Kagoshima · Japan

Kagoshima and Sakurajima

The southern city of Kyushu facing an active volcano, with the Sengan-en garden, Shiroyama lookout, the crossing to Sakurajima and Ibusuki’s sand bath.

Kyushu

In the photo: Pines and the pavilion of Sengan-en garden, in Kagoshima

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

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Get to know the place

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At the southern tip of Kyushu, on the shore of Kinko Bay, Kagoshima is the capital of the prefecture that bears its name. Across the water, about 4 km from the center, lies Sakurajima, one of Japan’s most active volcanoes, which emits ash several times a year. The city’s landscape is like this: streets, palm trees and trams with the steaming cone in the background.

Kagoshima was the seat of the Satsuma domain, governed by the Shimazu clan, and played a central role in the country’s modernization in the 19th century. The Shimazu family’s Sengan-en garden and the old Shuseikan factories are on the UNESCO list as part of the Meiji industrial heritage. On Shiroyama hill the Satsuma Rebellion ended in 1877 with the death of Saigo Takamori, a figure commemorated in statues and museums around the city.

Sakurajima is visited by ferry, a crossing of about 15 minutes that runs day and night. On the island, which connected to the Osumi peninsula after the 1914 eruption, there are lava trails, foot baths, the Yunohira observatory and a shrine torii buried by ash at Kurokami. Approaching the craters is not permitted, and access to some areas changes according to the alert level.

To the south, at the end of the Satsuma peninsula, Ibusuki is the hot-spring town known for its hot sand bath on the beach, with nearby Lake Ikeda and Mount Kaimon. Kagoshima is also the departure point for boats and flights to Yakushima.

This destination brings together 2 cities: Kagoshima, Ibusuki.

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The cities on this trip

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Where Kagoshima and Sakurajima is

Dados cartográficos: © OpenStreetMap contributors, via Wambacher / geoBoundaries (ODbL 1.0). Adapted by Cidade Turismo.

How to get there: Kagoshima and Sakurajima

✈ Aeroporto de Kagoshima (KOJ), in Kirishima · 43 km to Kagoshima

The Kyushu shinkansen connects Hakata in Fukuoka to Kagoshima-Chuo Station in about 1 hour 20 minutes, and to Shin-Osaka in about 4 hours. Kagoshima Airport is about 40 km from the city center, with direct buses. Ibusuki is about one hour by train from Kagoshima-Chuo.

Suggested arrival point: Kagoshima

Kagoshima · Kagoshima and Sakurajima Capital Suggested arrival point

Kagoshima

Kagoshima is the capital of the eponymous prefecture, on Kinko Bay, facing the Sakurajima volcano. Former seat of the Satsuma domain, it has the Sengan-en garden and the Shuseikan factories (UNESCO), the Shiroyama lookout, the Tenmonkan neighborhood and the ferry port to the volcano and to Yakushima. It is the last stop of Kyushu’s bullet train.

Kagoshima · Kagoshima and Sakurajima

Ibusuki

Ibusuki is the hot-spring town at the southern end of the Satsuma peninsula, about 45 km from Kagoshima. It’s known for the hot sand bath on Surigahama beach, heated by thermal water running under the sand. Nearby are Lake Ikeda, in the crater of an ancient volcano, and the cone of Mount Kaimon by the sea.

The local experience

Things to do in Kagoshima and Sakurajima

Ibusuki · Kagoshima · Bathhouse

Ibusuki Sand Bath

On Surigahama Beach, thermal water heats the sand, and visitors in yukata are covered with it at the water’s edge; the bathhouse also has a regular thermal bath.

Kagoshima · Kagoshima · Volcano

Sakurajima

An active volcano opposite Kagoshima, 15 minutes by ferry, with lookouts on its slopes, trails over the 1914 lava, a bayfront footbath and the buried torii of Kurokami.

Kagoshima · Kagoshima · Garden

Sengan-en Garden

Garden and residence of the Shimazu family, from 1658, which uses Sakurajima and the bay as a borrowed landscape; next to it is the Shoko Shuseikan Museum, in a 19th-century stone workshop.

Ibusuki · Kagoshima · Lake

Lake Ikeda

A crater lake, the largest in Kyushu, with about 15 km of shoreline, from where you can see the cone of Mount Kaimon; known for giant eels and early-year canola flowers.

See 1 more place in Kagoshima and Sakurajima

Kagoshima · Kagoshima · Lookout

Shiroyama Observatory

A hill of about 100 meters in central Kagoshima, with subtropical forest and a viewpoint over the city, the bay and Sakurajima; the Satsuma Rebellion ended there in 1877.

Before you go

Practical information

A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.

When to go

From October to May the weather is usually milder and drier. Early-summer rains fall from June to mid-July, and summer is humid and hot. The typhoon season usually runs from August to October. Sakurajima’s ash falls over the city depending on the wind, more often in summer when winds blow from the east.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

How many days to stay

Two days allow one day in the city, visiting Sengan-en and Shiroyama, and another day on Sakurajima. With three days, add Ibusuki for the sand bath and Lake Ikeda, or stay there overnight. Travelers heading to Yakushima often spend a night in Kagoshima before the ferry.

Which city to stay in

In Kagoshima, the area around Kagoshima-Chuo Station has hotels and direct access to the shinkansen; Tenmonkan, the shopping district, concentrates restaurants and bars and is a few tram minutes away. There are also hot-spring hotels on the slopes of Shiroyama and along the waterfront, with views of the volcano. In Ibusuki, hotels and ryokan line Surigahama beach, near the sand bath.

Respect the place

Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.

Get your questions answered

Frequently asked questions about Kagoshima and Sakurajima

Can you climb Sakurajima?

Not up to the craters: approaching them is prohibited because of the volcano’s activity. Visitors go to viewpoints such as Yunohira on the slopes and to the lava trails near the port. Access to some areas changes according to the Japan Meteorological Agency’s alert level; check before you go.

Does Sakurajima’s ash interfere with visiting Kagoshima?

Ash can fall on the city on some days, depending on the wind. It’s common to see residents with umbrellas and yellow bags to collect ash. Glasses and a mask help on those days; the city’s routine usually continues normally.

How many days should I stay in Kagoshima?

Two days for the city and Sakurajima. A third day allows a trip to Ibusuki for the sand bath and Lake Ikeda, either as a day trip or with an overnight stay.

Do I need a car in Kagoshima and Sakurajima?

No. The city has trams and the City View tourist bus; on Sakurajima, a circular bus serves the viewpoints from the port. A car is useful to go around the island to Kurokami or to travel along the Satsuma peninsula toward Ibusuki.

Is Kagoshima the gateway to Yakushima?

Yes. fast boats and ferries to Yakushima depart from Kagoshima port, and there are flights from Kagoshima Airport to the island. Many people spend a night in the city before or after visiting the island.

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Beyond the guide

Kagoshima and Sakurajima

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

The cities on this trip