# Yakushima, Kagoshima

Yakushima (屋久島町, Yakushima-chō) is a town located in Kumage District, Kagoshima, Japan. The town is on the island of Yakushima and Kuchinoerabujima.

## History

On October 1, 2007, the town was formed by the merger of the towns of Kamiyaku and Yaku, both from Kumage District.

## Geography

Major settlements of the island are the port towns of Anbō and Miyanoura. Other settlements are the coastal villages of Hiranai, Kuriobashi, Nagata, Okonotaki and the abandoned forest village of Kosugidani. Among the localities, there are the gorges of Shiratani Unsui, Arakawa, Yakushima Airport, Kigensugi and Yakusugi.

## Demographics

As of 2008, the town has an estimated population of 13,486 and the density of 24.9 persons per km$^2$. The total area is 540.98 km$^2$.

## Transport

Yakushima Airport serves Yakushima. There are also hydrofoils and ferries serving the island. Kuchinoerabujima is accessible by a municipal ferry. Inside the island there is a forest railway, the Anbō Forest Railway.

## Education
### High schools

* Kagoshima Prefectural Yakushima High School
* Yakushima Ōzora High School (correspondence course high school)

### Junior high schools

* Anbō Junior High School
* Gakunan Junior High School
* Issō Junior High School
* Kanadake Junior High School
* Koseda Junior High School
* Miyaura Junior High School
* Nagata Junior High School

### Elementary schools

* Anbō Elementary School
* Hachiman Elementary School
* Issō Elementary School
* Kamiyama Elementary School
* Kanadake Elementary School
* Koseda Elementary School
* Kurio Elementary School
* Miyaura Elementary School
* Nagata Elementary School

## Climate

Climate data for Yakushima (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1937−present) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 25.3 (77.5) | 26.1 (79.0) | 29.6 (85.3) | 29.8 (85.6) | 31.9 (89.4) | 34.8 (94.6) | 35.2 (95.4) | 35.4 (95.7) | 34.7 (94.5) | 31.3 (88.3) | 30.7 (87.3) | 26.6 (79.9) | 35.4 (95.7) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 14.7 (58.5) | 15.5 (59.9) | 18.0 (64.4) | 21.4 (70.5) | 24.5 (76.1) | 26.9 (80.4) | 30.5 (86.9) | 30.9 (87.6) | 28.9 (84.0) | 25.2 (77.4) | 21.2 (70.2) | 16.8 (62.2) | 22.9 (73.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 11.8 (53.2) | 12.3 (54.1) | 14.6 (58.3) | 17.8 (64.0) | 21.0 (69.8) | 23.7 (74.7) | 27.0 (80.6) | 27.5 (81.5) | 25.7 (78.3) | 22.2 (72.0) | 18.2 (64.8) | 13.9 (57.0) | 19.6 (67.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 8.9 (48.0) | 9.2 (48.6) | 11.3 (52.3) | 14.2 (57.6) | 17.5 (63.5) | 21.0 (69.8) | 23.9 (75.0) | 24.6 (76.3) | 22.8 (73.0) | 19.4 (66.9) | 15.2 (59.4) | 11.0 (51.8) | 16.6 (61.9) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 1.0 (33.8) | 0.7 (33.3) | 1.5 (34.7) | 4.5 (40.1) | 10.1 (50.2) | 13.7 (56.7) | 18.3 (64.9) | 19.6 (67.3) | 15.2 (59.4) | 9.1 (48.4) | 5.6 (42.1) | 2.2 (36.0) | 0.7 (33.3) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 294.6 (11.60) | 289.2 (11.39) | 387.0 (15.24) | 405.5 (15.96) | 444.1 (17.48) | 860.3 (33.87) | 362.4 (14.27) | 256.5 (10.10) | 450.7 (17.74) | 309.9 (12.20) | 309.6 (12.19) | 281.8 (11.09) | 4,651.7 (183.14) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.5 mm) | 17.2 | 15.2 | 16.2 | 13.5 | 13.7 | 19.6 | 12.5 | 14.6 | 15.5 | 12.8 | 12.8 | 15.8 | 179.3 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 68 | 68 | 69 | 71 | 76 | 85 | 83 | 82 | 81 | 74 | 71 | 69 | 75 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 74.9 | 83.2 | 117.9 | 146.2 | 152.7 | 100.0 | 209.9 | 201.3 | 139.8 | 115.9 | 97.3 | 78.8 | 1,515.8 |
| Source: Japan Meteorological Agency ||||||||||||||

## Image

* Forest of Yakushima
* Hydrofoil serving the island