Ferry from Tanegashima to Yakushima

About Tanegashima

Tanegashima is the second largest of the Osumi Islands in Kagoshima Prefecture, southern Japan. For a relatively small island, Tanegashima has a significant role in the nation’s cultural heritage. It's home to the largest space centre in the country and it's where guns were first introduced to Japan in the 16th Century. There is even a fascinating display of the first Japanese gun ever made in Nishinoomote City to the north. Aside from the historical interest, visitors come to Tanegashima for its beautiful beaches and superb surfing conditions along the east coast, as well for snorkelling with turtles in crystal clear waters. The island’s main port can be found in Nishinoomote at the northern terminus of the National Route 58 highway. From there, you can sail back to a couple of ports on the mainland or to the neighbouring island of Yakushima to the southwest.

About Yakushima

Yakushima is a Japanese island, part of Kagoshima Prefecture, found just off the southeast coast of Kyushu. An island with such beautiful and awe-inspiring surroundings it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993, Yakushima is one of the most enchanting places in Japan. Some of the oldest trees on the planet, the famous yakusugi species, live here alongside dramatic landscapes and climates, which is why the island is commonly regarded as one of the nation’s natural wonders. The interior is one of the wettest places in the country; a moss-covered forest which, in the centre, rises suddenly into spectacular mountains. Also, given the isolation of the island, it is home to an abundance of wildlife including wild monkeys and deer. Yakushima has ports in Miyanoura and Anbo, offering fast, frequent sailings back to the Japanese mainland and the island of Tanegashima to the northeast.