Isso
With some 350 households on the northern coast of Yakushima, the tight-knit community of Isso is the island’s sixth-largest township. Its fishing industry is thriving, notably because of blue mackerel and flying fish. The prized kubioresaba––mackerel caught in the morning and bled immediately, meant to be enjoyed as sashimi that day––is a real treat, since most of the daily catch is earmarked for processing into high-quality sababushi fillets for stock-making.
The beach is filled with swimmers each summer, and there are excellent diving points near the port, among them a sunken World War II fighter plane that is host to many colorful subtropical fish. Get an early start exploring Isso at its fish auction, held from 6 a.m. at the wharf every day but Sunday (unless inclement weather has docked the boats). A map in front of the community center outlines a two-to-four-hour walking course that includes most of the sights.