Minoura, Japan Cruise Port

Miyanoura Port is located on northeastern Yakushima Island in Japan’s Kagoshima Prefecture. The town of Yakushima makes up the entire island, which is more than 500 kilometers in area with Miyanoura acting as its largest village settlement. In 1980, more than 46,000 acres were designated a Man and Biosphere Reserve, a program designed by UNESCO to help connect people with their local environment. Also recognized was Yakushima’s uniquely warm, ancient forest which has been a national World Heritage Site since 1993. This island offers nature in its purest form, perfect for travelers looking to truly get away. Because the area receives above average rainfall due to its mountain setting, many rare flowers that don’t bloom in many places around the world can be observed in Yakushima’s extensive cedar forests. Anime fans may recognize the island’s rich, thick forests as the inspiration for the Hayao Miyazaki film Princess Mononoke.

• Experience 3,000 years of history all in one tree at the Kigensugi Cedar. This extremely old tree has strong roots and a strong will, allowing tourists to get up close and personal.
   
• Be awed by the impressive Sempiro Falls, a white, majestic waterfall in the heart of the forest and rushing down a picturesque valley. Some guided tours can get you much closer than the casual observers.
   
• Named after notable English plant collector, E.H. Wilson, the Wilson Stump is a gigantic Yaku sugi stump that he documented and hypothesized how it achieved its gargantuan size. It also has a small shrine inside it.
   
• Explore the great forests and the island as a whole by hiking the Shiratani Unsuikyo Valley. Experienced hikers/campers often hike the valley all day long.