Visiting Yakushima in January

[teddyursa]

I am kinda hooked on Japan and I've bought another air ticket to Kagoshima in January. I want to visit Yakushima but most of the websites I have found are in Japanese. In January,

• Is there any trails or places of interests that I should not miss?
• Is it necessary to book accomodation on Yakushima in advance? Is it possible to do that when I arrive on the island?
• Do I need to buy the ferry ticket to/fro Kagoshima and Yakushima in advance as well?

I have only about 8 days in Japan and I planned to spend 5 nights 6 days in Yakushima and the remaining in Kagoshima. Is this too much or too little for Yakushima?

Many thanks in advance once again! As always, I appreciate any advice.

 

[KirinMan]

Yakushima travel guide - Wikitravel

Maybe that could help you out. It is in English.

 

[craftsman]

You should find some answers at Yakushima: A Visitor's Guide. 5 nights is great for Yakushima providing the weather holds up but note that there is thick snow on the trails in January, the buses don't run into the mountains and it's cold.

 

[teddyursa]

Craftman,

Thanks. Hmm... thick snow does not sound good. Would I need snow shoes? Or would normal hiking boots still work?
I've hiked in snow barely a few times only. If I compared Yakushima with the Patagonia and Cotopaxi, is it much worse than that?

I checked the averaged temperature in Yakushima and thought Jan to be ~5 degC. So I thought it should be alright to go around the island as long as I don't go too high up...

Oh well, I guess it's too late to change plans. Maybe I'll get good weather and could go around the island a little... otherwise I guess I just stay at the guesthouse and sip sake!

Thanks again...

 

[zoomingjapan]

Just for anybody else who plans to visit Yakushima in winter (off-season), here is my travel report: Yakushima Day 1: Waterfalls and Fruit Garden