???? The best hotel deals: Located on the beautiful Yakushima Island, Sankara Hotel & Spa Yakushima offers luxurious accommodations with modern warm-colored interior and free Wi-Fi. Guests can relax with massages at the Spa, which features traditional Thai medicine treatments.
The air-conditioned villas and suites feature a balcony or a terrace. A refrigerator, a CD player, and a flat-screen TV with DVD player are included in each. The en suite bathroom features slippers and free organic amenities. A hairdryer and a bathrobe are provided.
Guests can work out at the fitness centre or enjoy reading books at the library lounge. The outdoor pool is open during the summer season. Car rental, laundry services and washing machines are also available.
The ayana restaurant serves casual French dishes using local ingredients. Breakfast and dinner is provided. An authentic French dinner is available at the okas restaurant.
The Anboko Port is a 15-minute drive, and the Yakushima Airport is a 30-minute drive away. Free shuttles are available from both locations with an advance reservation. Yakushima Hotel and Spa Sankara is 23 km from Yakusugi Land, and 27.3 km from the Ookawa no Taki Falls. The Shiratani Unsuikyo Ravine is 38 km away. 891-4402 Kagoshima, Yakushima, Mugio 553, Japan
Yakushima in Pictures and Sounds: 1/5 Yakusugiland
Yakusugiland is a nature park at an altitude of about 1000 meters with 30-minute to 3-hour walks as well as access to challenging hikes. Ancient Yakusugi trees, giant spruce and fir trees, and stumps left from Edo-period logging are covered in moss. The paths are easy to follow (although I have seen people make mistakes), and bridges help keep trails open even during heavy rains.
It is a 40-minute drive from Anbo, the nearest town. I suggest you buy a lunch and take the morning bus to Kigen Sugi (a 3,000-year-old tree), the stop after Yakusugiland. A few minutes later, catch the bus when it returns, spend the day in Yakusugiland, and catch the afternoon bus back to Anbo. On the way back, you can also stop at the Yakusugi Museum. Stronger hikers who have their own transportation can climb Mt. Tacchu, which has a trail head within Yakusugiland. Yakusugiland is also a good starting point for multi-day hikes.
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