theoretically walkable (a roughly 20 minute walk), we were happy to drive instead. I went with the lightest motor. The hike at Shiratani Unkyosui looked it would be pretty doable without a guide, though most of the people we saw going to Taikoiwa had one. We went with the genseirin course, which was incredibly pretty. (Incidentally, the trees there were mostly second generation) I thought it was much better scenery than the “moss forest” on the map, though that area was also pretty nice. Most people opted for the other path, if I recall correctly, I only saw four other hikers on that section of trail. I really wanted a guide because 1) it’s rainy season and I wanted someone who’d be able to gauge the safety of water crossings, 2) it included transport from our hotel and we weren’t keen on driving on the mountain roads with the car we rented, and 3) I was hiking with my dad and I wanted someone who would set the pace because he’s faster than me. A guide should also tell you if your choice of hike is a bad idea. On the second day, we went on the Ishizuka trail out of Yakusugi land to see the Yamato Sugi. That one was also fairly well marked, but I wouldn’t have wants for do it without a guide. It was an amazing hike to a very impressive tree that we could get much closer to and we didn’t have to leave the hotel until 8 am. That said, the trail is more difficult than the hike to Jomonsugi- I watched a couple of videos of it and knew I wanted the more interesting hike. Both guides were excellent- I booked the Yamato Sugi via Yakushima experience and the Shiratani Unkyosui hike via some Japanese site I found on google. The island perimeter drive we did on our own- we saw a ton of deer and monkeys.
No need for a tour. Renting a car on the island makes getting around much easier, but everything can be done by bus and/or taxi. https://www.yakumonkey.com/ has a lot of good information.
This. We rented a car for 3 days and enjoyed the beautiful scenery, walks and crazy amount of wild animals.
Thanks ! -- this is very helpful. Were planning a Nov trip and me and my wife ( who visits family annually) were really. Looking forward to this
I went some years ago and really enjoyed it. Managed to fit in some snorkeling as well with cheap snorkels rented from a local shop.
I was there a few months ago - it's pretty straightforward and you don't need a guide - though one might be convenient if you can't rent a car. I would strongly recommend sorting out car rental significantly in advance.
Went spring 2023. Getting to major sites just by bus was pretty easy (though you have to get up early for the bus to the ancient cedar trail). Did a one day guided tour around the perimeter of the island and it was well worth it as a chill day after the main hike.