Introducing recommended local information of Kagoshima Prefecture. Kagoshima Prefecture offers sightseeing spots such as Sakurajima, Yakushima, and Ibusuki Onsen, sightseeing events such as bullfights, the Hatsuuma Festival, and the Fukiagehama Sand Festival, and local delicacies such as karukan, Kagoshima ramen, and chicken rice.
Kagoshima Prefecture is located in the southern part of Kyushu and includes islands such as the Satsunan Islands. Yakushima Island, registered as a World Heritage site, and the Tanegashima Space Center are located in Kagoshima, and the prefecture offers various aspects of nature, culture, and industry to enjoy.
Kagoshima Prefecture is probably best associated with Sakurajima, located in Kagoshima Bay. Sakurajima is still active and occasionally erupts. The vegetation on Sakurajima is different from that of other mountains. Sakurajima is connected to Kagoshima by the Sakurajima Ferry, and is a sightseeing spot where visitors can enjoy the magnificent scenery.
Yakushima is located about 60 km south-southwest of the Oosumi Peninsula, and forms the Oosumi Islands with neighboring Tanegashima and Kuchino-erabu Islands. Among the islands of Kagoshima Prefecture, Yakushima is the second largest island after Amami Oshima, and is registered as a World Heritage site because of its rich natural environment, including native Yakusugi cedar forests and western forest roads.
Yakushima is home to only a few species of mammals, such as the yakushima macaque, yakushima sika deer, and kobe mole, and there are no animals unique to Yakushima, but the 2,000-meter-high mountains make the island a home to a variety of plants, including subarctic plants despite its location in the temperate zone.
Among them, there are cedar trees on Yakushima that are over 1,000 years old. The cedars that have lived for 1,000 years and have distorted their annual rings form a mysterious sightseeing spot. Among them, the Daio cedar is estimated to be over 3,000 years old, and the Jomon cedar, the largest on Yakushima, is estimated to be over 2,000 years old, all of which are worth seeing.
In ancient times, the island was a different land from the Yamato kingdom, and there were rebellions, etc., but it came to be ruled by the Shimazu clan in the Kamakura period (1185-1333), and from the end of the Edo period to the Meiji period (1868-1912), the clan was active in leading the Meiji Restoration and produced many former leaders of the Meiji Restoration.
Many things related to those who played an active role in the Meiji Restoration have been left behind, including the Restoration Furusato Museum, which exhibits materials from the end of the Edo period to the Meiji Restoration, and the exile site of Saigo Nanshu, where Saigo Takamori lived on Amami Oshima, making it a sightseeing spot where visitors can feel history.
Onsen (hot springs) are the best way to heal your body after a tiring day of touring history. Kagoshima Prefecture is the second largest hot spring country in Japan in terms of the number of hot springs, and there are many hot springs scattered throughout the prefecture. There are not only various types of hot springs, but also inns with a long history and inns where you can enjoy nature, so you can find a hot spring that suits you.
Floating 1.5 km offshore from Daikaneku Beach is Yurigahama Beach. Legend has it that if you pick up as many star-shaped sands as the number of your age, you will be happy. You can take a glass boat to Yurigahama Beach.Snorkeling can also be enjoyed in the surrounding area....»
Yakushima has its own unique ecosystem, and a rich natural landscape, flora, and fauna can be observed.The entire island is a mountain called Yaedake. It is also known as the Western Alps. It is registered as a World Natural Heritage site. It is famous for the Yakusugi cedars included in the World ...»
Kirishima Jingu ShrineKirishima Jingu Shrine is located in the center of Kirishima Town. 370 years old, it was founded in the Kami period. It has been moved several times due to eruptions.The shrine is surrounded by old cedars and has a solemn atmosphere. The shrine was built in the 6th century and...»
Surigahama Onsen, Yajigayu Onsen, Nigetsuda Onsen, and other hot springs are collectively called Ibusuki Onsen, which is said to have more than 500 hot spring sources and boasts the greatest abundance of hot spring water in Southern Kyushu. One of the most popular hot springs among young and old al...»
Sakurajima, the symbol of Kagoshima, is an active volcano complex consisting of three conidional volcanoes (Kitadake, Nakadake, and Minamidake), and there are many records of eruptions from ancient times. It is 1,117 meters above sea level.The most recent major eruption was in 1914, when the island...»
A wide, majestic waterfall that falls between giant rocks in the upper reaches of the Kawauchi River.Above the waterfall is a flat bedrock. It is beautiful throughout the four seasons with many pine trees, azaleas, and maples.The width of the waterfall is 210 meters and the height is 12 meters....»
The Space Science Museum is a space development exhibition hall located in the JAXA Tanegashima Space Center. In addition to exhibiting materials related to rockets and satellites, it also shows documentary films of space development....»
Senganenen was a villa of the Shimadzu family built in 1658 by Mitsuhisa, the 19th generation of the Shimadzu family.It is a beautiful garden of a feudal lord loved by Nariakira, the 28th generation of the Shimazu family, and was visited by Princess Atsuhime and Takamori Saigo. The garden, which co...»
This is a scenic area where the samurai residence streets and gardens have been preserved as the remnants of the samurai alley layout of the 18th lord of Chiran, Hisamine Shimazu's era, some 260 years ago. Each mansion is designed to serve as a defensive barrier like a fortification. Most of the gar...»
Ibusuki Hakusuikan is a representative hot spring ryokan of Ibusuki Onsen, where you can enjoy the charms of Japanese-style ryokan, such as the scenery surrounded by blue sea and greenery, Ibusuki's unique sand baths, and the Genroku baths. Ibusuki Hakusuikan is a long-established ryokan establishe...»
This is a spectacular open-air bath located in Ibusuki, a hot spring resort that has repeatedly won first place in the "Best One-Day Onsen & Spa" category on a popular review site. Located right by the sea, the baths are close to Takeyama, which is known for its strange rock formations. This on...»
Shiratani Unsui Gorge is located in the northern part of Yakushima and is a valley of the Shiratani River, a tributary of the Miyanoura River.The area is covered with huge rocks such as drum-shaped rocks formed by erosion of granite due to abundant rainfall, and is covered with virgin forest. The p...»
This is the name given to one of the largest native Yakusugi cedar trees on Yakushima Island. This ancient tree is a representative of Yakushima and is included in the World Heritage Site of Yakushima. There used to be other similar giant trees, but they were cut down by order of Toyotomi Hideyoshi ...»
Wilson's stump is a stump of Yakushima's Yakusugi cedar said to have been cut down about 400 years ago during the Shimazu domain period. Inside the stump is a large hollow where a clear spring gushes out and forms a small stream. Three small cedars are growing at the base of the stump, a phenomenon...»
The birthplace of the revolving Soumen-nagashi, this area has been selected as one of the "100 Best Water Townships", and visitors can enjoy Soumen-nagashi throughout the year by taking advantage of the cool and abundant spring water. This sight is a joy to behold, and the aroma of the wood and the ...»
A somen-nagashi (fine noodle float) is set up over a clear stream that beautifully reflects the four seasons. It is an attractive restaurant with tatami room seating. The atmosphere is characterized by a calm and pure Japanese style. On the first floor, there is a covered, semi-outdoor area with ta...»
Known throughout Japan as the birthplace of the revolving Soumen-nagashi, it attracts approximately 200,000 visitors annually. It is a popular cool gourmet experience in Kagoshima Prefecture. In 1962, the Soumen-nagashi began using spring water from the Kawakami River and a bamboo flume. Then in 19...»
Located in the middle reaches of the Amigake River, this majestic and beautiful waterfall is 46 meters high and 43 meters wide. It has been selected as one of the 100 best waterfalls in Japan. It is also called "Ryumon-no-taki" (Dragon Gate Falls). It is said that the name was given to the waterfal...»
The Sakurajima Visitor Center is a science exhibition hall featuring the nature of Sakurajima and Kirishima Kinko Bay National Park. It has an eruption experience corner, an exhibit on the history and growth of Sakurajima, an exhibit on the evolution of Sakurajima's eruptions and plants, an exhibit...»
Mt. Kaimondake is one of the 100 most famous mountains in Japan and is also known as "Satsuma Fuji. It is a double volcano in shape, with a toroid (a cone shaped mountain) on top of a conede (another cone shaped mountain). The entire mountain is covered with forests and beautiful flowers such as Kai...»
Ishin Furusato-kan is a facility where visitors can enjoy various aspects of people, technology, and exchange, focusing on the activities of the great figures of the Meiji Restoration. Using videos, dioramas, and robots, the museum introduces Kagoshima's history and the achievements of its predecess...»
The Shochu Storehouse, built on the ruins of a gold mine shaft, is not just a tourist attraction, but a special place where real shochu is made, from brewing to storage. The aboveground facilities include a restaurant called "Hotaruan" and a shopping area called "Kurano-Nakamise. Visitors can enter ...»
This is the only crane museum in Japan where visitors can learn about the detailed ecology of cranes and the relationship between cranes and people. The exterior of the building is based on the image of a parent crane holding an egg and its young cranes cuddling up to it. The museum provides inform...»
The brick building, built about 90 years ago, is reminiscent of the ruins of a medieval European castle. The building is only visible while the water level of the Tsuruta Dam is lowered. It was built in 1909. The "Sogi Power Plant Remnants Viewing Park" is located 1.5 km downstream from Sogi Falls,...»
A natural monument of Kagoshima Prefecture, Shoryu-do Cave was discovered in 1963, and 600m of its 3,500m length is open to the public. The caves are wonderfully developed with stalactites, and the flowstone in particular is one of the largest in Japan. Flowstones, also known as flowstones, are sha...»
The Kuroshio Tank features a whale shark swimming leisurely, while the "Sea of the Nansei Islands," modeled after the coral reefs of Amami, exhibits the creatures of the surrounding area. In addition, there is "The Sea of Kagoshima," which recreates Kinko Bay and the sea around Kagoshima. In additio...»
As you pass through the main gate of Africa Park, you will see a beautiful panorama of Sakurajima Island and Kinko Bay. There, you can see herds of giraffes, zebras, rhinos, ostriches, and other animals. The park also has a footbath where visitors can relax while gazing at the animals and Sakurajima...»
Kanoya Rose Garden is a wonderful place to enjoy roses from all over the world, with more than 1,500 varieties and approximately 35,000 roses in cultivation. The garden includes a cut-flower greenhouse where roses bloom all year round, a rose chapel, and a garden stage. The park covers an area of 8....»
The Yakusugi Nature Center exhibits a variety of exhibits about the unique plants and natural vegetation of Yakushima Island and the history of people's lives, including the Yakusugi cedars....»
種子島を中心に全国一の生産量を誇るトコブシは、地元では「ナガラメ」と呼ばれており、黒潮流域の沿岸部に生息するアワビに似た巻き貝である。トコブシは刺身のほか、みそ漬けにされて特産品となっている。トコブシは塩をふり、よく水洗いしてぬめりを取り、殻から外して身を薄切りして、わた・ひも共に刺身にするのが一般的。肉質はやわらかく、刺身のほか、冷凍、ミソ漬けなどは土産品としても喜ばれている。肉が盛り上がった感じのものが新しく、鮮度が落ちてくると弾力がなくなり、平べったくなるのが特徴だ。...»
Located on the site of Shuseikan, a group of factories built by Nariakira Shimazu, the 28th lord of the Shimazu domain, at the end of the Edo period, the Shoko Shuseikan is a historical museum that exhibits items related to the Shimazu domain. The building was destroyed by fire during the Satsuma-Br...»