屋久島 – Yakushima

[Original Travel Date: 12/29/2013]

This New Year’s break, we decided to take the plunge and head off to do something completely different, something none of us had ever done, and so we spent a few days on the beautiful island Yakushima.  Famous for its hundred, even thousand-year-old cedar forests, Yakushima is also known for being the inspiration for the animated film Princess Mononoke.  It’s also known for having lots of deer and monkeys.

Most people who come to visit Yakushima come to hike through the forests or up the mountains, or in the summer they come to see the turtles laying their eggs.  It being winter, we weren’t able to see any turtles, but we did have a wonderful time trekking through ancient forests and driving around the island.   Yakushima is a subtropical island, so despite it being December, it was quite warm (maybe not warm enough for swimming though).

Keep on the look out for more detailed entries about specific places we visited while on Yakushima, but as a side note, if you do manage to make it to Yakushima at some point, be sure to take time to try and enjoy their unique, “black noodle” ramen.  It might not look appetizing to you, but it’s extremely delicious and healthy!