Yakushima is characterized by its diverse culture and ecosystem.

“The culture of the people of the island,” which has been nurtured together with the “natural environment that has continued since ancient times,” is the most important keyword that expresses Yakushima. Yakushima was registered as Japan's first World Natural Heritage Site in 1993 due to its unique environment. The major reasons for its registration are the diverse ecosystems including the Jomon cedar and other Yakusugi, and the wide range of vegetation from the subtropical to the subarctic, which has been evaluated as valuable worldwide. In addition, Yakushima was one of the first in Japan to realize the separation of power generation and generation, and almost 100% of its power supply is covered by hydroelectric power generation. He can also be a model to lead the government's declaration of "Aiming to realize a decarbonized society by 2050" and the global trend of carbon neutrality. The culture of the islanders, which has been nurtured together with the natural environment, is also unique due to the constraints of the topography and environment. Due to the history of forming coastal settlements due to the shape of the island with a mountain in the center, exchanges between settlements were carried out by sea routes, and trade with Satsuma and Ryukyu has been actively carried out not only on the island. . As a result, each of the 26 villages has developed its own unique cultural system and has come to hold various traditional events. However, they also have a common culture called "Take-mairi", which expresses their reverence for nature. Each village has its own mountain of worship, and people have been praying for a bountiful harvest that connects the sea and the mountains for 500 years. In this way, “nature,” “culture,” and “people” are closely connected, and the “diverse of culture and ecosystem” woven by these elements is what makes Yakushima unique.