Yakushima Island Loop Road
A road of about 100 km around Yakushima island, with the western forest road running through the World Heritage core zone, where Yakushima macaques and deer often appear by the road.
The Yakushima Island Loop Road is made up of Prefectural Routes 77 and 78. It circles the island in about 100 km, taking roughly 3 hours without stops, and is the main artery linking the island's coastal attractions. From Miyanoura Port, drive clockwise to the north, past Ichiko Beach and the Shitoko banyan park, to Nagata Inaka Beach, where sea turtles lay their eggs. From there, enter the Western Forest Road, a narrow prefectural road of about 20 km between Nagata and Kuri. It is the only road on the island that passes through the core zone of the World Natural Heritage site. Along it, visitors can see the vertical bands of vegetation from coastal evergreen forests up to mountain forests. Groups of Yakushima macaques and Yakushima deer are often seen by the road. Beyond the forest road, visit Ōkawa Falls, one of Japan's 100 best waterfalls, then the Hirauchi Kaichu Onsen, a seawater hot spring that can only be bathed in at low tide. Continue to Onoaida Onsen and Senpiro Falls, then return to Miyanoura via Anbo and the airport. Anbo is also the gateway to Yakusugi Land, Shiratani Unsuikyo gorge and the Jōmon Sugi. The Western Forest Road is narrow with many bends and has no shops, fuel stations or phone signal. Large buses cannot use it, and it closes during heavy rain. Do not feed the monkeys or deer, and give way when passing other vehicles. A one-day loop by rental car is recommended, and 2 to 4 days with hiking excursions is ideal.