Overview
Yakushima is an island in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, known for its wildlife and cedar forests. In the northwest is Nagata Inaka-hama, a beach with seasonal loggerhead turtle nesting grounds.
Description
Yakushima is a round-shaped island south of the Osumi Peninsula in the southern part of Kagoshima Prefecture. One-fifth of the island is registered as a World Natural Heritage site. There are as many as six mountain peaks over 1,800 meters high, including the highest mountain in Kyushu, Miyanoura-dake, standing at 1,935 meters. This is what gives the island its nickname—the Alps of the ocean.