Southern Kyūshū’s National Parks: Sparkling Blue Seas and Green Mountains of Yakushima and Amami

Mount Karakuni in the foreground is the highest peak in the Kirishima mountain range. To the right is caldera lake Ōnaminoike and shimmering in the distance are Shinmoe-dake and Mount Takachiho.

Mount Takachiho is topped by Ama no sakahoko, a legendary spear mentioned in Japanese mythology. (© Pixta)

Vivid autumn foliage on the shores of Ōnaminoike, looking toward Mount Karakuni.

Kirishima Shrine is said to have been founded in the sixth century. Today, it attracts numerous visitors as a “power spot.”

An aerial view of Sakurajima in Kinkō Bay with Kagoshima in the foreground.

A view of Sakurajima from Sengan’en, a villa belonging to the Shimazu family, who ruled the area during feudal times.

The hot spring foot bath at Yōgan Nagisa Park is a perfect spot for viewing Sakurajima.

Kaimon-dake, seen from Nagasakibana, at the southernmost tip of the Satsuma Peninsula.

On clear days, Yakushima and Tanegashima islands are visible from Cape Sata. The Cape Sata lighthouse, one of Japan’s oldest such structures, stands on Ōwajima, an island 50 meters offshore.

A wooded area with thick moss and limpid streams, nicknamed the “Princess Mononoke Forest,” in the Shiratani-Unsuikyō valley. (© Pixta)

The verdant slopes of Miyanoura-dake, Kyūshū’s highest peak. In winter, snow covers the mountain. (© Pixta)

The Jōmon Sugi is estimated to be over 2,000 years old. It is the largest Japanese cedar on the island. (Courtesy Kyūshū Tourism Promotion Organization)

Heavy rainfall on Yakushima gives birth to limpid streams and notable waterfalls. Pictured here is the 88-meter tall Ōko waterfall.

Nagata-inakahama is a popular beach and also a spawning ground for sea turtles. (© Pixta)

Smoke rises from Shin-dake, set back from the eroded coastline. (© Pixta)

Mount Ban’yagamine, on the western side of the island beyond an evergreen broadleaf forest, as seen from the western foothills of Furu-dake. (© Pixta)

The mountains of Amami serve as a backdrop to the island’s expansive mangrove forest.

Hikagehego (brush pot tree) in the Kinsakubaru primeval forest take visitors back eons. (© Pixta)

The “heart rock” tidal pool that appears at low tide is a popular Amami attraction. (© Pixta)

Sunset over the Ōshima Strait, in the direction of Kakeromajima. (© Pixta)

Shamans from the village of Akina conduct the Hirase Mankai, a ritual to pray for an abundant harvest.

A vast panorama unfolds at Mushiroze on Tokunoshima. Sharinbai, a low shrub in the rose family used as a dyeing agent for the luxurious Ōshima tsumugi silk fabric, grows near the shoreline.

Waves form patterns in the sand at Yurigahama, a popular snorkeling spot.