A new method employing succession analysis and extremely high-frequency (EHF) irradiation is proposed for the selective isolation of actinomycetes from soil. Total actinomycetes were efficiently isolated from soil suspensions irradiated in the wavelength band 4.6-5.8 mm on the 14th and 45th days of succession initiated by soil wetting and from soil suspensions irradiated in the wavelength band 8-11.5 mm on the 7th day of succession. The rare actinomycete genera Actinomadura, Micromonospora, Nonomuraea, Microbispora, Amycolatopsis, Pseudonocardia, Saccharothrix, Streptosporangium, Actinosynnema, Nocardioides, and Saccharopolyspora were isolated by either of the two approaches (succession analysis and EHF irradiation); however, the range of isolated rare actinomycetes was considerably wider when the combination of the two approaches was used. For instance, actinomycetes of the rare genera Actinocorallia, Promicromonospora, Actinoplanes, and Kibdelosporangium were isolated only when EHF irradiation was employed at the early stages of succession.