Kagoshima, the prefecture that wraps around the southern end of the Japanese island of Kyushu, is said by some to resemble the head of a dragon. At the mouth of this dragon stands Sakurajima, one of the country’s most active volcanoes, whose plumes of smoke can often be seen from the capital, Kagoshima City, just a short ferry ride away.
The area’s extraordinary natural features, which also include a sprawling 1,500-year-old camphor tree, the largest in Japan, have famously inspired art of equal beauty. The director Hayao Miyazaki visited Kagoshima’s densely forested Yakushima island to recreate the scenery of its Shiratani Unsuikyo Ravine for his 1997 animated film, “Princess Mononoke.” But while Tokyo and Kyoto continue to draw stampedes of Western tourists, Kagoshima still seems to attract mostly Japanese and other Asian visitors, eager to explore the prefecture’s peninsulas and islands and take shopping trips to the pottery village of Miyama in the city of Hioki.
History enthusiasts know Kagoshima, which includes what was once the feudal domain of Satsuma, as the birthplace, in 1828, of Saigo Takamori, known as the last samurai, who led the movement to overthrow the military shogunate in Edo (present-day Tokyo). The region was also the home of the Shimadzu clan, which, during the Edo period (1603-1868), while the rest of Japan largely closed its borders to foreigners, maintained connections with other East Asian nations through its trade with the Ryukyu Kingdom and later promoted technological exchange with England. The clan’s endeavors helped pave the way for the country’s industrial revolution in the latter half of the 19th century. Sengan-en, a 1658 Shimadzu villa in Kagoshima City, is open to the public, showcasing lush gardens, a palace and a museum. Farther south are a series of exceptionally picturesque islands, including Tanegashima, site of the country’s largest rocket-launch center; the wooded Yakushima; and the Amami chain, with its teeming coral reefs.
Even in winter, the climate throughout the prefecture is mild, with temperatures rarely dipping below freezing during the day, making the region a popular destination year-round, though 2024 is poised to be even busier. “What better time to travel to the dragon-shaped prefecture than the Year of the Dragon?” says the composer Ryo Yoshimata, a Kagoshima native. Here, Yoshimata and four other locals offer their advice on how best to experience the region.
Mirocomachiko, a painter and author, moved from Tokyo to Amami Oshima island in Kagoshima in 2019.
Yusuke Takada, the chef and owner of the restaurant La Cime in Osaka and a partner chef of the Upper in Tokyo, was born on Amami Oshima island.
Ryo Yoshimata, a Tokyo-based composer and music producer, was born in Kagoshima City, where he is currently building a second home.
Yoshirotten, a Tokyo-based artist and art director, was born in Kagoshima City.
Sleep
“The rooms at GuestHouse Carapan [on the seafront in Kagoshima City] are decorated with vintage furniture from the United States, India and Europe, and each room is unique. Sipping coffee at sunrise in the common area with a view of Sakurajima is truly spectacular.” (Rooms from about $42 a night.) — Mirocomachiko
“The ryokan Myoken Ishiharaso [near Kirishima City] is particularly beautiful. The rooms are designed in a modern Japanese style, and the water from its onsen is so pristine you can actually drink it.” (Rooms from about $230 a night.) — Yusuke Takada
“If you’re looking for a food experience in a really authentic setting, Ibusuki Syusuien [a traditional ryokan on the Satsuma Peninsula] is the place to go. I remember being in awe of the dishes. They serve seasonal locally sourced food, including kibinago sashimi, something you can have only in Kagoshima.” (Rooms from about $160 a night.) — Ryo Yoshimata
“There are so many great onsen inns in Kirishima City. Tenku no Mori hotel has luxury villas surrounded by mountains and forests. And Kirishima Hotel has an enormous onsen bath that has both men- and women-only areas and a unisex zone. In Kanoya, on Osumi Peninsula, Yukusa Ohsumi Umi no Gakko is an old school facing Kagoshima Bay that’s been turned into a nature lodge where you can go kayaking, paddle boarding and cycling.” (Tenku no Mori, from about $2,400 a night for two; Kirishima Hotel, from about $115 a night; Yukusa Ohsumi, from about $50 a night.) — Yoshirotten
“On Amami Oshima island, the Miru Amami villas are very popular because of the scenery and the local cuisine.” (From about $275 a night.) — Y.T.
Eat
“The owners of Satsuma Gashoutei in Kagoshima City aren’t just particular about the food — the eel and rice and kanpachi [amberjack] shabu shabu are especially good — but they’re also particular about the tableware. And they use our Satsuma-yaki porcelain. This is a restaurant where you can enjoy Kagoshima to the fullest.” — Akiko Araki
“In Kagoshima City, I take all my friends and visitors to Hachimanfor Kagoshima black pork shabu shabu. It’s served with various kinds of dashi soup, but what’s unique about this place is you can enjoy the regular clear soup and the black-colored XO sauce soup at the same time, because the restaurant uses a special split pot with two compartments, so the two soups don’t mix. There’s also a cocktail bar called Karakara,where the owner collects vintage toys, and the place is packed with all kinds of retro items from the Showa era (1926-89). A lot of Japanese celebrities from Tokyo go there.” — R.Y.
“Kagoshima is famous for its eel, and there are many eel farms from which many restaurants, mine included, source their ingredients. If you want to eat a traditional eel meal — grilled on a bed of rice —I recommend Eel Mitsuru, which is a bit out of the way from the center of Kagoshima City.” — Y.T.
“The tonkatsu [fried pork cutlet dish] at Tonkatsu Taketei Kanoya Honten in Kanoya is the best.” — Y.
“Go to Lapita Sherbert [in Sakurajima] for its seasonal flavors. I particularly like the mango pepper and the roasted green tea soy chai, which is a classic, and the soy-made granola topping.” — M.
Shop
“Amami is famous for its mud-dyed Oshima Tsumugi fabrics. Kanaikougei does collaborations with brands such as Uniqlo and also creates mud-dyed fabric T-shirts.”— Y.T.
“You can spend an entire day in Hioki [about an hour’s train ride west of Kagoshima City] shopping for Satsuma-yaki pottery at Chin Jukan Kiln, visiting the ceramics museum and sitting in the many coffee shops.” — R.Y.
“The shop Araheam in Kanoya has a large plant nursery and sells everything from plants and pottery to coffee, shochu and natural wine. I also recommend Farm Yard in Kagoshima City for stylish Japanese brands.” — Y.
Take Home
“Fresh olive oil and cosmetics made from olive trees in Hioki are great souvenirs. I also like the Kagoshima-grown tea brand Yume Fuki, which can be purchased at Tealan Satsuma Eikokukan, a tea salon in Minamikyushu [that also cultivates and grows tea plants].” — A.A.
“When I was growing up in Amami, I used to look forward to my father bringing cakes called custadons — small spongecakes filled with custard cream — from a shop called Jokiya in Kagoshima City. These days, I go to Tanegashima island to buy Satsuma-imo [Satsuma sweet potato] syrup, which I use in my recipes. It’s sweet but not in a sugary way.” — Y.T.
“Kagoshima is famous for a traditional sweet called karukan, which is a steamed cake made from sweetened yams and rice. My favorite is from the store Akashiya in Kagoshima City. You can eat it as is or cut it into thin slices, bake it in an oven and eat it with butter on top. As for shochu [a distilled spirit], the popular one at the moment is Daiyame, which has a fruity lychee-like taste. You can buy it at most local liquor stores, but it sells out quickly.” — R.Y.
Explore
“Eguchi Beach in Hioki is especially beautiful at sunset. In the mornings, you’ll see surfers there. My husband surfed Eguchi when he was younger. Now he incorporates the patterns and ripples he finds in the sand on the beach into his ceramics.” — A.A.
“Whenever I return to Kagoshima, I always make a trip to the Arimura Lava Observatory, where you can see the crater of the Sakurajima volcano up close. It’s quite a powerful sight, and I feel like I’m getting an energy charge from the volcano. Another place to explore is the Shiratani Unsuikyo Ravine on Yakushima island, which inspired the film ‘Princess Mononoke.’” — R.Y.
“I love going to Ebino Kogen [a mountain town and plateau in Miyazaki Prefecture, just across the border from Kagoshima]. The name translates to ‘Shrimp Highlands,’ which is believed to have come from the pink hues of the pampas grass. And don’t miss the Kirishima Jingu Shrine, one of the largest shrines in southern Kyushu, originally built in the sixth century [the current structure dates to 1715].” — Y.T.