Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [568]
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TRAIN
Most trains arrive and depart from JR Kagoshima-Chūō Station. Additionally, the JR Kagoshima line heads north to Kumamoto (shinkansen/tokkyū; ¥6350, 70 minutes, change at Shin-Yatsushiro) and Fukuoka (shinkansen/tokkyū; ¥8920, 2½ hours, change at Shin-Yatsushiro). Also stopping at Kagoshima Station, the JR Nippō line goes to Miyazaki (tokkyū; ¥3790, two hours) and Beppu (¥9460, five hours).
Trains also run south to the popular hot-spring resort of Ibusuki and continue partway around the Satsuma Peninsula (kaisoku, ¥970, 55 minutes).
Getting Around
TO/FROM THE AIRPORT
Express buses to Kagoshima airport depart every 20 minutes from JR Kagoshima Chūō Station (¥1200, 40 minutes).
BICYCLE
Bikes can be rented (two hours/day ¥500/1500) at JR Kagoshima-Chūō Station and returned at a number of participating hotels (¥300). JR pass holders get a 40% discount. Ask at the tourist information office for details Click here.
BUS
There’s a comprehensive city bus network, though trams are usually simpler.
The City View Bus (¥180) does a loop of all the major sights, departing every 30 minutes, from 9am to 5pm daily. You get on and off when you want. A one-day pass (¥600) is also valid on trams. Single tickets cost ¥180.
CAR
Cars can be rented for trips around Satsuma Peninsula from Nankyu Senpaku (422-1083) and Kagoshima Shosen (334-0012). For longer trips, Eki Rent-a-Car (Map; 258-1412; www.ekiren.co.jp, in Japanese; 2nd fl, tourist information centre, JR Kagoshima-Chūō Station; 12hr from ¥4720; 8am-8pm) or Toyota Renta Lease (Map; 268-0100; http://rent.toyota.co.jp/en/index.html; 5-46 Chūō-machi, JR Kagoshima-Chūō Station; 12hr from ¥525; 8am-8pm) are good options.
TRAM
Trams are the easiest way to get around town. Rte 1 starts from Kagoshima Station and goes through the centre into the suburbs. Rte 2 diverges at Takami-baba to JR Kagoshima-Chūō Station and terminates at Korimoto. Either pay the flat fare (¥180) or buy a one-day travel pass (¥600) from the tourist information centre or on the tram.
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SAKURAJIMA
099 / pop 5800
Dominating the skyline from Kagoshima is the brooding cone of this spectacular active volcano. Since 1955 there has been an almost continuous stream of smoke and ash; think about that for just a second. The most violent eruption was in 1914, when the volcano poured out over three billion tonnes of lava, overwhelming numerous villages and joining the island to the mainland. If you stick around long enough, it’s likely you’ll experience some degree of volcano-mojo, hopefully without such devastation.
Despite its vocality, Sakurajima is at the present moment friendly enough that you can get up fairly close. Among the volcano’s three peaks, only Minami-dake (1040m) is active. Visitors are not permitted to climb the mountain, but there are several good lookout points with walkways across a small corner of the immense lava flow. While some parts of Sakurajima are covered in deep volcanic ash or crumbling lava, other places have exceptionally fertile soil. Huge daikon (radishes) weighing up to 35kg and tiny mikan (oranges) only 3cm in diameter are locally grown.
Information
Information desk (Ferry terminal bldg; 8.30am-5pm) Has maps and timetables.
Sakurajima visitors centre (293-2443; 9am-5pm) Near the ferry terminal; has exhibits about the volcano, including a working model showing the volcano’s growth.
Sights & Activities
The island is best enjoyed by car and it only takes a few hours to visit all the sights. If you’re of good fitness, you could cycle all the way around, but it would take a full day. South of the visitors centre is Karasujima Observation Point, where the 1914 lava flow engulfed the small island that had once been 500m offshore. The same lava