Sakurajima volcano smokes across the bay. An active, visible reminder that this is volcanic country. Sand baths in Ibusuki, black pork tonkatsu, sweet potato shochu, and a subtropical warmth that sets Kagoshima apart from the rest of Japan.
What Kagoshima is known for
Top-rated in Kagoshima
Mars Tsunuki Distillery
4.7bar
Kagoshima distillery founded in 1872, producing whisky since 1949 with traditional generational techniques.
Yunohira
4.7onsen
Onsen district in Kagoshima where natural hot springs emerge along forested slopes, far from tourist crowds.
Kirishima Jingu Shrine
4.5shrine
Vermilion shrine rebuilt six times after eruptions, shrouded in cedar forest mist at Kirishima's base.
Chiran Peace Museum
4.6museum
Final departure airbase for hundreds of kamikaze pilots during World War II, now memorial museum.
Tamatebako Open-air Onsen
4.6onsen
Trip Advisor's 2017 Best Day Trip Spa in Kyushu, temporarily closed June 2024 to April 2025.
Kanosuke Distillery
4.6restaurant
Kagoshima whisky distillery est. 2017, applying 134 years of Komasa Jyozo shochu expertise to craft whisky.
Shiroyama Observatory
4.4viewpoint
A forested hilltop with the iconic view of Sakurajima volcano rising above Kagoshima Bay, especially at dawn.
Cape Sata
4.5nature
Cape Sata lies at the southernmost point of mainland Kyushu, at the very tip of Kagoshima Prefecture’s Osumi Peninsula.
