Yakushima: The holy forests of Princess Mononoke
In the opening scenes of the 1997 masterpiece of Princess Mononoke, a boar calculates through a foggy, original forest with high -towering trees and old spirits. It is generally assumed that this world is based on Yakushima, an island listed by UNESCO in front of the South Kyushu, which is worshiped because of its spiritual meaning.
In Yakushima, the 1,000 -year -old Zears rose from carpets from moss, and the precipitation nourishes a dense, fantastic forest to the house, the house said Codama (Tree spirits). “In every direction-after the top, to the front and back-completely enveloped by green,” recalls Yumi Takahashi, a office worker based in Tokyo, who recently visited the island. “It felt like he was deep under water, surrounded by forest instead of water. It was mystical.”
Taro Watanabe, the head of the Sangaku Taro management office, who leads mountain excursions on the island, says that the connection between Studio Ghibli is still attracting visitors from all over the world. “Even now, many people come to Yakushima because of Princess Mononoke,” he explains. “But tourism has actually calmed down in recent years. I hope that more people will experience the nature of the island for themselves.”
The forests of Yakushima are considered ecologically unique: the different subtropical coasts and alpine peaks have endemic plant species that are nowhere else found in the world. However, these fragile habitats are exposed to increasing threats from a vague deer and climate change, which increases the temperatures and triggers disruptive landslides. Conservationists and local guides work with UNESCO and government agencies to limit the effects of visitors, protect old cedar and restore damaged forest areas to ensure that the enchanted landscapes of Yakushima last long after rolling the credits.
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