A subtropical Japanese island off the southern tip of Kyushu, a UNESCO World Heritage site celebrated for ancient cedar forests.
Geography
Yakushima lies about 60 km south of Kagoshima Prefecture. The roughly circular island rises sharply to Miyanoura-dake at 1936 m, the highest peak in Kyushu region. Steep slopes intercept enough moisture to support cloud forest.
Yakusugi
The island’s yakusugi are Japanese cedars over 1,000 years old. The Jomon Sugi, estimated to be 2,170 to 7,200 years old, is among the oldest non-clonal trees in the world.
UNESCO
Yakushima was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993, becoming one of Japan’s first two natural sites alongside Shirakami-Sanchi.
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Yakushima starts with Y and ends with A. Browse other islands along the same letter.
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