YES TOURS

Consider a YES tour the highlight of your visit!

YES Yakushima Tours are suitable for visitors of all ages and abilities.  We can offer the right tour for you.  YES can design of number of tours into a package for individuals, families as well as larger groups.  We`d also be happy to arrange a single tour so at least you could depart with some understanding of why Yakushima is such a special location.

The aim of YES tours is to leave the guest in no doubt that they have visited a very special place.  Leaving our island without knowing anything about it (other than it is green, pretty and sometimes wet) is a great shame since the visitor has obviously come a long way to get to Yakushima.  We sympathize with visitors who consider a Yakushima tour unnecessary as they miss too much.  If you book any tour during a visit to Japan then YES Yakushima Tours would have to be a major contender as the tour you need to book. 

YES guides will explain the unique ecological story of the island, the ancient relationship the island has had with human inhabitants, the customs and culture that set it apart from the Japanese mainland and the abundant sacred areas on the island.  On a YES tour we spend the day having fun, enjoying the scenery, but also going well beyond the surface of the island so that you end the day feeling as though you have experienced a special place.

Find the tour that suits you

Forest Tours

Shiratani Unsuikyo & Yakusugi Land

Wandering through the forests of Yakushima is certainly a pleasant experience, but without knowledge of the plants, fauna, ecology and the history of the forest then it becomes a blur of green. Wandering through the forest with a YES guide brings it all to life with detailed explanations from the smallest moss to the largest tree.

A YES forest tour makes for a very rewarding experience.

Guests wishing to book a fully informative forest tour should consider the Shiratani Unsuikyo Tour and the Yakusugi Land & Yamato Sugi Tour. Due to the length of time it takes to hike to Jomon Sugi then there is inevitably less time for detailed explanation, but the guide will still offer as much information as possible along the route.

Two Day Tour

A great way to experience Yakushima for those requiring more of an adventure to their visit to Yakushima would be to book a YES Yakushima Overnight Tour. 

The Shiratani Unsuikyo & Jomon Sugi Two Day Tour allows guests to visit the ancient sugi tree by avoiding as much as possible the day-tripper crowds. The mountain hut is only a few minutes walk from Jomon Sugi and after mid-afternoon you can have the tree to yourself! This overnight hike enters & returns along the same route, and the benefit of this is that Shiratani Unsuikyo is always worth a second visit (or more!).

Short tours

YES can operate Yakushima short tours for visitors arriving to the island later than mid-morning or departing the island mid-afternoon.  These are ideal short tours to turn an otherwise wasted day into a memorable experience on the island.
For a shortened forest hike then both the Shiratani Unsuikyo Short Tour and the Yakusugi Land Short Tour are relatively easy hiking routes.

The Yakushima Island Short Tour does not require any hiking other than short walks to various locations and is an ideal tour for guests with walking difficulties.

More info

from 49,000 yen

More info

from 43,000 yen

More info

from 39,000 yen

More info

from 39,000 yen

More info

from 39,000 yen

More info

from 119,000 yen

Mountain Tours

Kuromidake and Tachudake

The Yakushima Mountain Tours offered by YES are operated by experienced local guides living on the island who know the mountains well and the potential hazards. Yakushima has the highest range of mountains in southern Japan and the coastal mountains start almost at sea level. Do not underestimate these mountains or the sudden adverse weather conditions they can produce.

A YES mountain tour makes for a very memorable experience.

The YES mountain tours are located in the central region and include Kuromidake and Tachudake. The advantage of these ascents is that the starting point is around 1,000m or more and so the ascents/descents are less intense. Nonetheless, guests should still be in good physical condition and health for these hiking tours.

More info

from 49,000 yen

More info

from 43,000 yen

Other Tours

Yakushima Island Tour

The Yakushima Island Tour is a very popular option.  There is a big difference between travelling around the island with a knowledgeable local or doing this trip yourself in a car rental.  It is a completely different experience.  

Learn about the history of the island, the rich culture and what it’s like to live on Yakushima.   On a full day tour you will be able to do a complete circuit of the island, stopping off at many places of interest on the way. The Yakushima Island Tour itineraries can be tailor-made to fit your schedule and interests. 

Night time turtle tours operate between mid-May until mid-July and advanced reservation is essential.  We observe a large female turtle lay her eggs on the beach.

More info

from 39,000 yen

More info

from 39,000 yen

More info

from 29,700 yen

More info

from 28,000 yen

More info

from 22,000 yen

Tour Options

Due to the high demand of YES tours and the shortage of native English guides then we also offer a range of guide options which include Japanese guides with English ability ranging from excellent to conversant. 

Open Tour – other guests are able to participate on the same tour and so the individual tour fee will decrease according to the number of participants.

Private Tour – only your group will be permitted onto the tour.

If you are not sure which tour is right for you then tell us your interests, hiking experience and general fitness level and we can suggest a tour that may suit you.

Japan Travel Insurance

Japan travel insurance is essential as a visit to a hospital will very quickly become an expensive nightmare. We highly recommend using a Japan travel insurance agent as connecting with a foreign insurance company from Japan and trying to get the foreign insurance agent to communicate with Japanese hospitals etc just adds stress to an already stressful situation.

The Tokio Marine Nichido are among the best, biggest and most reliable insurers in Japan with a very swift response when assisting claimants. The Tokio Marine Nichido Japan travel insurance application process is simple and documentation is not required. The insurance policy covers a range of requirements for a duration of up to 31 days upon arrival into Japan.

Every safety precaution is taken on YES tours, but there are rare occasions when a guest needs medical attention during their visit to Yakushima. Being covered by the Tokio Marine Nichido Japan travel insurance will reassure visitors that they will be taken care of without stress or hassle should an unfortunate incident occur during their time upon Yakushima or elsewhere in Japan.

Click on the link below to visit the Tokio Marine Nichido English website.

Tokio Marine Nichido Japan travel insurance

About Hiking Gear

Please check the YES hiking gear recommendations.  If you do not have the correct gear and don`t wish to carry heavy hiking boots on an international flight then YES can arrange hiking gear rental on Yakushima.