Forest in Yakushima National Park

Yakushima National Park is a protected area located in Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyushu. It includes parts of the Ōsumi Islands with Yakushima, the entire island Kuchinoerabu-jima and some surrounding marine areas. The total size is 325.53 square kilometres (125.69 sq mi).

Cryptomeria and rhododendron are abundant in the national park. The national park excludes a 1,219-hectare (3,010-acre) area containing the oldest cedar trees, Yakusugi, whose age is estimated to be more than 2000 years. UNESCO designated parts of the national park and the Yakushima Natural Reserve (107.47 km2) as World Heritage sites in 1993. The Japanese macaque has its own subspecies in the national park (Macaca fuscata). The landscape of the island Kuchinoerabu-jima is distinguished by a variety of volcanoes and dense forests. There lives the endangered Ryukyu flying fox. So far, the National Park has been home to 1900 plant species, 16 mammal species, and 150 bird species.

Location: Yakushima, Kumage District, Kagoshima 891-4408, Japan