Yakushima

For centuries Yakushima's people lived from fishing and farming on the coast, while the mountains were regarded as sacred. Yakusugi cedar was long harvested for timber, and logging railways were built into the forest; parts of these tracks are still followed by the trail to the Jomon Sugi. The great cedar itself was found in 1966 at about 1,350 metres.

On 11 December 1993, Yakushima became one of Japan's first World Natural Heritage sites, together with Shirakami-Sanchi. The inscribed area, about 10,747 ha or roughly a fifth of the island, protects a forest UNESCO describes as a rare remnant of warm-temperate forest, with vegetation arranged in distinct bands from subtropical coast to high moorland.

Island life follows the rhythm of rain, sea and mountains. Fishing villages ring the coast, and the island's forests are both a source of pride and a long-standing responsibility: residents, guides and the Ministry of the Environment work to protect the World Heritage area while welcoming hikers. Local guides are a big part of the community. Respect for the mountains, once seen as home to the gods, still shapes the island's attitude to nature.