Kagoshima » Kagoshima city, Sakurajima, Kirishima
The Kagoshima City, Sakurajima, and Kirishima area offers tourist attractions such as Sakurajima, Kagoshima hot springs, and Yaeyama, tourist events such as the June Lantern Festival, Running Sakurajima, and Ohara Festival, and local delicacies such as Karukan, Kagoshima ramen, and chicken rice.
In the Kagoshima City, Sakurajima, and Kirishima area, there are historic sites related to the Meiji Restoration, Sakurajima, Kirishima Shrine, and other sightseeing spots, hot springs such as Kozato Hot Spring Village and Kirishima Hot Spring Village, and local delicacies such as imo-shochu (sweet potato shochu), Kagoshima black pork, and Satsuma Jidori chicken. Let us introduce some recommended local information in the Kagoshima City, Sakurajima, and Kirishima area.
Kagoshima City, the capital of Kagoshima Prefecture, has prospered as the castle town of the Satsuma Domain, which held 770,000 koku. The city produced a succession of prominent figures such as Saigo Takamori and Okubo Toshimichi at the end of the Edo period, and there are many places of interest related to them.
First, we recommend visiting Kajiya-cho, an area within walking distance of JR Kagoshima Chuo Station where low-ranking samurai of the Satsuma clan, including Takamori Saigo and Toshimichi Okubo, used to live. In Kajiya-cho, there are the birthplace of Takamori Saigo and Ookubo Toshimichi, a monument to the birthplace of Ookubo Toshimichi, a bronze statue of Ookubo Toshimichi, and the Restoration Furusato Museum.
You cannot miss Shiroyama, which has an observatory overlooking Sakurajima and the city. Around Shiroyama, you can also visit the ruins of Kagoshima (Tsurumaru) Castle, Saigo Cave where Takamori Saigo spent his last days, and the place where Takamori Saigo died.
Sakurajima, located in Kagoshima Bay east of Kagoshima City, is an active volcano off the coast of Kagoshima City. Sakurajima is home to the Lava Nagisa Park Footbath, Rainbow Beach, Lava Nagisa Walkway, numerous observation points, and Kozato Hot Spring Resort. For an efficient tour of Sakurajima, we recommend the round-the-island bus.
The entrance to Kirishima sightseeing is Kirishima Jingu Station on the JR Nippo Main Line. The Kirishima Jingu Shrine is said to date back to the 6th century, and the present shrine building is known to have been rebuilt in 1715 with donations from Yoshitaka Shimazu, the 21st lord of the domain.
Further in from Kirishima Jingu Shrine by bus is Kirishima Onsen-kyo (Kirishima Hot Spring Resort). Kirishima Onsen-kyo has been a hot spring resort since the Edo period (1603-1868), and in 1866, Ryoma Sakamoto visited this famous hot spring with his wife, Oryo, to treat his injuries.
Kagoshima City, Sakurajima, and Kirishima area are blessed with historic sites related to the Meiji Restoration, hot springs, and other tourist resources. This is an area that you should definitely visit for a gourmet trip where you can enjoy Kagoshima black pig shabu shabu shabu and Satsuma jidori chicken chicken sashimi while drinking sweet potato shochu, which was loved by Saigo Takamori.
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...»
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...»
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...»
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...»
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 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...»
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...»