Spoilers follow for both parts, including the murderer, the staged Yamahime attack and the ending.
The Yamahime of Yakushima (Part 1) and The Yamahime of Yakushima (Part 2), Japanese episodes 1153–1154 (International episodes 1211–1212), form an anime-original case set on Yakushima. Kasumi Kokusho is the murderer. Her apparent encounter with the Yamahime is staged to make her look like another victim, concealing her jealousy toward Yoshimi.
A body beneath Jomon Sugi brings Kogoro to the island
A guide and three visitors make their way through the forest and reach the famous Jomon Sugi cedar. Looking down from the wooden stairs, one of the visitors sees a body. News coverage identifies the dead woman as Yoshimi Hidaka, a member of a group devoted to protecting Yakushima.
Yoshimi’s father hires Kogoro Mouri to investigate, and Conan Edogawa and Ran Mouri accompany him. Their inquiries begin with Yoshimi’s personal relationships and her conservation work, giving the case several possible sources of conflict before the mountain legend enters the picture.
The people and interests around Yoshimi
Kitabeppu, the guide who first found the body, describes Yoshimi’s effort to reduce the number of visitors to the island by half. Her proposed restriction places tourism and environmental protection in tension. It supplies a line of inquiry, but disagreement over conservation does not by itself identify a killer.
Yoshimi had been engaged to Taro Tsukada, but his infidelity ended the engagement. His wood-processing business is closed, and his plans for making money become another focus of suspicion. The investigation therefore encounters both a damaged personal relationship and questions about his business.
Yoshimi’s close friend Kasumi Kokusho faces questions about whether she had feelings for Tsukada. Her feelings remain unclear at this point, and no motive has been established. Another man, Yuji Yamamoto, had followed Yoshimi around without confessing his feelings to her. He says his weight would prevent him from making the trek to Jomon Sugi.
At a meal, a regular customer adds that Tsukada is an outsider with debts and has talked about a way to reverse his fortunes. The customer suspects him, but Conan’s group treats the story as background to investigate. Local gossip may point toward questions; it is not a substitute for evidence.
The long walk makes the body’s location a problem
The following morning begins at four. After traveling by car, the group must still walk about 8.5 kilometers, using headlamps while the surroundings remain dark. Kitabeppu leads them toward the scene. The demanding route gives weight to Yamamoto’s claim and to the practical question of transporting a body.
At Jomon Sugi, the unresolved issue is not simply who knew Yoshimi. The investigation treats the killing as having happened elsewhere, leaving Conan to ask why someone would bring her body all the way here. The difficulty of reaching the tree makes the choice of this location especially conspicuous.
A scarecrow gives the Yamahime story a physical presence
When Ran goes to get water, she finds a white-clad scarecrow fixed to a cross-shaped support. It is made to resemble the Yamahime, the supernatural figure associated with the island. The object is a human-made presence at the scene, even though the story attached to it is frightening.
Kitabeppu explains the legend: a person who meets the creature with long black hair must laugh before it does, or risk having their blood drained. The legend does not prove that a supernatural being has committed either incident. Its relevance lies in whether someone is using that fear to shape what witnesses think they have seen.
Kokusho’s fall leaves the investigation at a dangerous turning point
On the return journey, the group sees Kokusho running as though pursued. She falls from a cliff. When they reach her, she is still breathing, but she names the Yamahime before losing consciousness. Her words connect the frightening encounter with the legend without yet explaining who pursued her or what she actually saw.
Conan and Ran find fresh sawdust at Tsukada’s sawmill and uncover a concealed rail route. It exposes his timber-smuggling operation, explaining the money he expected without making him Yoshimi’s killer. Beyond the scarecrow, they find him tied up and losing blood. Someone is making the Yamahime legend appear real.
Kokusho is behind the attacks. A former stunt performer, she staged her cliff fall to pose as another victim. She resented Yoshimi for becoming engaged to Tsukada, whom she wanted for herself. His rejection then made him another target. The apparent supernatural threat conceals a personal grievance.
When Conan and Ran confront her, Kokusho attacks them as well. Her stunt training makes her formidable, and Conan’s damaged tranquilizer watch cannot help. Kogoro and Yoshimi’s father, Taisei, arrive by rail; Taisei intervenes and Kogoro subdues her with a judo throw. Tsukada survives. The culprit is caught, but Taisei’s continuing grief keeps the ending subdued: solving the crime cannot restore his daughter.
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