Yakushima without a car

Pick a base that supports your day

Miyanoura is convenient for its port, food and the Environmental Culture Village Center. Anbo is a useful starting point for the published Yakusugi Land bus. Check your arrival port or airport before deciding: boats do not all use the same port.

Choose accommodation close to a confirmed stop and somewhere you can eat without driving after the buses finish. Ask the property for the stop number, the correct side of the road and a photograph of the pickup point. A listing described as “near Anbo” can still be inconvenient with bags.

Save the English timetable effective 1 October 2026 and its revision notice. It changes some coastal trips and still prints the normal Shiratani schedule: the current closure overrides that schedule. Use the October sheet and operation notices together.

A full day from Anbo: Yakusugi Land

Treat this as a conditional bus plan: confirm that the service and road are operating for your date. At the forest entrance, ask which loops are open and follow the current exit detour. Choose a shorter marked loop with ample time for breaks, lunch and an early return to the stop. Do not turn a route’s nominal walking time into your full safety margin.

There is no spare later bus in the displayed timetable if you miss 15:15. Carry food, water, suitable rainwear and a charged phone. Confirm a possible taxi contact with your accommodation beforehand; mobile reception and immediate pickup are not assured.

A coastal day from Miyanoura: one waterfall

Use this only when the road, weather and bus are confirmed suitable. Allow time to walk from the stop to the waterfall and back; skip the outing if that cannot fit your pace. Take water and a snack. Avoid adding a second remote stop just because it appears on the same road.

The 15:20 bus from Miyanoura now ends at Kurio-bashi rather than continuing to the waterfall. A familiar route number or old blog timetable can therefore send you to the wrong endpoint. Follow the destination on the current timetable and bus.

Shiratani and the long treks

The tourism association’s 8 October closure notice still lists Shiratani Unsuikyo and its access road closed. The forest manager’s updates also say entry by the Kusugawa path and descent toward Shiratani are unavailable. Do not treat another path as a workaround.

Jomon Sugi and mountain routes require their own early-start transport, fitness and equipment decisions. A normal coastal bus does not establish access to the Arakawa trailhead. For a first visit, ask a listed local guide about current route conditions, pickup, return and toilet arrangements. Open access does not mean an easy or risk-free hike.

Tickets, payment and a missed bus

The October timetable lists Yakushima Kotsu passes at ¥2,500 for one day, ¥4,000 for three days and ¥5,000 for four days, with children at half price. These exclude the Arakawa trekking bus and sightseeing bus. Buy before boarding; compare the covered journeys with separate fares first.

Take a numbered ticket when boarding even with a pass. Carry small change: the timetable says large notes and the new ¥500 coin cannot be exchanged on board. Do not expect Suica or a card used on the mainland to work here.

• If a morning service is cancelled, change the outing before travelling farther from your base. A town walk or indoor visitor centre is a useful slower day when open.
• If you return too late, ask staff for help contacting a taxi or your accommodation. Keep money for a long transfer; do not rely on hitchhiking or a taxi waiting at the trailhead.
• Check bus-pass coverage by operator and route before buying. A pass is good value only when its covered journeys cost more separately.
• Leave space around your departure boat or flight. For weather-sensitive island connections, consider an overnight mainland buffer before a separately booked international flight.

See the main Yakushima guide for the broader island experience and what to book before Yakushima for arranging the trip in a useful order.