Thinking of hiking to Jomon Sugi? If so, you need to know this. The entrance to the A1 Trail which is the main trail used to hike to Jomon Sugi has access restrictions to try and lessen the environmental impact of tourism on Yakushima. Basically you cannot just drive there any more. You either need to take the special Arakawa bus, a pre-arranged taxi or be on a guided tour. You can of course by-pass this completely by taking the K1 Trail past Shiratani Unsuikyo and meet it further along the valley.
ARAKAWA MOUNTAIN BUS
PRICES
Adults: ¥1,380 return, ¥690 one way + donation of ¥1,000 for 1 day or ¥2,000 for 2+ days
Children: ¥700 return, ¥350 one way (No added donation)
When you buy your bus ticket the donation amount will be added on the total amount you pay. So for example if you take a day trip to Jomon Sugi, you pay ¥1,380 for the return bus trip and ¥1,000 donation, so the total to pay is ¥2,380. If you are staying overnight in a hut or if you plan a longer trip over more than one day, then you would pay the bus + ¥2,000 donation.
If the bus is cancelled, you can get a full refund from the first 4 offices listed below. You can also get a refund if you cancel for personal reasons (but in this case the donation is not refundable).
You can buy a bus ticket for the Arakawa Mountain Bus at the following places:
ARAKAWA MOUNTAIN BUS TICKET SALES
- The Tourist Information Centers
- Arakawa Mountain Bus stop at Yakusugi Shizenkan Museum in Anbo
- Yakushima Kanko Center, Seaside Hotel & Tashiro Bekkan in Miyanoura
- Mori-no-kirameki in Anbo
- JR Hotel Yakushima in Onoaida
- Sankara Hotel and Spa in Mugio