Okinawa and the Ryukyu Islands. Robert Walker
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Yakushima Todai (屋久島灯台). Perched on the island’s westernmost point of Cape Nagata (永田岬), the Yakushima Lighthouse is one of the most picturesque images of Yakushima.
The island’s tallest mountains, many of which are over 5,900 feet (1,800 meters), are mostly located at its center. The three highest are appropriately known as San-daké (三岳; lit. “Three Peaks”). These are Miyanouradaké (宮之浦岳) at 1,935 meters (6,350 feet), Nagata-daké (永田岳) at 6,188 feet (1,886 meters), and Kurio-daké (栗生岳) 6,125 feet at (1,867 meters).
If all this hiking has worn you out, Yakushima has several ways to relax. There are beaches and there are hot springs baths (onsen) (温泉). One of the best onsen is right on the ocean near Hirauchi, the Kaichuu Onsen. That’s on the southern coast. Very close by is the Yudomari Onsen, also on the ocean, and just a bit further to the east is the Onoaida Hot Springs. On the island’s northern shore, near Isso, you’ll find the Ohura Hot Springs, and between Miyanoura and the airport you’ll see signs for the Kusugawa Onsen. In addition, the resort hotels all have their own hot springs on their properties.
As for beaches, although Yakushima is not known as a beach destination, and indeed most of its coast is much too rocky and steep for beach-goers, there are a few here and there. Closest to Miyanoura is the beach at Isso, not far from the Isso Lighthouse near Cape Yahazu. Another relatively decent beach is Kuriohama, near the village of Kurio in the southwest of the island. It, along with nearby Nakama and Sagoshino-hama beaches, however, could be closed if you’re visiting during the sea turtle egg-laying season. Yakushima’s most famous beach area—and it’s most famous sea turtle sites—are the beaches at Nagata: the Inakahama and Maehama Beaches. If there are warning signs posted, you won’t be able to walk on the beach due to the sea turtles.
From Yakushima we have a choice of several different destinations for it is possible to catch ferries outbound east to Tanegashima, return north to Kagoshima, or continue west to Kuchinoerabujima. Let’s catch one of the twice-weekly ferries to Kuchierabu (the same island as Kuchinoerabujima, simply another pronunciation and spelling of its name).
“Friendly” Yaku monkeys.
4 KUCHINOERABUJIMA 口永良部島
At its closest point, Kuchinoerabu (口永良部島; Kuchi-no-érabu-jima, also commonly referred to as Kuchi-érabu-jima) is only 7 miles (12 kilometers) northwest of Yakushima, but the ride on the ferry Taiyo from Miyanoura Port takes about an hour and 45 minutes.
Kuchinoerabu’s port is at Kanagatake (金岳; Kanaga-také), which is adjacent to the largest island village of Honmura (本村; Honmura), where there are three minshuku. In each of the island’s other three tiny villages there are one or two more minshuku. The total population of all the villages is about 140 and it’s said that the local junior high school has two students. It’s a very small island with twin volcanoes side by side, fairly centrally located on the island’s main section. The volcanoes are the reason most people come to Kuchinoerabu.
The island is oddly shaped and a little hard to describe, but it’s almost two islands in one. One is small, about 1 by 3 miles (1.5 by 5 kilometers) and the other larger, about 3 by 12 miles (5 by 7 kilometers). They are connected by a half mile-wide isthmus. The island’s circumference is 30 miles (48 kilometers). Much of the surface of the island is covered in lava beds and volcanic debris. It’s a rugged place. Where it’s not buried by lava fields, it is sometimes referred to as the “Green” volcanic island as its other sections are lushly covered with vegetation. A decent road encircles and connects all the island’s several villages, so it’s easy to get around. In fact, to climb to the volcanoes, it’s less than a half mile from the main circle-island road.
As for that climb, take an experienced guide. One of the last victims not to do so was University of Wyoming professor and poet Craig Arnold. A well-known author and experienced in volcanoes, he was visiting the island in April 2009, doing research for an upcoming book. He disappeared and has never been seen since. It’s assumed that he had a fatal fall into one of the craters. Kuchierabu is completely dominated by the twin peaks of 2,130-foot (649-meter) tall Mt Furu (古岳; furu-daké, meaning “old peak”) and 2,155-foot (657-meter) Mt Shin (新岳; shin-daké or “new peak”).
If you like onsen (and who doesn’t), the entire island is really an underground bubbling cauldron of volcanic activity, and there are a number of onsen sprinkled around the island. Several nice ones are the Yumugi Hot Springs near Yumugi Port, Nemachi Onsen near Nemachi Village and the Nishino Hot Springs, which are the closest to Kuchierabu Port. Relaxing in hot volcanic springs is the other reason that people come to the island.
Aerial View of Kuchinoerabujima
The twin craters/peaks of Furu-daké and Shin-daké are at the center, the road is just below, while the harbor is visible at top left.
What Exactly is a Volcano?
The Japanese word for volcano is kazan (火山). Our word comes from the Latin vulcanus, the mythological Roman god of fire and the use of fire. He is the patron of blacksmiths, the arts of metallurgy (including the manufacture of arms and jewelry) and trades related to ovens (cooks, bakers and confectioners). His forge was underneath Sicily’s Mt Etna. For a wife, Jupiter gave him Venus, the goddess of love, beauty, sexuality and fertility, but not faithfulness. Every time Venus was fooling around, usually with Mars, Vulcan became enraged and beat the red hot metalworks in his forge with such force that fire, smoke and ash rose up and caused a volcanic eruption. Now, if that explanation’s not good enough for you, how about volcanoes are ruptures in the earth’s surface that allow gas, ash, lava, pumice, magma—all sorts of pyroclastic debris—to escape, often with extraordinary force. Volcanoes are usually, though not always, found where the earth’s tectonic plates are diverging or converging. Technically, there are many types of volcanoes but the most well known and the most dangerous, are “stratovolcanoes.” Japan’s Mt Fuji and Sakurajima and Italy’s Mt Vesuvius and Etna are classic examples. To volcanologists, the distinctions among active, dormant and extinct volcanoes are virtually meaningless. All volcanoes, given enough time, can potentially explode. What scientists watch for are the warning signals a volcano may give: its activity, smoke, earthquakes, lava flows, etc. Pictured below is 3,776-meter (12,388-feet)-tall Mt Fuji or Fuji-san (富士山), Japan’s greatest volcano.
The Northwestern Group
The three islands of Takeshima, Iōjima and Kuroshima are often called by their collective geographic name, the Mishima Islands (三島 列島; Mishima-rettō), which appropriately means “three islands.” A fourth islet, Shōwa Iōjima, is a relative newcomer. Literally an upstart, it popped up out of the ocean in 1934 as a result of an undersea volcanic explosion. It is uninhabitable. Mishima, the political entity, is the Japanese administrative district encompassing the three populated islands. It more formally is called Mishima Mura (三島村 Mishima-mura; mura means “village”). The total population of the village is about 400, spread out over a three-island area of a little more than 12 square miles (31 square kilometers) in total.
There’s not a lot of traffic to these islands and there is no commercial air service, though there is an airstrip on Iōjima which can be used by charter aircraft and emergency evacuation flights. The usual mode of transport is the ferry Mishima (みしま), also known as the “M” Line, which makes the trip from Kagoshima three times a week. The regular departure time is 9:30AM although on certain days it is 8:30AM, so you must double check.
The sailing distance to the first destination of Takeshima is 60 miles (94 kilometers) and travel time from Kagoshima is not quite three hours. There’s a 20 minute discharge and reboard time at Takeshima and then it’s only 9 miles