Mt. Miyanoura①, Yakushima “The Alps on the Ocean”: Tracing the blessings of water

 

View of the various landscapes of Yakushima: Crossing Mt.Miyanoura

Walk through the deep forest and talk with the giant tree. Look up at the huge granite in the grassland on the mountain and drink the clear spring water.

If you want to walk on Yakushima, it is recommended to walk Mt.Miyanoura (1936m) by 2 days trekking. You can see a variety of landscapes and various vegetation from this mountain, which stands on the ocean.

The giant tree forest is just one side of Yakushima, and on the mountain there is a spectacular view different from the lower world.

 

The Yakushima Forest is a virgin forest reminiscent of the Japanese archipelago of “the Jomon-period”.

The air exhaled by the giant tree forest seems to cleanse the forest, and when I take a big breath, the air is so delicious.

 

The spirit that dwells in a tree is called a "kodama" might be on Yakushima.

Like a giant tree that lives for hundreds or thousands of years, there is a virgin forest that is much more vital than humans.

 

From the mountaintop paradise, Hananoe River to Mt.Miyanoura

The Hananoe River (1640m) is a high-rise marshland that spreads over the ridge of Mt.Miyanoura, the highest peak of Yakushima.

 

When traversing Mt.Miyanoura, it is common to start climbing from the Yodogawa entrance and climb up to Hananoe River for about 2 hours before heading to Mt.Miyanoura.

 

There are many beautiful springs on the mountain, including the Hananoe River. The water that exudes through a natural filtration device is surprisingly clear. Lying down on the side of the fountain, we can drink a ton of water. This water is slightly sweet and delicious.

 

Why is the island blessed with water? This is affected by the climate unique to Yakushima.

The moist air flowing in the Kuroshio current of the East China Sea hits the mountains of Yakushima and causes heavy rain on this island.

Rainwater soaks into the forest, some of the water evaporates into the atmosphere, and it rains again.

The water brought by the ocean and the forests cultivated by the mountains of Yakushima created a rich water cycle.

 

From the fact that there is no forest like Yakushima on the neighboring “Tanegashima island”, you can imagine that the mountains that are forested as an offshore Alps create a climate unique to Yakushima.