Yakusugi Land Trail

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Yakusugi Land Trail: Ancient Cedar Forest Loops on Yakushima

Published 17 July 2025 Updated 5 June 2026

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HikeList Score

Yakusugi Land Trail scored 83/100 on HikeList's trail-quality metrics.

Great Hike

See score breakdownHide breakdown

Ideal length 51
Balanced challenge 100
Scenery & wildness 98
Varied terrain 77
Accommodation 83
Food & support 81
Path quality 98
Season flexibility 76

Computed from length, challenge, scenery & wildness, terrain variety, accommodation, food & support, path quality and season flexibility.

Yakusugi Land is a short, waymarked network of forest loops in the mountainous interior of Yakushima Island, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. The representative route is the ~2.0 km Tsutsujigawara loop, taking about 80 minutes; other loops range from ~0.8 km to ~4.4 km. Expect easy boardwalk sections on the shortest courses and moderate, rooty, slippery terrain on the longer ones. It suits hikers who want old-growth yakusugi cedar forest without committing to the longer Jomon Sugi Trail.

Route Overview

Yakusugi Land starts and finishes at the same entrance/exit, with five nested loop courses sharing the trailhead: Fureai-no-Mori (~~30 min / ~0.8 km), a ~50 min / ~1.2 km loop, Tsutsujigawara (~~80 min / ~~2.0 km), a ~150 min / ~3.0 km forest trek, and the Astronomical Forest / Tachudake course (~~210 min / ~4.4 km). The shorter loops use boardwalk and stone-paved paths; the 80-minute and longer routes continue onto dirt, rock, steps and bridges, including Sawatsubashi and Seiryobashi suspension bridges. Access is by car or taxi only: roughly 16 km from Anbo Port and 20 km from Miyanoura Port. For longer Japan hikes, compare the Kumano Kodo Nakahechi Route or the Kamikochi to Mount Yari Trail.

Yakushima’s Logging History and World Heritage Forest

Yakushima’s cedars were heavily logged from the Edo period onward, and Yakusugi Land still shows that history through old stumps, fallen giants and younger kosugi cedars growing among the surviving yakusugi. The park is part of the wider Yakushima forest landscape recognised for its exceptional altitudinal range and ancient cedar ecosystem. In 1993, Yakushima became one of Japan’s first UNESCO World Heritage Sites, inscribed together with Shirakami-Sanchi.

Notable highlights

Sennensugi (thousand-year cedar): A celebrated yakusugi on the shorter loops, over 1,000 years old. Its deeply furrowed bark and large trunk make it one of the easiest ancient cedars to reach.
Buddhasugi (Buddha Cedar): A famous yakusugi on the standard loops, named for the Buddha-like form of its gnarled, weathered trunk.
Hahako-sugi (mother-and-child cedar): Reached on the 150-minute course, this pair of ancient cedars is described as fused at the base and is one of the reasons to continue beyond the standard loop.
Sawatsubashi and Seiryobashi suspension bridges: These bridges cross clear mountain streams and add the best river scenery to the 80-minute Tsutsujigawara loop.
Moss forest: Dense moss, ferns and epiphytes cover trunks, rocks and roots, creating the wet, green Yakushima forest atmosphere the island is known for.
Kigen-sugi: A roadside giant cedar a short drive beyond the park entrance, often visited with Yakusugi Land because it is reachable directly by car.

Challenges to expect

Yakusugi Land is short, but the 80-minute and longer loops are not smooth city walks. Expect wet roots, rock, steps, wooden stairs and slippery surfaces, especially after rain. Yakushima’s mountain rainfall is very high, so carry waterproofs in any season. There are toilets and signage at the entrance, but no toilets on the longer interior loops. There is no direct public bus, so plan car or taxi access.

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Ranked #317 of 974

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