/tags/yakushima-cedar.rss en-us Yakushima (Yaku Island) is a UNESCO World Heritage site flooded by Japanese hikers every year, and remains relatively unknown to foreigners. Visitors go to Yakushima island, that lies south of Kagoshima, for only one reason—to see the magnificent cedars that are the inspiration behind the forests of the animated film Princess Mononoke. Going all the way to an island to look at trees may seem extreme, until you walk between archways of roots that are as thick as the trunks of your average oak or maple. The twisting curves of the trunks and branches make Yukushima forest take on postmodernist sculpture. Moss carpets everything and glows in the filtered light that shines through the leaves. Hikers and nature lovers should put this on their to-do list, but even non-hikers can join in since the trails vary from mountain treks to flat man-made paths. The cedars (known as sugi) only grow on Yakushima in Japan due to its semi-tropical climate and constant dampness. They are over 1,000 years old and called Yakusugi, and individual trees may be given special names to honour their age. The oldest tree is called Jomon-sugi, after the Jomon Period (the Neolithic era of Japan), and is reputed to be 7,000 years old due to its massive size (its diameter is a little over 5 meters long). Hiking Jomon-sugi is at least ten hours for a return journey, and travellers are recommended to start out early if they want to make it a one-day trip. For visitors who prefer to sleep in, hiking Shiratani Unsuikyo (Shirani Ravine) may be a better bet. Shiratani Unsuikyo is also where one of the creators of Princess Mononoke spent his time walking, and a section of it is affectionately named Princess Mononoke's Forest. The trails are easier (going to the Jomon-sugi is a constant upward trek since it's located on the tallest peak of Yakushima), and most people agree that the scenery is actually better than the one you see along the trail to the Jomon-sugi. Most of the locals recommend Shiratani Unsuikyo over Jomon-sugi, and regard travellers who are going to see Jomon-sugi with bemused puzzlement; they happily offer advice to these “adventurous fools” though. Shirtani Unsuikyo also contains a number of Yakusugi, including the second most venerable cedar, the Yayoi-sugi (3,000 years old). There is also a route from the Shiratani Unsuikyo to the Jomon-sugi, and intrepid travellers can see both trees in one go. No matter which route you take to trek Yakushima forest, you will skip over moss-laden rocks and snack beside vistas of trees and birds, with views of drops and mountains on the horizon. Tue, 27 Apr 2010 14:50:24 +0000 http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/yakushima http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/yakushima