Yakushima

Yakushima became Japan's first UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993, recognized for its ancient cedar forests and unique ecosystem. The island is home to Jomon Sugi, a cedar tree estimated to be between 2,000 and 7,000 years old, reachable via a challenging but rewarding 10-hour round-trip hike. The island's lush moss-covered forests are widely believed to have inspired the setting of Studio Ghibli's Princess Mononoke. Yakushima receives extraordinary rainfall, said to rain 35 days a month, which feeds the island's rivers and waterfalls. Shiratani Unsuikyo Ravine offers more accessible forest walks through moss-covered landscapes. The island is accessible by high-speed jetfoil from Kagoshima in about 50 minutes, or by ferry in about two hours.