Wild horses are living here. Cape Toi, located in the south of Miyazaki Prefecture, is a cape at the east end of Shibushi Bay, which is in the southernmost part of the Nichinan kaigan Coast. Gentle hills extend, and you can observe wild horses, called Misaki-uma, living and grazing there.     It is said that the Misaki-uma are the descendants of army horses left grazing and which became wild 300 years ago.     They are now designated as a natural monument. At the Horse House in the Toi-misaki Visitor Centre, information about the ecology and living circumstances of the Misaki-uma is displayed on panels.               Visitor Centre               Souvenir shop                Misaki-uma    

Toi Cape…の続きを読む

  Enjoy Somen noodle nagashi.  The unique Somen noodle nagashi in Tosenkyo ravine in Kaimon open throughout the year serving cold Somen noodle that swim in the revolving container.           Tosenkyo Entrance                 Restaurant                  Somen noodle             Tosenkyo Shrine                         Menu         Serve the Somen noodle  

Somen noodle nagashi…の続きを読む

  Enjoy tasting Shochu at the most famous Shochu brewery in Kagoshima. Meiji-gura is Satsuma Shuzo’s Shochu factory and museum. Satsuma Shuzo is producing traditional handmade Shochu “Tezukuri Meijigura”and other traditional making style Shochu like “Banshokou”, “Satsuma Shiranami Kametsubo Jikomi”, and “Meiji no Shochu” etc.     The name Meijigura is a Japanese word made up of the words Meiji, from the Meiji Era, and the word Gura, for distillery. We use this name Meiji because we use the traditional methods from the Meiji Era for making our handmade Shochu brands.          

Meiji-gura…の続きを読む

  Those Samurai Houses were built about 250 years ago. Their gardens are beautiful designed, with Mt. Hahaga-dake as the background.     Other natural elements are also incorporated, making the whole area resemble a series of miniature of Japanese gardens housed in boxes. Seven of the gardens are designated as natural scenic spots.      

Chiran Samurai Residence…の続きを読む

  This museum exhibits precious materials such as pictures, letters, wills, articles and mementos of the 1,036 Kamikaze pilots based in Chiran who participated in the Battle for Okinawa towards the end of World War 2. It also houses a No.3 type fighter aircraft, Hien.                  Museum             Fighter aircraft       Kamikaze Pilot statue      Mother for World Peace               Zero-sen       Pray for World Peace  

Chiran Peace Museum for the Kamikaze Pil…の続きを読む

  Nagasaki-bana Cape is the southernmost point of the Satsuma Peninsula. A walking path leads from a small cluster of souvenir shops to the tip of the cape where there stands a white lighthouse.            To the Cape                  Lighthouse         View from the sea   A highlight of a visit to the cape are the views of nearby Mount Kaimondake, which stands 924 meters above sea level. Because of its conical shape, it bears a striking resemblance to Mount Fuji and is often referred to as “Satsuma Fuji”.           Mount Kaimondake                  Lighthouse                 Kinko bay   Nagasaki-bana Cape is said to be the birthplace of The Legend of Urashima Taro who saved a turtle, it took him to Ryugu-jo (the Palace of the Dragon as a token of it’s gratitude). The new worship hall of the Ryugu Shrine was built in 2011. The name of popular limited express for sightseeing “Ibusuki tamate-bako” is associated with the Legend of Urashima Taro.               Ryugu Shrine            Shrine main building            Urashima Taro    

Nagasaki-bana Cape in Satsuma peninsula…の続きを読む

  Nishi-Oyama Station is the southernmost railway station in Japan operated by JR, boasts a breath taking view of Kaimon-dake volcano to the front.     The post box standing in front of the station is painted yellow similar to the turnip rape flower that stands as symbol of Ibusuki.  This post box has seen an explosion in popularity because some believe it brings happiness to those who send mail from it.      

Nishi-Oyama Station…の続きを読む

  Ikeda-ko lake is a caldera lake located 40 km south of Kagoshima-city. It is best known to tourists as the location of the purported sightings of a monster named Issie, and as the largest lake in Kyushu with a surface area of 11 km² and a shoreline length of 15 km.      It is also known as large eel with a length of 2 meter and circumference of 50 cm inhabit the lake.        

Ikeda-ko lake…の続きを読む

  The park is most famous for its Shiroyama Observatory with spectacular views over downtown Kagoshima, Kagoshima Bay and Sakurajima.     The night view is also nice, particularly if a clear sky and bright moon allow Sakurajima to remain visible.    

Shiroyama park…の続きを読む

  UNESCO World Heritage, Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution , Shoko Shuseikan Modern Industrial Complex The museum of the Classics located here exhibits a various of objects related to the Shimazu family and the Satsuma domain, introducing a Shimazu family tree chart and many other belongings.     Reflectance furnace   foundation    Base of Reflectance    furnace          Reflectance furnace   The stone building which houses the collection has been designated on the World Heritage,  Meiji Japan’s Industrial Revolution.          World Heritage        Shoko Shuseikan      Shoko Shuseikan entrance          Starbucks Coffee       Satsuma facet factory      Suzumon gate  

Shoko Shuseikan…の続きを読む