Thursday, June 29, 2017

#Best Attractions in Kagoshima, Japan ♪ Sightseeing and Road Tripping around Kyushu's Seaside City. Kyushu Travel~


Kagoshima is nicknamed "the Naples of the Eastern World" because of its beautiful bay location as well as its warm and humid climate and the Sakurajima active volcano, which forms one of the major parts of the city's landscape. 
Kagoshima is the capital of the Kagoshima Prefecture and is one of the largest cities on the Japanese island of Kyushu.

Since it is so far south, it takes some time to get there (but totally worth it!)
Access by bullet trains (shinkansen), air planes, and even night buses are available from practically any main port (Tokyo, Osaka, etc).
The climate in Kagoshima tends to be dry but cool in the winter, but summers are hotter, with wetter weather in the spring and autumn.




#One Day Adventure in Kagoshima ♪ 
Sightseeing and Road Trip around Kyushu's Seaside City

Saigo Takamori (1828-1877), aka Saigo Kichinosuke, is one of the great tragic heroes of Japanese history due to his involvement in the Meiji Restoration.
To give you a little background, Saigo played a huge role in the overthrow of the Tokugawa regime in the 1860's culminating in the Tokugawa's military defeat at the Battle of Fushimi Toba outside Kyoto in 1868. Saigo was one of the leading generals of the royalist forces and succeeding, finally defeating all shogunate forces and lead to the restoration of the Emperor as the font of political power in Japan, rather than the shogun.
The great Saigo was born Kagoshima Prefecture (which used to be called "Satsuma"), and is highly honored there! After knowing who he is...we can see why!
For those who are into history, don't worry, Kagoshima didn't leave you out!
There's plenty for you to enjoy there!

Before you start your adventure, or even at the end of it, how about a nice relaxing Japanese foot spa bath just outside Kagoshima Airport?!♨👣

🚙= GETTING AROUND =🚦 

 we rented a car from Nissan to get around, making things much easier!
If possible, we would recommend you doing the same. Things can go a lot smoother that way 🚘🚘

Our car rental preference: NISSAN Rent a Car 
≪Confirmation of car rental procedures items / matters≫

⊛If booked in advance⊛
❶Passport
❷International driver's license
❸Confirm whether the vehicle is designated
❹Expressway ETC card loan ↠ ::: Pass through tole gates with ETC :::

⊛Rent on the spot⊛
⊶ If you want to rent a car that's available
⊶ Cash and credit cards accepted




If you don't have an international drivers license, there is an official Kagoshima tourism website, and they have ALL KINDS of helpful information about getting around.
Here is a useful link (PDF) from their site explaining Kagoshima City's transportation in detail

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Sakurajima.....IT'S ALIVE!!!!!!🌋🔥

 It's not everyday you get to see an volcano...let alone one that's constantly active and smoking from the top! 
This was the peak of culture shock here for us because the people of Kagoshima didn't see what the big deal was!
Sakurajima is their city's symbol, and the people live their lives in harmony with Sakurajima. After realizing that, it really became the charm of Kagoshima and its people.     


= LET'S TAKE A FERRY TO SAKURAJIMA =🚢

The port is a minute away from Suisokukan-mae (Sakurajima Sanbashi) by bus🚌, or a 5 min walk from stop Suizokukan-guchi on the tram🚋

Kaogshima Port⇔Sakurajima Port
Travel time: 15 minutes
OPERATING FOR 24 HOURS!!!!




If you rented a car, no worries! 
Sukurajima Ferry has ferries that can transport cars! 
Keep in mind though that there is a separate fare for transportation. 
In the link below has all the information needed. 

★Sakurajima Ferry
4-1 Honkoshin-cho, Kagoshima-shi
Tel: 099-223-7271
(鹿児島港乗船券発売所
〒892-0814 鹿児島市本港新町4-1)

Fare:
   Adult: 160 yen
   Child: 80 yen
Sakurajima Ferry Page ↠ * Ferry Guide (English) *


once you get to Sakurajima~~~
take a hike! Explore!
At this spot you get a 360° view of the whole mountain!




There is a souvenir shop near by that we went to 
and found lots of special lil things!🍊🎁✨
At Sakurajima, they have the SMALLEST MANDERINE ORANGE IN THE WORLD!!!

LOOK HOW SMALL THAT IS (top left pic)!!!! 

Kyushu is well known for Tsubaki, and it's Tsubaki Oil is said to have many benefits for the skin! 

Daikon, or Japanese radish, is also VERY famous in Kagoshima.
So of course they would have cute little plushies of it!

Or go for the real thing and take some of Kagoshima's daikon home!


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🌲💮= UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE =🌴
CNN voted this one of the world's best/most beautify areas IN THE WORLD!

It's obvious to see why✴

The three letters carved on the rock mean “very large rock”. In 1814, a total of 3,900 people worked for three months to complete this job.
What's interesting though is that carving letters on rocks was not common in Japan,
so this action said to have strong Chinese influence

This is the main entrance gate and is about 150 years old. 
Not only that, but this gate was used as a location in the filming of the NHK Taiga drama, Atsuhime, which relates to the history of the Satsuma domain at the end of the Edo Period.


Bushido Demonstration!
Karate-me-chop-o!



★Sengan-en and Shoko Shuseikan
9700-1 Yoshino-cho, Kagoshima City, Japan 892-0871
Tel: 099-247-1551
Business Hours: 
      8:30am - 5:30pm (all year round)
Entrance Fee:
      Adult: 1,000 yen (High School+)
      Child: 500 yen (Elementary/Middle School)
Sengan-en * English Homepage *

 

🐽= SPECIALTY KAGOSHIMA RAMEN =🍜
SOME OF THE BEST RAMEN YOU'LL EVER EAT!!!!!

Kyushu is famous for it's pork base broth ramen,
but the broth at Zabon Ramen is made not pork bones,
but rather from the pigs head!🐷
Sounds a bit iffy, but man-oh-man, is it delicious!



Zabon Ramen 
(★ざぼんラーメン)
Business Hours: 
      11am - 9pm 
1-6-20 Yojiro, Kagoshima, Kagoshima Prefecture 〒890-0062

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🏖= LET'S TAKE A BATH....IN THE SAND? =🌞
This "sunaburo/ Sunamushi onsen" (lit: sand bath) is the ONLY natural sand insected hot spring IN THE WORLD!!!
We know a lot of people like covering their friends/families in sand as a joke in the states...but doing it for health benefits?👄💪
Japan has a lot of interesting ways to help your body get rid of its toxins, things maybe a lot of Westerners wouldn't think of haha
It's quite interesting though!
Below is a link explaining what becoming a sand casserole can do for your body
Sand Bath Beauty Effects *


★Sand Bath Hall "SARAKU"
5-25-18, Yunohama, Ibusuki-shi, Kagoshima, Japan 891-0406
Business Hours:
      8:30am - 8:30pm (closes at 9:00pm)
         *NO HOLIDAYS*
Fee:                           sand bath       hot spring bath only
      Adult (ages 13+):  1,080 yen  ‖  610 yen
      Child (under 12):   590 yen     ‖  300yen
          ※fee includes yukata
⁂The sand steamed bathing requires towels, sold for 120 yen if you don't have one. Then bath towel lending is 200 yen for the hot spring bath⁂ 
SARAKU Sand Hot Spring Homepage* Sunaburo (English) *

 
🍨= COOL DOWN WITH A POLAR BEAR=🐻

"Kakigori" is a type of shaved ice served as a dessert here in Japan. The shaved ice is topped/mixed with condensed milk, small colorful mochi, fruits, and sweet bean paste (usually Azuki red bean). As for fruits, mandarin orange, cherry, pineapple, etc.
Although here in Japanese, take a cool at the pictures of the ice that's available!!!

IT'S SHIROKUMA!!! HIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!! Whatta cutie💞

 HOLY MOLY!! That's one big shaved ice!🍧

You can even enjoy a caffè latte with Shirokum
or have some gum that looks like their shaved ice!
...yes...that's GUM

It's basically the glorified version of an ice cone🍊🍧🍍

★Shirokuma Cafe (TENMONKAN MUJAKI )
13-8 Higashi Sengoku-cho, Kagoshima-shi, Kagoshima Prefecture
Tel:099-222-6904
(白熊菓琲 (天文館むじゃき本店)
〒892-0842 鹿児島県鹿児島市東千石町13-8)
Business Hours: 11:00am - 10:00pm(Last order: 9:30pm)
(Sun、Holidays、Jul-Aug open at 10:00am)
 
🏮= CHEERS TO THE NIGHT =🌃

There are dozen of shops (around 25) to both entertain you while you eat their delicious food!
If you go to Asia, you can see these night street strips in many places.
However, what's is special about Kagoshima Yataimura is that everything is so small and close together, but with that brings everyone closer in more than just physically speaking!



★Kagomma Furusato Yataimura 
6-4, Chuocho, Kagoshima-shi, Kagoshima, 890-0053
(5 mins from Kagoshima Central (Chuo Station) Station

(★かごっまふるさと屋台)
  • Tel: 099-255-1588 (+81-99-255-1588)
  • Hours: 11:00 - 14:00am , 6:00 - midnight
  • Kagoshima's Drinking Tavern Homepage ↠ Yataimura (Japanese)
    *there's an English page on this site, but it isn't very informative

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    🏩where to stay?zzZ


Where else but the
Best Western Rembrandt Hotel Kagoshima Resort?!
You'll get the PERFECT! view of Sakurajima🌸🏔
**link about the hotel here**



*Official Tourism Website of Kagoshima City link

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