Nakama
Located on the southwest coast of Yakushima, the tiny township of Nakama counts among the least populated of the island’s coastal communities, with fewer than 120 households. Thanks to its warmer-than-average temperatures and relatively low rainfall, in earlier days it thrived as a center for sugarcane cultivation. It is a good place to try kakaran dango, the sticky-rice confection flavored with cane sugar and mugwort that is a specialty of Yakushima. Many visitors come to view the massive banyan tree, estimated to be about 300 years old.
Combine a swim at the sandy beach with a wander through the residential alleyways, where many of the walls, built of natural stone, date back to the late 1800s. For refreshments and a walk under trees laden with bananas, papayas, and guavas, stop by the local fruit park, where as many as 1,700 different varieties of tropical and subtropical plants are grown.