• Sakurajima Visitor Center - Enjoy a 13-minute film showcasing real volcanic activities with English subtitles. Explore panels detailing past explosive eruptions, post-eruption vegetation, and life alongside an active volcano.

• Sakurajima Nagisa Foot Bath Park - Experience one of Japan’s largest footbaths, stretching 100 meters. It features natural hot springs with a source temperature of 42 degrees, emerging from 1,000 meters underground. Relax in the reddish-brown waters, warming and soothing your body, while admiring the view of Kagoshima Bay or the towering Sakurajima.

• Buried Shrine Gate - The 3-meter (10-foot) torii gate of Kurokami Shrine remains buried, with only its top beam visible. The village elder chose to leave it as a reminder of the eruption’s power for future generations. An old Japanese sea fig tree, which survived the eruption, stands quietly beside the gate.

• Shioyagamoto Port (No. 8 Evacuation Port) - A tranquil port where you can observe the changes in vegetation on lava from 1,300 and 80 years ago.

• Arimura Lava Lookout - Situated on a small hill in the lava field from the 1946 eruption, this observation point is in the middle of a 1km-long lava promenade. It offers a view of the majestic, world-renowned active volcano, Sakurajima, and Kinko Bay. From here, Sakurajima presents a unique perspective, with its steep triangular shape and the nearby active crater of Minami-dake. On certain days, you can hear the rumbling and explosions of eruptions, providing a different experience of Sakurajima.

• Yunohira Lookout - Ascend Sakurajima Volcano to its highest point, 373 meters above sea level, and enjoy views of the dramatic volcanic rock face and the peninsula across Kagoshima Bay.

• Tenmonkan - Enjoy lunch at the charming shopping area, Tenmonkan, with options like Wagyu Beef, Black Pork, Ramen, and more.

• Kagoshima St. Xavier’s Cathedral - In 1549, Spanish missionary Francis Xavier arrived in Gion-no-su, Kagoshima, spending about a year introducing Christianity and foreign cultures to Japan. Father Laguet, who created Japan’s first French-Japanese dictionary during the Meiji period, built Xavier Church in honor of Xavier’s contributions. Although it was destroyed during World War II, part of the old stone church and a bust of Xavier remain in Xavier Park. In 1949, the church was rebuilt in a modern Gothic style with a donation from the Pope, and in 1999, life-size statues of Xavier, Satsuma man Yajiro, and Bernardo were crafted by Morikazu Mizoguchi. To mark the 450th anniversary of Xavier’s arrival, the Kagoshima Cathedral Xavier Memorial Church was newly constructed in 1999. The new cathedral is a three-story reinforced concrete building, with an exterior inspired by a trading ship from the Age of Discovery.

• Terukuni Shrine - This shrine honors Shimazu Nariakira, the 28th head of the Shimazu clan. As Kagoshima City’s largest shrine, it attracts many visitors. In 1863, the emperor granted Nariakira the divine title “Lighting up the country,” and the following year, a shrine was built on the site of Nansen-in Temple, becoming Terukuni Shrine. Although the shrine and its treasures were destroyed during the Satsuma rebellion, it was rebuilt in 1882 and again in 1958 after war damage. The current structure is made of reinforced concrete. The shrine features a museum with free admission and a bronze statue of Nariakira. The prefecture’s largest summer festival, Rokugatsu-to, is held annually on July 15th and 16th, with colorful lanterns adorning the grounds. Various events, such as the “New Year’s Good Luck First Market,” are held throughout the year.

• Saigo Takamori Statue - Saigo Takamori played a pivotal role in the Meiji Restoration, including the peaceful surrender of Edo Castle and the establishment of the new Meiji government. However, he later resigned and returned to Kagoshima, eventually fighting against the new government forces in the Seinan War, where he was defeated and took his own life on Shiroyama. This statue, created by Kagoshima-born sculptor Ando Teru, commemorates the 50th anniversary of his death. Completed in 1937, it stands as an impressive 8m-tall monument of Saigo, dressed in the uniform of Japan’s first army general, with his legs apart against the backdrop of Shiroyama. (Main body 5.76m, base 1.21m, artificial hill 7.27m) A photo spot across the road allows visitors to take pictures with the statue of his beloved dog.

• Kagoshima (Tsurumaru) Castle Ruins & Goromon - Kagoshima Castle, the residence of the Shimazu clan, began construction around 1601 by Iehisa, who later became the 18th head of the Shimazu clan and their first feudal lord. It features a mountain castle at the rear and a residence at the mountain’s base. The imposing Goromon Gate stands at the center of the residence’s front. Although Goromon was destroyed by fire in 1873, it was restored in 2020 as Japan’s largest castle gate. Goromon and the stone walls are illuminated in a way that changes with the time and season. Hours: Sunset to 10:00 p.m. (daily)

• Former Kagoshima Bosekijogishikan - These lodgings were for British engineers invited by the 29th head of the Shimazu clan, Tadayoshi, when he established Japan’s first Western-style spinning mill. The building combines Japanese and Western architecture, with a colonial-style veranda and a design based on Japanese measurements. It is preserved as a valuable heritage showcasing the progress of Western-style architecture at the end of the Edo period. In July 2015, it was registered as a World Heritage Site as part of the “Meiji Industrial Revolution Heritage Sites: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding, and Coal Mining.” Inside, many photographs and documents narrate the story of the time. It is also near Sengan-en and Shoko Shuseikan.

• Sengan-en - Spanning 12 acres, these serene traditional gardens were established in 1658, 350 years ago. Discover tranquil ponds, bubbling streams, mysterious shrines, a bamboo grove, and a mountain hiking trail offering panoramic views of Kagoshima Bay and the volcano beyond. Visit the house cherished by generations of the Shimadzu family, constructed with flawless Yakushima cedar from trees over 1,000 years old, and featuring a captivating blend of Japanese, Chinese, and Western influences. Be amazed by the history of Japan’s first feudal domain striving for modernization and admire Kagoshima’s exquisite crystal cut glass craftsmanship. Admission is not included.

• Shoko Shuseikan Museum - The former Shuseikan Machine Factory, a historic museum, opened in 1923. The main building, constructed in 1865 as the “Shuseikan Machine Factory” for metal processing of ships and other items, is Japan’s oldest existing Western-style factory building. In 2015, it was registered as a World Heritage Site as part of the “Meiji Industrial Revolution Heritage Sites of Japan.” Also known as “Stone Home,” it uses welded tuff formed by volcanic ejecta instead of bricks. The museum showcases the history of the Shimazu clan and its modernization efforts, housing approximately 10,000 items, mainly documents passed down by the Shimazu clan, such as Satsuma Kiriko glass from the Edo period, the oldest daguerreotype photograph taken by a Japanese person (a replica), and machinery from when the factory was operational.

• Iso Kogeikan - The Crystal Satsuma cut glass factory, established in 1851, was revived 100 years after its closure in 1877. Cuts are made in a thick layer of colored glass to reveal the clear glass beneath. The gentle gradation between the colored layer and the transparent glass below, known as bokashi, is the defining feature of Satsuma Kiriko.

• Guide fee

• In-vehicle air conditioning
• Private taxi or bus fares vary depending on group size
• Round trip fare for Sakurajima ferry: 500JPY per person, and 4,700JPY for cars depending on the size
• Senganen entrance fee 1,600 JPY per person
• Lunch

You can customize your tour by choosing the places you want to go within 7 hours. Below are some recommended spots

Sakurajima, a trapezoidal volcano towering over Kagoshima Bay, is a real active volcano that erupts an average of 200 times a year. Feel the wonder of nature while soaking in Japan’s longest 100-meter foot bath. Climb to the observatory, the highest point a person can reach and see the surface up close

Enjoy Japan’s best Wagyu beef yakiniku, black pork, ramen and more in Tenmonkan, the most lively shopping area

Sengan-en is a serene traditional garden of 12 acres built in 1658. A lord’s villa has been loved for generations. A world heritage site of modernization projects and a sophisticated crystal-cut glass factory

Whiskey Distilleries, Mars & Kanosuke. Japan produces some of the best whiskey in the world. The deep aroma wafting from the barrels filled with whiskey

Chiran Peace Museum, samurai residence & garden
Natural Artisan Amber Rice Vinegar, Sandbath & more

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.