EASILY ACCESSIBLE NATURE

The only place on Yakushima that has mangrove trees is located at the mouth of Kurio River in the south of the island.  Due to the comparatively cool climate these mangroves are much smaller than those found on more southerly tropical islands.  This species is named candle mangrove due to their long, slender candle-like shape that hang from the branches.  These ‘candles’ are hypocotyl, meaning ‘below seed leaf’,  and are actually the new stems of germinating seedlings.  To find the mangroves you need to cross the river at Kurio and turn left.  Follow the narrow road a few hundred metres and you’ll come to the river mouth where the mangroves grow.

As if one waterfall wasn’t enough, the same body of water from Senpiro Waterfall then heads toward the ocean and just before it enters the sea it once again tumbles over a large waterfall called Torokki Waterfall. This is one of only two waterfall in Japan that fall directly into the sea. To get to Toroki Waterfall from Senpiro Waterfall, go back down to the main road and head north a little way and over the bridge until you come to ‘Pontankan’ (just across from the sign with the two ‘cute’ orange characters).  The Pontankan is a one-storey building which contains a large gift shop, an orange processing facility and nice toilets.  The waterfall is on the other side of the road by the cute sign and there is a lovely new path path until the last 15m when you have to walk across some rocks and roots. The walk only takes a few minutes to the viewing point. The viewing point for the waterfall is through quite a narrow gap in the trees and so if there are others wishing to see it then make way as soon as you’ve taken your photo.  There are also lovely views of the rocky lava-strewn coast and turquoise waters on the other side.