Yakushima is a small, round, mountainous island sixty kilometers off the southern coast of Kyushu — not where you go because it’s convenient, but where you go because the cedars are 7,000 years old and the air smells different. Getting there takes one travel day if you plan it well, two if you don’t.
This guide covers the only three real ways to reach the island in 2026 — the high-speed hydrofoil from Kagoshima, the slower car ferry from Kagoshima, and the 40-minute Japan Air Commuter flight — with current fares, schedules, which side of the island to land on, and what to do once you’re off the boat or plane. I’ve done all three at different times. Here’s what I’d actually pick.
Quick Facts · 2026
| Where Yakushima is | 60 km south of Cape Sata, the southern tip of Kyushu (Kagoshima Prefecture) |
|---|---|
| From Tokyo | HND→KOJ flight (1h 50m) → KOJ→Yakushima by Toppy/JAC (2h or 35m) |
| From Osaka | ITM/KIX→KOJ flight (1h 15m) → onward as above |
| Total travel time | Tokyo → Yakushima: about 6 hours door-to-door · Osaka → Yakushima: about 5 hours |
| Toppy/Rocket fare | One-way ¥10,800 (adult) · ¥9,800 if booked round-trip · ¥5,400 child |
| Yakushima Ferry 2 fare | One-way from ¥6,200 (2nd class) |
| JAC flight fare | One-way ¥14,000–22,000 depending on season |
| Two ports on Yakushima | Miyanoura (north) and Anbo (south-east) — pick by where your hotel is |
| Best season to go | May, June (rainy season but lush), September, October. Avoid August Bon week unless booked far ahead. |
Where Yakushima sits in the Kagoshima archipelago
The map orients you. Yakushima is the round island in the bottom-right cluster, just south of the longer island Tanegashima (the rocket-launch one). Both are reached the same way — from Kagoshima Port by hydrofoil, or from Kagoshima Airport by JAC plane.
South-west from Yakushima you have the Tokara island chain (rarely visited), then Amami Oshima, Tokunoshima, Okinoerabu, and Yoron — the warm-water archipelago that connects Kagoshima to Okinawa. The car ferry that runs Kagoshima → Amami → Okinawa stops at all of those, but does not stop at Yakushima. Yakushima is on its own connection.
Three ways to get there, in order
The decision depends on what you’re optimizing for. Time-sensitive same-day arrival from Tokyo — fly. Lowest cost — ferry. Best balance for most people — the Toppy.
Step 1: Getting to Kagoshima
Whichever onward leg you pick, you start by getting to Kagoshima city or Kagoshima Airport. Kagoshima Airport (KOJ) is in Kirishima, about 40 minutes north of Kagoshima city by airport bus. Kagoshima Port (where the Toppy and ferry leave) is in central Kagoshima city, walking distance from the central JR station.
From Tokyo (Haneda or Narita): direct flight to Kagoshima with JAL, ANA, or Solaseed Air, around 1h 50m. Booked 2-3 weeks ahead, fares run ¥18,000-32,000 one-way; same-day fares jump to ¥45,000+. Skyscanner and Google Flights both surface every option.
From Osaka (Itami or Kansai): direct flight to Kagoshima, 1h 15m, ¥14,000-22,000.
By Shinkansen: the Sanyo + Kyushu Shinkansen takes you Tokyo → Kagoshima-Chuo in 6h 40m. JR Pass eligible. Slower than flying but enjoyable if you’re doing a multi-stop Japan trip.
Tokyo / Osaka → Kagoshima flights
The KOJ flight market is competitive between JAL, ANA, and Solaseed Air; even non-LCC tickets run cheap if booked 2-3 weeks out.
Search Tokyo → Kagoshima flights →Step 2: Kagoshima → Yakushima — the three options in detail
Option A · Toppy / Rocket hydrofoil
The bright yellow-and-white catamarans of Tane-Yaku Jet Foil, branded as Toppy and Rocket, are the workhorse of the Kagoshima-Yakushima route. They leave from Kagoshima Port’s South Pier (a separate ferry terminal from the Sakurajima ferry, about 10 minutes’ walk from the conventional ferry terminal) and run roughly five round trips a day in summer.
Schedule (April–June 2026, typical):
- 07:45 Kagoshima → Miyanoura (with stop at Ibusuki) — arrives ~09:50
- 10:10 Kagoshima → Anbo (via Nishinoomote on Tanegashima) — arrives ~12:50
- 13:35 Kagoshima → Miyanoura (direct) — arrives ~15:25
- 15:45 Kagoshima → Anbo (via Nishinoomote) — arrives ~18:30
Schedules shift by season — double-check on the day you book. The boats are reliable in calm seas but get cancelled fast in typhoons (June-October). If you’re booked on the Toppy and the weather turns, the company will rebook you on the next available departure for free; for tight schedules, a flight is the safer fallback.
Option B · Yakushima Ferry 2
The conventional car ferry, Yakushima Ferry 2 (フェリー屋久島2), takes about 4 hours each way and runs once daily — 08:30 from Kagoshima, 13:30 return from Miyanoura. Cheaper (from ¥6,200 in second class), slower, and often less affected by rough weather. Bringing a vehicle is around ¥30,000 round trip; almost nobody does because rental on the island is cheaper than the vehicle ferry surcharge.
The ferry has lounge seating, a small restaurant, and a sun deck where you can watch the Kuchinoerabu volcano on the horizon if the sky is clear. I’ve done it once both ways. The morning sailing is genuinely pleasant; the afternoon return less so because of cabin lighting and crowding.
Option C · JAC flight
Japan Air Commuter (JAC), a JAL group regional airline, runs three flights a day in 50-seat ATR turboprops between Kagoshima Airport and Yakushima Airport (OKA). Flight time is 35-40 minutes. The plane swings in low over Cape Sata, you cross the strait, and you’re on the ground.
One-way fares run ¥14,000-22,000 in 2026. Booking 2-3 weeks ahead helps; same-day fares are higher. Worth it if you’re connecting from a Tokyo morning flight and want a same-day arrival, or if the hydrofoil has been cancelled.
Miyanoura or Anbo: which port should you arrive at?
Yakushima has two ports on opposite ends of the inhabited coast. The Toppy stops at one or the other depending on schedule; the ferry uses Miyanoura. Pick based on where your hotel is, not the other way round.
| Port | Best for | Drive to nearest hub |
|---|---|---|
| Miyanoura (north) | Hotels north of the island, west drive starting point, Shiratani trail access, the airport (15 min) | 15 min to Yakushima Airport · 30 min to Anbo |
| Anbo (south-east) | Jomon Sugi shuttle hub, most mid-range guesthouses, the standard tourist base | 25 min to Yakusugi-shizen-kan trekking hub · 30 min to Miyanoura |
Default rule: if you’re here primarily for Jomon Sugi, arrive at Anbo. If you’re here for the west drive or staying at THE HOTEL YAKUSHIMA on the north shore, arrive at Miyanoura. Either way, every part of the inhabited island is within 90 minutes of either port.
Once you arrive: airport and port transfers
From Yakushima Airport (OKA): Anbo is 25 minutes by car (¥3,500 taxi); Miyanoura is 15 minutes (¥2,500 taxi); rental cars are at the airport from Toyota Rent-a-Car, Times, and a couple of locals.
From Miyanoura Port: rental cars are at the port; airport bus to Yakushima Airport runs every 1-2 hours timed to Toppy arrivals; Anbo bus runs hourly.
From Anbo Port: rental cars are at the port; bus to Miyanoura via the airport runs hourly until 18:30. Most Anbo guesthouses pick guests up directly — mention your arrival in your booking and they’ll meet you.
You almost certainly want a rental car for at least one day on the island (the west drive). Reserve before you arrive; the island has only about 250 rentals total and they sell out in peak season.
A sample door-to-door from Tokyo
| Time | Step |
|---|---|
| 06:30 | Haneda T2, JAL or ANA flight to Kagoshima (KOJ). |
| 07:00 | Boarding. |
| 09:20 | Land at Kagoshima Airport (KOJ). |
| 10:00 | Airport bus to Kagoshima Chuo Station (40 min, ¥1,400). |
| 11:00 | Walk or taxi (5 min) to Kagoshima Port South Pier. Lunch at the terminal. |
| 13:35 | Toppy/Rocket departs Kagoshima. |
| 15:25 | Arrive Miyanoura. Pick up rental car or hotel shuttle. |
| 16:00 | Check in at hotel. Total Tokyo → hotel: about 9.5 hours. |
To save half a day: take the morning flight to KOJ, then the JAC flight straight to Yakushima Airport. Total Tokyo → Yakushima Airport: under 4 hours.
Book the island accommodation now — rooms move fast
Yakushima has about 80 hotels, ryokan, and guesthouses, and most are small (under 20 rooms). In peak season everything goes weeks ahead; off-season most have last-minute availability.
Search Yakushima accommodation →Frequently asked questions
Can I do a day trip from Kagoshima to Yakushima?
Mathematically yes, practically no. The earliest Toppy out is 07:45 (arrives 09:50), and the last return Toppy leaves Yakushima around 17:00. That gives you about seven hours on the island — enough to see Senpiro Falls and have lunch, not enough for any of the major hikes or the west drive. Plan at least one overnight; two is comfortable; three is the sweet spot.
Do I need to book the Toppy in advance?
Outside Golden Week, August Bon, and year-end — no. There’s usually space if you walk up to the South Pier counter an hour before departure. In peak season, book 1-2 weeks ahead via the official Tane-Yaku Jet Foil site, the DISCOVER KAGOSHIMA tourism site, or any of the standard activity platforms.
What if my Toppy is cancelled because of weather?
The operator will rebook you on the next available departure for free, but availability isn’t guaranteed if the cancellation is part of a multi-day weather event. Check the JAC flight as a fallback — aircraft can sometimes operate in conditions that ground the hydrofoil. In a typhoon, the entire island is cut off for 1-3 days; build a buffer day into your trip if you’re visiting in August or September.
Is the Toppy / hydrofoil seasick-prone?
The hydrofoils ride above the water on extended foils once at speed, so the ride feels more like a smooth airplane than a boat. The first 5 minutes leaving port can be choppy; once cruising, motion is minimal. The slow car ferry, by contrast, can roll heavily in 2-3 meter swell. If you’re prone to motion sickness, the Toppy is the better choice.
Is there an airport tax or visitor fee on Yakushima?
No airport tax on top of your ticket. There’s a forest cooperation fee of ¥1,000 (¥2,000 if you stay in a mountain hut) collected at the trailhead if you do the Jomon Sugi trek — that’s a separate charge, not an island-wide fee. Other trails on Yakushima have a smaller ¥500 cooperation fee, also paid at the trailhead.
Last updated: May 2026 · Sources checked: Tane-Yaku Jet Foil schedules via DISCOVER KAGOSHIMA Official, Japan Air Commuter timetables, Yakushima Town Tourism Office, my own notes from three crossings.
Photos by Nobutoshi and licensed stock.
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