Travel Tips 24 > Asia > East Asia > Japan > Kyushu > Kagoshima (prefecture) >
Kagoshima
Kagoshima (鹿児島) is the capital of Kagoshima prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan.
Travel to Kagoshima, visa requirements
Flights to Kagoshima, airtickets
Kagoshima's Airport is one hour away from Kagoshima's main train station by Bus (¥1200). JAL and ANA offer flights into Kagoshima from several major cities in Japan. Kagoshima Airport is also the starting point for many flights to Okinawa and the surrounding islands.
By train
Rail travel into Kagoshima changed dramatically in March of 2004, with the opening of a 126-kilometer stretch of the Kyushu Shinkansen as far north as Shin-Yatsushiro station. To reflect with this opening, the Japan Railways station at Nishi-Kagoshima was renamed to Kagoshima-Chuō (鹿児島中央), and is now Kagoshima's main rail station.
The Kyushu Shinkansen will eventually extend all the way north to Hakata station in Fukuoka in 2012, but in the meantime, to reach Kagoshima from Fukuoka, you can take a Relay Tsubame limited express train to Shin-Yatsushiro, then change there to the Kyushu Shinkansen Tsubame train. The Relay Tsubame trains follow a newly-built spur directly to the Shinkansen platform. All you have to do is walk across the platform to take the bullet train, which is timed to depart about 3 minutes after the arrival of the Relay Tsubame.
It takes approximately 2 1/2 hours to go from Fukuoka to Kagoshima by train, at a cost of ¥10050. If you have a Japan Rail Pass, you can take these trains at no charge.
Two overnight sleeper services run as far as Kumamoto: the Naha from Shin-Osaka, and the Hayabusa from Tokyo. You will have to switch to the Relay Tsubame, then switch again to the Shinkansen, to reach Kagoshima. From Kumamoto, the train to Kagoshima costs 6,300 yen.
Buses to Kagoshima
Various overnight bus services are available to Kagoshima from Osaka and Kobe (~¥10000 one way; ~¥21000 round-trip). Daytime and nighttime buses also run from Fukuoka (yen 5400 one way; 4 hours)and Oita. There are no buses from Kumamoto, so take the train instead.
Get around
Streetcars are a convenient way to get around Kagoshima city. Both lines 1 and 2 can be boarded at the Kagoshima station; only line 1 runs by Kagoshima-chuo. Board the tram from the back door, and pay the ¥160 per ride fee when exiting the front door. If you don't have exact change, the fare machine can make change, but it is polite to get your change during the ride, so as to not hold people up when at your final stop. Streetcar signage varies by the age of the streetcar; some have electronic signs that indicate the stop, but many do not. Streetcar information and a route map are available from www.synapse.ne.jp.
The ferry between volcanic island of Sakurajima and Kagoshima harbor operates frequently and around the clock. The boat ride will take about fifteen minutes.
Given Kagoshima's relatively small size and straighforward layout, buses (¥150) are less confusing than in larger Japanese cities.
If you plan to make Kagoshima a base for multiple trips, or make Kagoshima a stop on a trip throughout Kyushu, then a 5-day Kyushu rail pass may be the best option. If you are travelling from Tokyo or farther via train, then a 7-day Japan Rail pass is about the same price as a one-way shinkansen ticket from Tokyo to Kagoshima. Both of these passes have extensive limitations; be sure to review terms and purchase your pass before entering Japan.
Kagoshima attractions and sightseeing
Sakurajima, Kagoshima's temperamental (and active) volcano can be reached by ferry in a matter of minutes. Face your fear and get up close and personal - just don't wear too much white, as the ash will leave you looking slightly grey. Yunohira Lookout is a two hours hike or 15 minutes drive from Sakurajima harbor and gives you a good view both to Kagoshima harbour and Sakurajima volcano.
There are also a couple of other lookout points, where you can take a closer look at the volcano. Because Sakurajima is essentially an active volcano, remember that tourists are forbidden to go within 2 km of the crater.
City tours
Shopping, Kagoshima souvenirs
Tenmonkan shopping arcade has a plethora of shops, where you can satisfy your consuming needs.
In Tenmonkan, Satsumaimo-no-Yakata has several hundred types of sweet potato products. Tel: +81 (0)99-239-4865.
English Bookstore: Kagoshima also has the only English Specialist Bookstore in the Prefecture. Jelly Beans Educational English Bookstore is the place to go for all your english needs and they also have a nice Second Hand Book Section as well. Tel 81-99-216-8800 Take the No 1 Streetcar to Shinyashiki and hop of, you shouldn't have too many problems from there ...just follow the signs.
Good restaurants and cheap meals
Kagoshima is an agricultural area, known for numerous products:
- Black pork (kurobuta, 黒豚) is a from a variant of Berkshire hogs, and is the most highly prized pork in Japan. It is named for the color of the hogs, not the meat.
- Potatoes (imo, 芋), particularly sweet potatoes, are used in a variety of dishes and snacks, as well as in making shochu. Purple sweet-potato ice cream is available in various shops.
- Black beef (Kagoshima Kuroushi) is the well marbled local beef.
- Tropical fruits, grown both on the main Kyushu island and neighboring smaller islands, are available inexpensively at fruit markets around town.
- Local fish and shellfish are also common.
Special dishes in Kagoshima cuisine include:
- Tonkatsu. Unlike the majority of Japan, "tonkatsu" in Kagoshima generally refers to a pork stew rather than a fried pork cutlet. The meat is marinated in shochu and slow cooked; the bones turn into gelatin and are eaten as part of the dish.
- Satsuma-age. This is a kind of fried fish cake. Different shapes have different flavors, e.g. the large rectangular ones have carrot in the middle, the small round ones have sweet-potato flavor, and so on.
- Kibinago sashimi. Kibinago is a kind of small fish, similar in size to a sardine. The fillets are served raw, with a white miso sauce for dipping.
- Chicken sashimi. Sliced raw chicken and chicken hearts are common.
Kagoshima nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs.
Kagoshima is known throughout Japan for its sweet potato shochu, or imo-jochu (芋焼酎). While shochu is often compared to vodka, it first goes through a fermentation process. In Kagoshima, almost all restaurants have imo-jochu, and some have hundreds of different brands. Even the Shinkansen platforms at Kagoshima-chuo station have a bar/shop with 100+ varieties of shochu.
In Kagoshima, the most common way to drink shochu is mixed with hot water, or oyu-wari. This releases the fragrance of the shochu, and also reduces the alcohol content to be on-par with wine. Because Kagoshima is the center of manufacture, many factories offer tours and have small shops for tasting and purchasing the locally made shochu.
Hotels, youth hostels, lodging
Budget
If you're looking for inexpensive accommodation, the tourist information in the Kagoshima station can hand you a leaflet, where they have listed all the inexpensive options in Kagoshima. They can also check availability and book the accommodation for you.
- Nakozono Ryokan. Near the City Hall and close to the ferry terminals. A pleasant place to stay and has a helpful manager. ¥4200.
- Sakurajima Youth Hostel, 189 Yokoyama, Sakurajima-cho, ☎ +81 99 2932150. If you want to stay overnight on the Sakurajima island, the youth hostel is practically your only budget option. A bed in the dorm will cost you ¥2650 and includes the usage of the hot bath they have downstairs. Note, when I visited in June 2007 the bath was very much out of order.
- Moon GaramMasala Guest House. Also on Sakurajima, 5 minutes walk from the ferry terminal is this tiny guesthouse. Don't go for expecting anything else than a bed and two very friendly owners one of which speaks perfect English. About ¥1500 for the night.
- Asahi Business Hotel, 中央町20－12, Chuō-machi 20-12 (2 minutes walk from Kagoshima-Chuō station), ☎ +81 99 2569158. Small and old-fashioned rooms but include TV and shower. Singles ¥3800, twins ¥7000.
Midrange
Splurge
Get out
China travel tips: Language / pensions culture in Barcelona / cheap youth hostels singapore / hotels and hostels in Trastevere in Rome / Major Morocco tourist attractions / South Africa political attractions / Vancouver visitors guide, culture & youth hostels / Las Vegas hotels, top casinos, tours and shows