Near Sakurajima's east coast, the top of a once-3m-high torii (shrine gate) emerges from the volcanic ash at Kurokami; the rest of it was buried in the 1914 eruption.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
7.83 MILES
In 1658, the 19th Shimazu lord laid out his pleasure garden on this hilly, rambling bayside property of groves, hillside trails and one of Japan's most…
22.11 MILES
There is perhaps no more eloquent monument to the futility of war than this harrowing museum about WWII kamikaze pilots. Around 2km west of town, Chiran’s…
Museum of the Meiji Restoration
9.34 MILES
This museum offers insights into the unique social system of education, samurai loyalty and sword techniques that made Satsuma one of Japan's leading…
20.92 MILES
Seven of the mid-Edo-period residences along Chiran’s 700m street of samurai houses have gardens open to the public. Water is usually symbolised in the…
28.29 MILES
Down a side road between Ibusuki and Makurazaki, this small-ish seaside nature park has been noted for its beauty since an Edo-period surveyor named it…
21.22 MILES
Picturesque, tangerine Kirishima-jingū has a good vantage point. Though the original dates from the 6th century, the present shrine was built in 1715. It…
28.33 MILES
This chill, seaside seahorse hatchery is unique, offering close-up looks at thousands of hatchling seahorses, plus information, videos, souvenirs and a…
21.29 MILES
Lovely Chiringashima is connected to the mainland by a thin land bridge that appears only at low tide, when hikers, beachcombers and tide-pool explorers…
Nearby Kyūshū attractions
2.59 MILES
The name 'Observatory' is misleading, as there's no building here. The site is a shaded picnic area with some lava escape tunnels and walking trails that…
4.5 MILES
A drive along the tranquil north coast and then inland will lead you to Yunohira Lookout, offering views of the mountain and back across the bay to…
3. Karasujima Observation Point
6.19 MILES
South of the visitor centre is this observation point, where the 1914 lava flow engulfed a small island that had once been 500m offshore. There's now an…
7.83 MILES
In 1658, the 19th Shimazu lord laid out his pleasure garden on this hilly, rambling bayside property of groves, hillside trails and one of Japan's most…
7.97 MILES
Adjacent to Sengan-en, this 1850s building, a Unesco World Heritage site as Japan's first modern factory, has been converted into a museum. Historical…
8.81 MILES
Kagoshima's large city hall, in a tan brick building, is a handy landmark.
7. Nishi Hongan-ji Kagoshima Betsuin
8.94 MILES
The current building of this large Buddhist temple near Tenmonkan dates from 1982 and was renovated in 2013. Inside, it's unlike most temples you may have…
8.97 MILES
The Reimeikan has extensive displays on Satsuma history and ancient sword-making. It's inside the site of Kagoshima's castle, Tsurumaru-jō (1602); the…