Yakushima Island is home to the most beautiful places in the world and a distinguished member of Osumi Islands. It rightfully belongs to the Kagoshima Prefecture of Japan. If you want to visit this enchanting and gracious archipelago, you can safely go to that charismatic paradise by riding a ferry. The said mode of transportation is readily available for tourists at least 7 or 8 times from Kagoshima. However, this is very much dependent kung peak season o hindi.
History
Based on its brief history, the colossal Island of Yakushima had once became a settlement during the Jomon Period. Likewise, it became part of a humble province na kung tawagin ay Tane Province. Upon the advent of the Edo Period, it was headed by the Shimazu clan. But times had changed in those years. Soon came the Meiji leadership, which paved the way for its drastic transformation by becoming a Kagoshima Prefecture.
Samantala, ang mga pangunahing livelihood sources ng islang ito ay forestry at ang pag eexport ng mga wood cedar. Marahil, marami ang nagpupunta dito sapagkat ito ay subtropical climate sa kabuuan. This is best characterized as an island with a hot humid temperature.
Yakushima’s Flora and Fauna
Ang mga red buttoned macaques at ang iba’t-ibang uri ng sika deers ay isa sa mga pinakatanyag na hayop sa islang ito. There are also migratory loggerhead turtles which can be found offshore. Moreover, ang natatagong ganda ng Yakushima Island ay mayroong lush vegetation. Coral reefs abound this very enthralling island too. Apart from the primary forest, it has another resource that is uniquely termed as a secondary forest.
Why Should You Visit the Island?
Above anything else, this magnificent island in Japan is beautifully covered with cedar forest which is composed of Japan’s most ancient trees. Would you believe that there are trees which are actually 1,000 years old? Through the years, some areas were historically declared as a Natural World Heritage Site in 1993. Most tourists come here for hiking activities.
Since this is a subtropical island, it has been blessed with nearly 2,000 mountains that are indeed as high as the majestic throne of God. This amazing tourist destination attracts lots of rainfall in a year. To date, there was a time when it rained in Yakushima Island for almost 35 days. Furthermore, it has a unique ecosystem which is located in the Northern Hemisphere’s temperate area.
Likewise, it is one of the most remarkable islands in the world that wholeheartedly possessed the successive vertical plant distributions na umaabot mula coastal vegetation na may subtropical elements. Generally, ito ay tinaguriang ikatlo sa pinakamalaking isla ng Japan. Dahil sa hindi mabilang na mga natural na yaman ng Yakushima Island, ito ay binansagang “Japan’s Paradise of Natural Wonders.”
Stay tuned for the 2nd part of this series on Yakushima Island
image source: Casey Yee / Flickr
