Yakushima

I just got back from Yakushima, a small island 5 hours south of the tip of Kyushu, the southermost of the main islands. The whole island is covered by an ancient rainforest and has been a World Heritage Site based on exceptional natural beauty as well as showing the importance of on-going natural development. The island has some of the world's oldest trees. Japan's oldest stands at 7200 years old, and there are a number of other 2000 plus trees on the island. Anything over 2000, but under 3500 is called ko-sugi, or baby sugi!

The closest city is Kagoshima, the gateway to Yakushima and Tanega-shima (Japan's space port). Kagoshima is also an interesting city. It's home to one of Japan's only active volcanos, Sakurajima. Apparently, this is the most volatile volcano in Japan, with activity as recent as 2005.
We took a ferry out to the volcano, walked around the base until we came to a spot where we had a clear view of the top, sat down and drank some beer. Getting near the active cone is forbidden, but we found ourselves next to a shrine to the volcano. After 2 or 3 cans of beer, I noticed that my foot was covered in tiny, little black dots. I guess the wind shifted and when we looked up, it was raining ashes on us. A fine black mist, really. But you could smell fresh lava on the air. The volcano is really pretty to look at—pretty and menacing. The last real eruption joined it to the mainland by a tine isthmus, altered the tides and spewed out an enormous amount of lava. (A rarity for Japan, because every other Japanese volcano has explosive eruptions, rather that lava flows.)

When I got to the island, the old man at the inn greeted me with "Welcome, you who are called." When I asked what he meant, he explained that the island calls people. You don't choose to go there, but you are summoned by the island. This makes sense when you learn that the oldest tree, called Jomon sugi is about 5 hours walk from the nearest road. (That's a 10 hour day!)

The path takes you through thick forests, some of the most beautiful scenes with monkeys and white-tailed deer wondering around freely, fearless of humans. There are spiderwebs of old roots everywhere.

More roots.

This is actually an enormous root crawling over a bolder. You have to pass under the root on the way to the big tree.

After the 5 hours walk up the mountain, you first get to Wilson's stump. The stump itself could easily fit a large living room inside it (I promise I will post a movie of this later). Then you climb farther to Jomon sugi, the 7000 year-old hulk. It is indescribably big...And there is no way a photo does it justice. I wanted to lay a pencil beside it to show scale, but you actually can't get close to it due to too many tourists eroding the soil around it. At one point there was a family of deer that stood next to it, but I couldn't get my camera out in time. The whole place reminds you of Princess Mononoke.

A montage from the movie, in case you haven't seen it.
If you haven't, go rent it now!!!

The island also has some natural hot springs. One in particular that I liked is a sea-side spring. It is only accessible a few hours before and after high tide, and during that time you are basically bathing outside, naked with any strangers who might want to share the warm water with you.
Like this guy, for example. The water smalls of sulpher and is salty, but it is incredibly relaxing to hear the waves and soak.

The last great thing about the island is the beach. It has beautiful clear water.
The local fish is called tobiuwo, or directly translated "flying fish". They are very different from the fish Gavin had hanging on his wall as a child, but they have wings, do pop out of the water in schools and do kind of fly. While I was swimming, a school of them virtually jumped over me in a blue-silver rainbow of fish.

I got a nasty sunburn and returning to Kagoshima, the only moisturizer I could find was some made from volcanic ash. "It's good for your skin!" the salesman said. So I bought it and when I covered my sunburn that night, laying on the bed, I looked and smelt like a burnt piece of bacon. Like yaki-nikku, a little too well done.