Everything on Yakushima
Yakushima Hiking | 白谷云 水 峡 Shiratani Unsuikyo | Yakushima Tour | |||
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So here I am
freshly landed on the island of Yakushima 屋 久 岛 under a tropical shower. Yakushima is an island "at the end of Japan", but instead of Tanegashima, far from being untouched by tourists. She is very famous because 107 of 505 km ² this round earth emerged are classified World Heritage of UNESCO. They receive very old specimens 屋 久 杉 yaku-sugi cedar from Yakushima, deer, monkeys and lush vegetation due to the particular climate of the island, unlike anything else in Japan. In Yakushima, we hear (and will see) that it rains 35 days a month.
Yakushima far

Yakushima closely
View on Google Maps
View on Google Maps
As shown on the map, it is a true circular mountain range that culminates to 1936 meters (宫 之 浦 岳 Miyanoura-dake), planted in the sea Its inner atmosphere inspired Hayao Miyazaki for the sets of Princess Mononoke. I went for a dip in the magical nature, so I hope that I'm having a bit of good weather.
Because of my change of ferry last minute I landed at the small port 安 房 Ambo, on the east of the island, instead of arriving by the main port, Miyanoura 宫 之 浦.
A 安 房 Ambo, the port village

Among the 13,000 inhabitants of the island, we can consider qu'Ambo are about 1000. But there is a small tourist office, as Ambo is a good starting point to get lost in the mountains. During my short walk, the wind blowing the rain under my umbrella and I get a little wet. The grandmother then greets me at tourist information with a "No " terror ...
- " NOOOOO ... no no no! "
- "No what? "
- " no .... No Français! "
... Finally, just the classic home received by a foreign head in a location that was not intended for foreigners. But finally she has plenty of information about the island and not too bad cards, I can do everything without buying a real card.
Yakushima can be regarded as a disk diameter of 25 km and 130 km perimeter ( card ) . There is only one true path, one that does the trick. The habitable zone is a strip of up to 1 km wide, wedged between mountains and the sea climax 宫 之 浦 岳 Miyanoura-dake, 1936 m, is roughly in the center, and I am preparing a Itinerary 3 days / 2 nights, from Ambo, on the paths of things to see, through the summit and back down in the south of the island. The lady informed me that the next 2 days will be sunny (luck), but maybe not the third, and so my itinerary may be changed. Indeed, the high peaks of the island intercept the clouds completely peaceful flowing rivers and the many hiking trails intersect.
Custom Itinerary: Depart Ambo, blue bus, then walk across the red tops, and back to Onoaida

The following is to find sleep at night or on the sponge. Remembering Profile SC gap in the village, I'll try that, but I need internet. The only place available is the Green Hotel, 20 minutes walk from the village, which has for its Internet customers, but want to let me use it. The wind blows harder and harder, twisting my umbrella and the solid horizontal rain completes the last corners of my dry clothes.
To counter all this, the magic CS responds to my request and Kenji picks me up 10 minutes later and we are dry, its pretty big wooden house in Hirano, a hamlet south of Ambo. It pays rent 4 man, which is rather expensive for the corner, where it is rather 1 or 2 man (75 - 150 euros per house 80 sqm good). Nothing to do with a Japanese city.
After a short session kotatsu, we're going to eat in a little restaurant of Ambo. For 1,500 yen, teishoku is truly luxurious. Luxury Japanese style, is the freshness and authenticity of products, of course it costs less to the country than the city, and for better quality.
Fish main menu is the トビウオ (飞鱼) tobiuo, French Exocet, Flying Fish. A specialty of Yakushima.
A teishoku flying

Top left is the tobiuo in shioyaki , and bottom right, in sashimi, along with other fish. On the plateau there is also the surimi, the tsukemono , a kind of shell (in both raw and cooked), root tips, and most surprising of カメノテ (亀 の 手) kame -no-te. Literally, Kame-no-te means "turtle Paw," but in French these shells are called barnacles. By removing the "finger" of the "nail", it reveals a sticky tongue that comes out of "the nail". And it ミアム.
Of カメノテ kame-no-te

After this delicious meal, on file in combined lost on the perimeter road to 15 minutes by car, do my shopping for my expedition in the mountains. It's still a chance, it is 21h55, and conbination closes at 22h. By cons, with chocolate, "bread" and Japanese boxes of tuna, it will not be a great feast ...
Then a small cafe with Dai San Pauro , and it retracts under open sky. Although besieged by the flood a few hours earlier, we even see the stars tonight. Bodes well for the future ...
The next standing at 5am for the bus at 5:44 chopper that will take me to the departure of Ambo Arakawa 荒 川 trail, for 670 yen and a little less an hour. I found a guy on the bus who had also pointed quenched Information Center yesterday, and is also Kyoto Demachiyanagi capita (the train stop of the university).
The bus arrives at its terminus, 荒 川口 Arakawaguchi, and the myth of pristine wilderness in the sacred mountain collapses. It is 6:30, the day has barely risen and the small parking lot overflows with big cars of Japanese who are preparing to climb. There is however a Tuesday morning in March, just the revival of the season climbing. Just imagine this place during the golden week or obon , it makes you cry.
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Gemstone Maps: detailed schedule of routes with mileage and time (divide by 1.5 for those with feet West)

Gemstone Maps Sketches of the peaks of the summit and the route of Arakawa 荒 川

Out: the Japanese are warm-ups before ... walk

The road is easy because Arakawa actually follows the old railway line. Yet among all tourists, young and old, many groups renting a guide (from 12,000 to 15,000 yen per person). The path is feasible in thong, and guides on Yakushima is a job extremely quiet and requires only little knowledge about the nature of the island.
party is - under ideal weather conditions - 600 m altitude


First moments caving

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is super moist and super nice

The sun finally comes out his head between the mountains

There's still some parts where it should not drag

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Hikers say hello as they cross, then they do not know. It really is not normal in Japan ...

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There are many streams everywhere and boulders uncommon


This village, which has counted up to 540 people in 1960, with post office and barber, was for loggers who extracted timber from forests.


The famous cedars of Yakushima, the 屋 久 杉 are absolutely gigantic

Then, Kusugawa-Wakare (720 m), I leave my Co-hiker Kyoto to make a detour of two hours, to the point of view 太 鼓 岩 Taiko-iwa, the rock-drum, a view described by Kenji as the most beautiful views from the premises.
Already a bit quieter and wild


Shelter natural

drinking water out of the slopes at several locations


辻 峠 Tsuji-gown, the neck Tsuji, at 979 m.

the top of the Taiko 太 鼓 岩 iwa-

A guide present at the same time tells me it is rare that the sky is so clear.

Panorama Valley Trail Arakawa, from the left. The summits are right

When I return to the main road, all groups and guides have already gone, so I can quietly enjoy the climb. As everyone in Japan does the same at the same time, it often goes from worse to better than one day to another, and sometimes within minutes.
Always big narbres

Nature wins

A 三代 杉 Sandai-sugi: 3 generations in a

There are many of these multi-trunk trees in the forest. For the latter, a cedar pushed around 1200 years ago, then died naturally. 1000 years ago, a second generation has grown over the remains of the first trunk. Then, 350 years ago, this second trunk was cut down for human use. And a third has repulsed. So you see the picture of 3 generations trunks intertwined, only the third layer being alive.
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The path continues to meander around the river dug Valley



Some trees have received a small name. This is the 阿 形 A-gyo torque 仁王 杉 Nio-sugi. A little further on, on the other side of a ravine, we find the 吽 形 Un-gyo, referring to the 2 protective deities, the 仁王 Nio.
仁王 杉 Nio-sugi 阿 形 A-gyo


Then, at every turn, I catch a buzz of excitement from a group of Japanese all with the camera holster.
Ah, I smell kawaii somewhere ...

And now, baby shika, the top 3 most kawaii things in the world after a baby panda and a stuffed pink

There are deer all over the island, and not shy at all.
View 翁 岳, 1826 meters

We arrive then at the end of the old railway, it is 910 meters above sea level. That's where we made one last pee break ranks and that the flip flops.
Toilet ecological


It was only noon, following the trail, it here ...
This adventure is an episode of Yakushima hitchhiking trip
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