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Photo: Yosemite, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
This onsen is only usable for a few hours before and after low tide. It is also very well-known, and the constant flow of visitors can make it a less-than-relaxing place to bathe.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
湯泊温泉
Far better is Yudomari Onsen. The tiny main pool has a bamboo screen that offers a modicum of separation between the sexes. But keep walking down the concrete path to the left of this bath and you will come to an even smaller, more private pool. Between soaks, slip down to the sea for a swim among the rocks. Just outside the entrance, a small bar serves cold beer and other drinks and snacks.
屋久島フルーツガーデン, Yakushima Furuutsu Gaaden
Walk among the hundreds of tropical fruit trees and plants, with seasonal fruit like papaya, mango, guava and starfruit available to eat or drink.
大川の滝
There are several waterfalls on the island, and this one is justly rated as one of Japan's best.The 90-meter falls are easily accessible, being a short walk away from the main highway on a paved road, and visitors can approach the base for a good view. Those wanting to get closer and wetter can scramble over boulders to the plunge pool.
屋久杉ランド
In spite of its theme-park name, this is another natural area for walking in the forest among yakusugi, with a variety of hiking options based on time (there are 30-, 50-, 80- and 150-minute round trip trails). It is less accessible than Shiratani Unsuikyo, being further from the coast with a narrower access road and fewer buses.
縄文杉
This tree is said to be the largest and oldest tree on the island, perhaps 2,000-7,000 years old. Getting here involves an 8-hour hike, with shuttle bus departures arriving before dawn; plan seriously, and expect rain.
屋久杉自然館, Yakusugi Shizenkan
There are photos, movies and hands-on exhibits showing the island's natural wonders and the history of the logging industry. You can also hug a section of a 1660-year-old yakusugi. English explanatory pamphlet provided. A short walk away is the World Heritage Conservation Center.