Wow.. what a though and rewarding hike that was. So we got fooled by the « 210min » course mention that concerns the Yakusugi Land only, that’s enough time to enjoy the scenery and go back… but actually the way up to the top of Tachudake will make you go crazy. It keeps going up, super steep, slippery and narrow. I doubt that’s still a popular trail, regarding the condition of the road and the ropes 😱 Then you reach the summit of the mountain after 1h30 of excruciating knee/back pain, however you cannot actually climb the peak, not even Spiderman could tbh. I tried to go higher to have a better view but the black rope previously shown on the pictures is gone. Most likely it has been judged too dangerous to keep going up so it has been taken off. Wise decision cause let me tell you I almost **** myself on the last part. Chills through the body when I rethink of it…
Anyway the whole hike from Arakawa parking will take you around 7hours. Leave well prepared, no need to take too much water cause you can drink from the river/waterfall on the way ( the taste is 🫶🏻 ) and expect to suffer. What an achievement it is to reach the top of the mount, the silhouette of Tachudake is frightening, I promised to myself to come back and finish it whenever I gain superpowers.
Last thing is, the weather I keep hearing about when it comes to Yakushima. Huhhhh honestly don’t pay top much attention to what you read on the forecast, it doesn’t mean a lot. Cause of its unusual and demanding microclimate, the gap between Hawaii Sun / London Cloudy / Tropical Armageddon is thin as hell, so you might start the trail with great weather and not even 5 min after get hit by torrential rain like it’s 2012 baby. It depends on your altitude, the daytime, your luck, Kamisama’s kindness…. We were hiking on the Island in the midst of Tsuyu ( intense rainy season ) and we never saw such a random weather in the span of 3 days ( which adds to the uniqueness and experience for sure).
You go around the island, always grab your poncho, waterproof shoes ( it’s possible to buy a spray for ¥300 in Miyanoura’s ¥100 shop ) and camera cause boy you’re going to see a lot of mesmerizing stuff trust me this ain’t no regular stuff happening down there.
Enjoy and be careful on the road 🫸🏼🤛🏻🐒

A moderately difficult hike that took us 7 hours to complete. A good option if you want to summit a mountain in less than 10km (out and back). There is a bathroom at the beginning of the hike and a stall one-third of the way through for wag bag use.
Once you leave Yakisugi Land, the hike is mostly a steep ascent on a fairly well marked path. Some rope sections near the top. The summit of Tachudake provides a great 170-degree view of the national park.
This mountain is famous for Tenshu-seki, a gigantic 40-meter-high monolith that rises to the top of the mountain at an altitude of 1,497 meters. Yakushima was created tens of thousands of years ago when the ocean floor was pushed up by a volcanic eruption, and Yakushima is made up of gigantic granite rocks. I should have been somewhat immune to megaliths, but I was still impressed by the megaliths of Mt. Taichudake.
To get to Mt. Tachu, we depart from Yakusugi Land's 150-minute course and follow the signboards passing through many beautiful forests. Along the way, you will be surprised by the sheer size of the Yaku cedar and granite. However, only a few of them had names; most of them were nameless. The forest with its moist air is reminiscent of the Ghibli world, but it wasn't always an easy course with steep climbs and steep climbs and occasional ropes. From the top of the mountain, which I reached while out of breath, I had a panoramic view of Awa village and the Pacific Ocean! It took us 3 hours + 1 hour compared to the standard time, but on this day we could see all the way to Tanegashima, and the view was so spectacular that all the fatigue from climbing was wiped away.

We took the tour with a guide from YES Yakushima. Difficulty was given as 4/5 and I definitely underestimated that. There was a lot of climbing, which wasn't made any easier by the light rain. Unfortunately the view at the top was clouded by clouds, but it was definitely worth it! Anyone who is reasonably fit should definitely consider this hiking/climbing tour!
The weather forecast was cloudy. When we arrived at Yakusugi Land, we could see Tenbashirai from below, but when we arrived at the summit, it was completely white. The wind was so strong that it was difficult to stand on the stones. As we neared the top of the mountain, we saw other large stones and wondered, "We've arrived?!" but we weren't there yet.
It was a climb that made me feel like a child on a road that felt like an attraction. I want to go again when it's sunny.