There are reasons Yakushima is a World Heritage location and its not just for the 3000 year old cedars that cling to its mountain tops, although that is the official reason. Yakushima is just plain one of the most beautiful and well kept places on earth. The minute you step away from the concrete of the man made harbor at Miyanoura, you are captivated by the stunning beauty of the island. Only a mile or so from the narrow coastal belt, the mountains climb steeply. The many shades of green that are the shrubs and trees of the mountainsides contrast sharply with the reds and browns of the rock. Rivers, streams and waterfalls are found along the road surrounding the island every few miles. The impact of civilization seems to take advantage of what nature has provided with total simpatico. It is a special island that anyone would love to call home. We found all of this by walking a hundred meters from our concrete bunker mooring area to the Miyanoura information center where I requested a location to hire a rental car. A few minutes later, with my International Driver's License, a necessity in Japan, I had a fuel efficient compact on the road to the Shiratana Unusuikyo to see the ancient cedars. Once at elevation, it was an easy hike along the stream to the cedars. Following this revitalizing experience, we traveled the coastal road south to enjoy a "box" lunch at the Ambo harbor watching the fishing boats being unloaded with lightning speed and efficiency, their cargo boxed and iced right off the small boats and loaded onto refrigerated trucks. I had wanted to experience a Japanese Onsen and Yakushima has a few along the south coast. We picked a spot where the hot water pools are only accessible at low tide and finally found it. Thankfully it was a very informal Onsen costing little while affording a beautiful location right on the water. There was an elderly man(more so than I) sitting in a pool and he kindly showed me way. Soon we were in our birthday suits enjoying the soothing warmth of the mineral hot springs. Unlike many Onsens in Japan, there was no segregation of the genders and as a result, we males had it all to ourselves, although I am sure a female would have been more than welcome. We will always remember this special place. (Notes For Cruisers: The waypoint above is the actual location of Let's Go! on the wall in the small boat harbor. There were already three yachts here and two more on the way when we arrived. We found a vacant spot along the wall and moored only to be told we must move for a fishing boat. We ended up rafted to a 30 footer for the night. In the morning, four yachts left and we moved to our own location on the wall as in the phot. It was fairly stressful after a 30 hour passage so be prepared. There is wifi at the Information Center just up the drive from the port. There is also a close by supermarket. There is no cost to moor and there are no officials to ask for paperwork. Miyanora is a lovely town with traditional architecture, narrow streets, friendly people and anything you need. Except one thing. There are no waste facilities. So, don't expect to leave your trash. Impossible. I asked the folks at the information center and they said, "we take our trash home". They did not offer to take ours home}. (Postscript on Naze, our last port. We were eventually done over by Customs, the Coast Guard and the Port. We left as soon as possible thereafter)

--