Yakushima

Today we visited Yakushima island, home of an extensive old cedar forest. The cedars that are over 1000 years old change their composition, and the wood becomes much sought after. We docked at the port of Miyanoura, and travelled by bus to the Shiratani Unsuikyo ravine,

 where we crossed the river, 

and wandered through the forest, 

seeing moss 

and waterfalls 

and monkeys. 

There were plenty of stairs, and some areas had been rerouted due to landslides.

We then went back to the ship and were taught how to make chopsticks from 1000 year old cedar.