An island rooted in natural beauty

Japan's Yakushima, shaped by centuries of natural wonder and human encroachment, inspired the 1997 Studio Ghibli film Princess Mononoke

- Jaclynn Seah

YAKUSHIMA, Japan — A few years ago, I watched the Studio Ghibli classic film Princess Mononoke (1997), an enchanting tale with themes of environmentalism and the destructive force of over-industrialisation.

The lush forest — with its towering trees, thick canopies and moss-covered ground — where much of the story unfolds was inspired by a real place.

Yakushima, located off the southern tip of Japan's Kyushu island, is shaped by centuries of both natural wonder and human encroachment. Despite deforestation dating back to the Edo period (1603 to 1868), logging activities stopped in the 1960s.

Today, more than 90 per cent of Yakushima remains covered by forest, with a quarter of it granted Unesco World Heritage status in 1993.

As the plane descends towards its tiny airport, I gaze out over majestic mountains awash in a sea of green. It is an awe-inspiring sight, especially for someone like me who grew up in Singapore — a city-state that has, conversely, lost over 90 per cent of its original vegetation in the past 200 years.

I have come to Yakushima to escape the urban sprawl of my everyday life, spending four days in October 2024 to see this enchanted forest and more. Here are the highlights.

THE MOSSY FORESTS OF SHIRATANI UNSUIKYO

No matter how much of a couch potato you are, hiking in Yakushima's forests is a must and, by far, the best way to take in the splendour of its lush vegetation.

My first stop is Shiratani Unsuikyo (admission: 1,000 yen or S$8.70), home to the forest that inspired the Studio Ghibli animators. This ravine in the north-east is one of the most popular spots on the island, with trails of varying difficulty for hikers of all levels.