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Have you visited Yakushima, or hiked with me, or are you planning a future trip to Yakushima? Do you ave advise for other visitors or a question about something you found on the island? I can't promise to respond to all comments, but I appreciate your input!

8 comments:

  1. Just a big thanks to everyone for visiting my pages and a big "O-tsukaresama" to everyone who has visited Yakushima!

    If you have pictures from your travels, I welcome you to post one to my facebooke page ( http://www.facebook.com/yakushimalife ).

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  2. Hey Jenny,

    I have to say that I am impressed that you seem to have made your hobby/dream into a paying job. In my experience such a feat is not easy to achieve.
    I would love to book a hike with you but my budget does not allow that, especially since I will be traveling by myself.

    I do have a few questions, I hope this is not an annoyance.
    1) Is February worth the trip? Do the sights weigh up against the possible cold?
    2) Can I hike on my own without proper hiking gear if I don't venture into the deeper mountains?
    3) Are three days enough to experience that wonderful little island?

    Hope all is well,

    Luca

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    1. Hi Luca,
      Thanks for the kind note.
      1) How is your karma? Bad weather can happen any time of year. January and June are particularly harsh, but I would take my chances in February. You may have to plan your hiking according to the weather.
      2)Yakusugiland and Shiratani Unsuikyo are both beautiful, well-marked, well-maintained parks. I won't say that you need hiking boots, but in February, there may be snow, and there can be a lot of slippery muddiness any time of year, so choose footwear accordingly. I also highly suggest breathable waterproof rain jacket & pants. (You can rent a set for about 1000yen/day if you want them and don't have them.) You don't need special hiking gear, but please bring warm layers of clothes, don't wear cotton (especially jean pants), and be ready to be soaked. You can also do the Jomon Sugi Trail if you are fit. When you get to Yakushima, stop at an information booth or ask at your accomodation for help picking a trail and figuring out the bus schedule.
      3) Three years is not enough time to experience the island. I usually recommend spending at least three nights since you're at the mercy of the weather. You may consider renting a car or getting a multi-day bus pass to get the most out of your time.

      4)I know booking a guide is expensive; please remember that this is a dedicated profession. I'm actually working on several projects to make Yakushima more accessible to budget travelers,too, (I would fall into this category.) and feel free to contact me if I can answer any questions about Yakushima.

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  4. Hi Jenny:) I love your blog and it's super helpful! My boyfriend and I are visiting Japan in July and I have been dying to see yakushima. Do you think that 3 days is enough time if we stay in Nagata and we want to go on a small hike 1 day, bike ride on the west road and watch some turtles at night? Oh and we wanted to go snorkeling or kayaking

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  5. Hello! Thanks for the friendly words!
    Is that 2 nights and 3 days? If you're renting a car, it is (just barely) possible to do a half-day hike in Shiratani Unsuikyo, a half day of snorkeling, a half-day of bicycling, and a half-day kayak tour. Some guides even offer plans where you can book for the day and do two of these activities. Of course, that's assuming you have perfect weather for your whole trip (which does happen, occasionally), and you can easily spend a full day on any of these activities, too! Don't forget to make reservations for the sea turtles, bikes, and guide(s)! Hope you have a wonderful time!

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  6. Hi Jenny! What a great blog this is - thanks so much for sharing your love and knowledge of the island. We're visiting for the first time in August and I was wondering about waterproofs. Your blog recommends breathables like Goretex - does that still apply in the warmer months like August? Many thanks!

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    1. Hello Tom! I hope you got to visit a Yakushima long before I got around to checking comments! Anyways, yes, rain gear is more for safety thsn comfort. For example, last month when hundreds of people had to spend the night at trail heads and wait for hours in the rain, rain gear made all the difference. Also, last August (2018) had some very unusually cold days! But usually rain gear is like a sauna in August!

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