Kagoshima pref / Yakushima island
Kagoshima is located in the south part of Kyushu island, consisted of 2 main peninsulas "Satsuma peninsula", "Okuma peninsula" and isolated islands. There is the ancient battlefield Shiroyama (a former battlefield) of Seinan War. The special products in here are Oshima pongee, Satsuma porcelain, Shochu (Japanese spirits), Karukan (steamed sweet bun made from grated yam and rice flour) and Sakurajima radish.
It used to be Shimazu-Han (clan) which was adopted Western culture and also called "Satsuma". Even now people understand where it is when we say "Satsuma". The effort to adopt Western culture was actually contributed a lot for the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Thanks to the location of being close to China, Korea and South-East Asia, the clan created their original history / culture having strong connection with foregone cultures and influences.
Kagoshima prefecture acroases 600km from north to south and very warm due to the geography. There are many remarkable sightseeing places such as Yakushima island which is registered The World Natural Heritage, other unique islands, Sakurajima islands which is famous for active volcano, beautiful woods and hot springs. This prefecture is full of natures, unique history and culture. Also this is the only place where the space rocket is launched.
Kagoshima Airport is the base of South Kyushu area and there are many domestic (Tokyo, Osaka, other main cities and islands) and 2 international (Shanghai and Seoul) flights.
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Sakurajima (volcanic mountain)
It is the symbol of Kagoshima prefecture. Sakurajima-island is still active volcano, therefore, it is also got attention academically and one of the famous sightseeing places in worldwide. You can reach there only 15 minutes by ferry (you can ride it with your car) from Kagoshima port in the city and explore the island approximately 1 hour by car. It could be one of the exciting one day trips in Kagoshima prefecture. There is the observation platform which takes about 15 minutes from Sakurajima port and the view of Kagoshima from there is marvelous. Incidentally, there is famous small Udon restaurant in the ferry. If you have a chance, you must try it!
[Access]
From Kagoshima Airport to Kagoshima Chuo Station
Kagoshima Airport → (Airport limousine : approx. 40 minutes / 1,250yen) → Kagoshima Chuo Station
From Kagoshima Chuo Station to Kagoshima Port
Kagoshima Chuo Station → (Bus, tram or taxi : approx. 15minutes) → Kagoshima Port
- By Bus
Kagoshima Chuo Station (East 4, 5, 6 bus stop) → (bus : approx. 15 minutes) → Suizokukan-mae → (1 minute on foot) → Kagoshima Port
- By tram
Kagoshima Chuo Station → (tram : approx. 15 minutes) → Suizokukan-guchi → (5 minutes on foot) → Kagoshima Port
From Kagoshima Port to Sakurajima Port
Kagoshima Port → (Ferry : 15 minutes / 160yen) → Sakurajima Port
Sengan-en
This garden is well-known as the place where you can have the most beautiful view of Sakurajima island in Kagoshima. It was made by 19th of Shimazu family Mitsuhide in 1658. The garden was designed included Kinko-wan Bay as its pond and Sakurajima-island as its artificial hill. In other words, this is also the best spot to view Sakurajima-island. In this garden, you can find numerous famous strangely-shaped rocks, 150 pounds artillery gun, the ruins of reverberatory furnace and Tsuru-Toro (lantern) which is the first gas lantern in Japan.
There is Jigen-ryu (traditional school of Japanese martial arts founded in the late 16th century) exhibition and experience place.
[Basic information]
Opening hours 8:30am - 5:30pm
Admission fee 1,000yen (elementary and junior high school students : 500yen)
Address 9700-1 Yoshino-cho, Kagoshima-shi, Kagoshima
Access
- By bus : 1. Kagoshima city view (sightseeing bus) : Get off at the "Senganen-mae" bus stop, 2. Machi-meguri bus (sightseeing bus) : Get off at the "Senganen-mae" bus stop, 3. Local bus : Get off at the "Senganen-mae" bus stop
- By taxi : Approx. 20 minutes from Kagoshima chuo station
From Kagoshima Airport to Kagoshima city
Kagoshima Airport → [Airport limousine / 1,250yen] → "Tenmonkan" bus stop (Kagoshima city) (approx. 55 minutes) / "Kagoshima-Chuo Station" bus stop (approx. 40 minutes)
[Bus time table]
From Kagoshima Airport to Kagoshima city
8:30, 8:40, 9:10, 9;20, 9;30, 10:00, 10:10, 10:20, 10:50, 11:00, 11:10, 11:20, 11:50, 12:00, 12:10, 12:20, 12:30, 13:00, 13:10, 13:20, 13:30, 14:00, 14:10, 14:20, 14:50, 15:00, 15:10, 15:30, 15:40, 16:00, 16:10, 16:20, 16:50, 17:00, 17:10, 17:20, 17:50, 18:00, 18:10, 18:20, 18:50, 19:00, 19:10, 19:50, 20:05, 20:50
From Kagoshima-Chuo Station to Kagoshima Airport
6:10, 6:15, 6:20, 6:25, 6:40, 6:50, 7:00, 7:10, 7:20, 7:30, 7:45, 8:00, 8:15, 8:30, 8:45, 9:00, 9:15, 9:30, 9:45, 10:00, 10:15, 10:30, 10:40, 10:50, 11:00, 11:10, 11:20, 11:30, 11:45, 12:00, 12:15, 12:30, 12:45, 13:00, 13:10, 13:20, 13:30, 13:45, 14:00, 14:15, 14:30, 14:45, 15:00, 15:15, 15:30, 15:45, 16:00, 16:10, 16:20, 16:30, 16:45, 17:00, 17:15, 17:30, 17:45, 18:00, 18:10, 18:20, 18:30, 18:40, 18:50, 19:00
From "Tenmonkan" bus stop (Kagoshima city) to Kagoshima Airport
6:10, 6:25, 6:35, 6:45, 7:05, 7:30, 8:00, 8:15, 8:30, 8:45, 9:00, 9:30, 9:45, 10:00, 10:15, 10;25, 10:45, 10:55, 11:05, 11:30, 11:45, 12:00, 12:15, 12:30, 12:55, 13:05, 13:15, 13:45, 14:00, 14:15, 14:30, 14:45, 15:00, 15:15, 15:30, 15:45, 16:05, 16:15, 16:30, 16:45, 17:00, 17:15, 17:30, 17:45, 17:55, 18:05, 18:15, 18:25, 18:35
Ibusuki Hot Spring Resort is 1 hour away from JR Kagoshima-chuo station by Ibusuki-Makurazaki line or 1 hour and 35 minutes away from Kagoshima Airport by direct bus. This resort is famous for "Sunamushi (Sand bath)". There are many this style of hot spring and hotels around Surigahana area.
Sunamushi is the different type of hot spring, buried to you necks in moderately warm sand wearing nothing but Yukata. It is kind of steam bath using hot spring warm steam by being gushed out around the beach, which is quite rare in worldwide. You will be completely buried by that sand apart from your neck and face. The heat from underground of hot spring source uniformly provides you comfortable warmness to your whole body. During it, you will be sweat so much. Its, as it were, nature beauty‐treatment by removing poison from body.
It's possible to stay around the area but also can make one day trip from Kagoshima city.
Chiran is located 1 hour away from Kagoshima –chuo station or Ibusuki city by car. The main sightseeing places are Chiran Bukeyashiki (Samurai Residence) and Chiron Peace Museum which is used to be the Tokko (kamikaze pilot) basement.
As a souvenir, "Chiran-Japanese tea" is popular and is enjoyed in Japan.
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[Sightseeing spots in Ibusuki Onsen]
Natural Sand Bath (Sunamushi)
This bath is a kind of steam bath using hot spring warm steam by being gushed out around the beach, buried to you necks in moderately warm sand wearing nothing but Yukata. The highest temperature is 85°C but it can be adjusted its temperature by how much it is dig down to. You will wear Yukata only (without underwear) when you take it. 10 to 15 minutes is suitable. It is alkalify-common salt spring and good for gastrointestinal disorder, female disorders, oversensitiveness to cold, rheumatism and so on.
From Kagoshima Airport to Ibusuki Onsen
[Bus time table]
From Kagoshima Airport to Ibusuki Onsen
9:50, 11:30, 12:30, 13:30, 15:20, 17:00, 18:00, 19:30
From Kagoshima Chuo station to Ibusuki Onsen
Kagoshima Chuo station → (JR Ltd. Exp. "Ibusuki no Tamatebako" : approx. 57 minutes / 2,130yen) → Ibusuki station
Kagoshima Chuo station → (JR Ibusuki Makurazaki Line : approx. 1 hour 15 minutes / 1,000yen) → Ibusuki station
[Sightseeing spots in Chiran]
Chiran Bukeyashiki (Samurai residence)
This Samurai residence has beautiful townscape where you can view Hahagatake mountain behind. It is well-known as "Small Kyoto in Satsuma" and the whole town is like a miniature garden. There are 7 gardens which were created in middle of Edo period (1651～1745) are the natural beauty of the place in Japan. You may feel you have time travel to Edo period once you start exploring in there.
[Opening hours] 9:00am - 5:00pm
[Admission fee] 5,00yen (elementary and junior high school students : 300yen)
[Address] Chirancho-kori, Minami Kyusyu-shi, Kagoshima
[Access]
- By bus : Kagoshima Chuo station → (Local bus : 1 hour 12 minutes / 920yen) → Bukeyashiki bus stop
[time table] (From Kagoshima Chuo station) 6:27, 6:47, 8:07, 9:07, 10:17, 11:17, 12:47, 14:02
Yakushima-island was registered The world heritage in 1993 and famous for ancient Jomon cedars, especially "Yakusugi" tree is well-known the age 7200 years old. Japanese famous animation creator Mr.Shunsaku Miyazaki had got the imagination from this beautiful island when he made the film "The Princess Mononoke".
In order to get to Yakushima-island, fly from Haneda airport to Kagoshima airport, then take another flight or high‐speed ferry to the island.
This island is almost perfect circle and the circumference is around 130km. There are more than 46 mountains which are over 1000m. Due to this, it is also called "The alps of the ocean".
Considering the climate, it has from subtropics to subarctic, which means you can feel all the weather from Hokkaido to Kyushu in this island. 90% of this island is full of nature. There are more than 1500 kinds of plans including only existing in here. It is called "Asian Galápagos".
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In order to get to Yakushima-island, fly from Haneda airport to Kagoshima airport, then take another flight or high‐speed ferry to the island.
From Kagoshima to Yakushima island
By Fast ship "TOPPY & ROCKET" [Approx. 2.5 hours / 8,800yen]
Kagoshima-Honko-Minami-Futo(pier) → (Fast ship "TOPPY & ROCKET" : about 2.5 hours / (one-way)8,800yen, (round trip)16,100yen) → Miyanoura-Ko(port) (Yakushima Island)
From Kagoshima Airport to Kagoshima-Honko-Minami-Futo (pier)
Kagoshima Airport → (Airport Limousine : about 55 minutes / 1,250yen) → Kagoshima-Honko-Minami-Futo(pier)
From Kagoshima-Chuo Station to Kagoshima-Honko-Minami-Futo (pier)
Kagoshima-Chūō Station → (Bus or taxi : about 20 minutes) → Kagoshima-Honko-Minami-Futo(pier)