History / Culture / Tour Spots in Kagoshima Area

  • Museum of the Meiji Restoration
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    4.0
    434 Reviews
    Leisure / Hobbies
    Kagoshima Pref. Kagoshimashi Kajiyachou 23-1
    Satsuma (now western Kagoshima Prefecture) was the birthplace of Saigo Takamori, Okubo Toshimichi, and numerous other heroes of the Meiji Restoration. The Museum of the Meiji Restoration uses a variety of means to present the history of Satsuma and Japan during that momentous time. The centerpiece of the museum is the historic dramas shown in the Meiji Restoration Experience Hall on the basement floor. In the “Road to the Restoration,” life-sized robotic models of figures such as Saigo Takamori and Okubo Toshimichi and multiple projection screens are used to present a stunning drama. In the “Satsuma Students, Go West” exhibit, the story of the students sent to study overseas in England in defiance of the national government is presented.

    Fantastic museum next to the river You can use headphones to help understand and follow the different displays as most are in Japanese. Do the historic walk next to the river as it is beautifully set...

  • Museum Shoko Shuseikan
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    4.0
    172 Reviews
    Leisure / Hobbies
    Kagoshima Pref. Kagoshimashi Yoshinochou 9698-1
    This is a museum adjacent to Sengan-en. The collection hall is a group of factories that the Satsuma lord Shimazu Nariakira built for industrial development at the end of the Tokugawa period. The museum building was originally completed in 1865 as a machine factory. Currently it is utilized as a place to communicate the history of industrialization of the Shimazu family and Satsuma clan. In addition to the buildings, some of the exhibits are nationally designated Important Cultural Properties.

    This museum had some interesting exhibits about industrialisation but they were not displayed or labelled as well as they could have been. On the plus side however the gardens next to the museum were...

  • Kagoshima City Museum of Art
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    4.0
    68 Reviews
    Leisure / Hobbies
    Kagoshima Pref. Kagoshimashi Shiroyamachou 4-36
    This is a private art museum which is built on the ruins of Tsurumaru Castle Ninomaru which was once the castle of the Satsuma Lord Shimazu. The collection focuses on works by local writers and Western art since the 19th century. It also has oil paintings by Cezanne and a “Water Lily” painting by Monet. The collection of paintings depicting Sakurajima, the symbol of Kagoshima, is also spectacular. It is a 16-minute walk from Kagoshima Station.

    First room is mostly European artists, some very famous. There were some works Id not seen before. 2nd room more Japanese artists. Not huge but ok for entrance fee of ¥300 for permanent collection...

  • Nagashima Art Museum
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    4.5
    51 Reviews
    Leisure / Hobbies
    Kagoshima Pref. Kagoshimashi Take 3-42-18
    An art museum opened as part of Kagoshima City 100th anniversary celebrations in 1989. Visitors are greeted by Rodin’s “The Thinker” at the main entrance. The museum displays some 1,000 pieces, including paintings and sculptures, by international artists like Rodin and Chagall, as well as Satsuma ware. The museum also holds special exhibitions in a dedicated space one to two times a year. After checking out the museum, visitors can enjoy a casual light meal or cup of tea in the museum’s café, which boasts a sweeping view of Sakurajima and Kagoshima City.

    We visited this museum on our last day in Kagoshima. The most memorable museum was the Chiran Peace museum but this came a close second for different reasons. The museum was established 20 years ago...

  • Kagoshima Prefectural Museum
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    4.0
    46 Reviews
    Leisure / Hobbies
    Kagoshima Pref. Kagoshimashi Shiroyamachou 1-1
    A history and natural history museum located a five-minute walk from the “Saigo Dozo-mae” stop on the City View bus line. The museum was originally established to keep records on the great Taisho period eruptions of Sakurajima. The main building consists of animal displays and a special exhibition space on the first floor, an exhibit on the natural beauty of Kagoshima within a 600-kilometer area stretching north and south on the second floor, and exhibits such as a 3D theater which introduce the industries harnessing the natural abundance of Kagoshima on the third floor. A planetarium as well as displays of a variety of dinosaur skeletons, ammonites, and other fossils can be found on the fourth floor of Houzan Hall, the museum’s annex.

    『県立博物館』という名称ではあるものの、建物は古く、規模としては小さく、ほぼ全てが鹿児島の自然(しかも多くが奄美諸島)に関連する展示であり、歴史・文化に関連する展示はほとんどありません。どちらかと言えば小学生以下の子供向けで、鉱物や動物のはく製など、実際に触ることが出来る展示があり、拝観日時次第では実験コーナーに参加することが出来ます。一部生理的嫌悪を発生させる展示物もありますので拝観の際は注意が...

  • Kagoshima City Modern Literature Museum/Kagoshima Marchen Fairy Tale Museum
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    3.5
    35 Reviews
    Travel / Tourism
    Kagoshima Pref. Kagoshimashi Shiroyamachou 5-1
    A literature museum located a seven-minute walk from Asahidori Station on the Kagoshima City Tram bound for Kagoshima Station and leaving from JR Kagoshima-Chuo Station. Visitors can come in contact with literary works connected to Kagoshima through the museum’s permanent exhibit, which looks at 28 writers with a particularly strong link to the area. The adjoining Marchen Fairy Tale Museum is fun for adults as well as children, and visitors can feel like they’re in their very own fairy tale through exhibits such as trick art, playground equipment, and seasonal events and decorations. A joint admission ticket which includes entry to both facilities is available.

    今回は日本が生んだ天才 かこさとし の展示を見てきました かこさとし の絵本から学べる事柄の多様性 絵の可愛さ どうやったら伝わるか?という工夫 少年から年配の方まで実に楽しめる展示 そして鹿児島にまつわる資料もあって しっかり楽しめます

  • Old Kagoshima Spinning Engineers' House (the Foreigners' Residence)
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    4.0
    29 Reviews
    Travel / Tourism
    Kagoshima Pref. Kagoshimashi Yoshinochou 9685-15
    When the Kagoshima Spinning Mill was built in 1867 as Japan’s first Western-style spinning mill, this structure was built to house seven English engineers invited to provide guidance regarding the plant. The building is a rare extant example of early Meiji period Western-style architecture in Japan. The building was registered as a World Heritage site in 2015 under the collective “Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining.”

    鹿児島市の磯エリアにある「旧鹿児島紡績所技師館(異人館)」について、情報を発信していきたいと思います。「旧鹿児島紡績所技師館(異人館)」を訪れたのは2023年1月28日です。「旧鹿児島紡績所技師館(異人館)」へのアクセスは、「鹿児島中央駅東口」の「東4のりば」から「カゴシマシティビュー」バスに乗り、「異人館(磯海水浴場)前」で下車します。「鹿児島中央駅東口」から「異人館(磯海水浴場)前」までの所要...

  • Saigo Nanshu Memorial Museum
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    4.0
    21 Reviews
    Leisure / Hobbies
    Kagoshima Pref. Kagoshimashi Kamitatsuochou 2-1
    This memorial museum to Saigo Takamori is just a 17-minute drive from the Chuo Station. This memorial was built in 1977 in commemoration of the centennial anniversary of his demise through donations from all over Japan. The interior of the two-story structure is constructed of wood and emanates a natural warmth of space. On the first floor is a diorama of Takamori's life and a film library, while the second floor displays materials about the Satsuma Rebellion and documents in Takamori's own handwriting. The museum shop sells books and unique goods related to Takamori, such as replicated hanging scrolls, wall decor, cute figurines of Saigo that make great souvenirs.

    鹿児島駅から徒歩15分ほど。目の前に観光地循環バス「カゴシマシティビュー」のバス停もある。 入館料は200円。市電・市バスの一日乗車券を提示すると160円に割引となる。建物は2階建てで、その外観は石垣を模しているようだ。館内撮影不可。書状、鋸、草鞋などの遺品も展示しているが、西郷隆盛の生い立ちを紹介するジオラマがメインなので、通常の博物館や資料館のような展示を期待して訪れるとガッカリするかも。

  • Kagoshima Municipal Science Hall
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    3.5
    8 Reviews
    Travel / Tourism
    Kagoshima Pref. Kagoshimashi Kamoike 2-31-18
    A science museum located a 15-minute drive from the Kagoshima Interchange on the Kyushu Expressway. Through facilities such as Japan’s only large film projector-equipped dome cinema and planetarium, the museum presents the laws of the natural world, science and technology, and outer space in a way that is fun and easy to understand. Numerous interactive exhibits include the Sakurajima Sky Cycle, a pedal powered flight simulator which visitors can use to “fly” over Sakurajima; an earthquake simulator through which visitors can experience everything from what mild to strong earthquakes feel like; and a wind simulator which lets visitors experience what truly powerful winds can do. This is a fun-filled destination great for families with children.

    科学館自体は、ありふれた施設です。 定期的にやっているイベントなど、子どもたちが楽しめる仕掛けはよいと思います。 プラネタリウムは、期待せずに見たのですが、予想以上に楽しめました。 また機会があれば、プラネタリウムは見てもいいなと思います。

  • Jigen-ryu Hyoho Museum
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    4.0
    13 Reviews
    Travel / Tourism
    Kagoshima Kagoshima-shi Higashisengokucho 2-2
    This museum is dedicated to conveying the history of the Satsuma Jigen-ryu, a school of swordsmanship passed down in Satsuma for centuries. The museum features a modern design and has an attached training hall. The facility is built on the site of the residence of the Togo family that taught Jigen-ryu school of swordsmanship to the samurai of the Satsuma Domain. The museum features exhibits on subjects including the philosophy of the Jigen-ryu, the school's training methods, and the handling of a Japanese sword. A collection of the family's historic documents is also display.

    市内市中心部でなかなか訪れる機会のなかった場所で初めて来ました。展示、ビデオ鑑賞、道場見学で構成されていました。ビデオと道場が独特です。訪問者が少ない時だったからかビデオ鑑賞中と道場はスタッフが解説してくれました。屋内とはいえ、道場は下が土で冬は寒いだろうと思いました。地面に立ててある稽古の棒は定期的に倒れてしまい交換だそうです。国内でも関東などの遠方から稽古に来る人もいるとのことでしたが、道場は...

  • Bronze statue of Saigo Takamori
    Travel / Tourism
    Kagoshima Pref. Kagoshimashi Shiroyamachou 4
    Saigo Takamori made his mark on history during the Meiji Restoration. This bronze statue of the man was erected on the 50th anniversary of his death on Shiroyama, the place where he met his end during the Satsuma Rebellion. Standing eight meters tall, this majestic monument was created by Kagoshima City local Teru Ando, the same man who crafted the famous Hachiko Memorial Statue.
  • Kurokami Buried Shrine Gate
    Travel / Tourism
    Kagoshima Kagoshima-shi Kurokamicho (Kurokami Junior High School Yoko)
  • Kagoshima City Museum of Archaeology
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    3.5
    4 Reviews
    Travel / Tourism
    Kagoshima Kagoshima-shi Shimofukumotocho 3763-1
    "This two-story history museum is located inside Jigenji Park. Visitors can learn about the lives of the city's people and the history of its development. The museum's permanent exhibit hall features artifacts excavated from the Fudoji Temple archeological site including a fragment of a broken mirror designated as a cultural property of Kagoshima City. The museum also features an exhibit about the UNESCO World Heritage Site ""Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining"" listed in 2015. The museum's also offers popular hands-on activities in which participants can create items such as magatama beads and earthenware (reservation required)."

    慈眼寺駅から徒歩20分ほど。東迫遺跡のあった地にある博物館。 入館料300円。建物は2階建てで入口は2階にある。常設展示室1は吹き抜けとなっており、2階からスロープを下りながら見学する構造。1階中央には鹿児島市の形をした地形テーブルを設置。その先が常設展示室2、出口となっている。展示は遺跡からの出土品とその解説がほとんどで、他には鹿児島城の城下町の様子を表したジオラマなどが少しあるのみ。遺跡に興味...

  • Terukuni Shrine
    Travel / Tourism
    Kagoshima Pref. Kagoshimashi Terukunichou 19-35
    Approximately a five-minute walk from the Tenmonkan bus and tram stop, this shrine dedicated to Shimazu Nariakira, the 11th leader of the Satsuma domain, is located close to the Kagoshima Prefectural Museum. Given the name Terukuni Daimyojin by royal decree in 1863, the main building was completed the following year and it became known as Terukuni Shrine. Many people believe even today that it is the guardian of Kagoshima Prefecture. The National Flag Festival that commemorate the official announcement by the shogunate of the plan to make the Hinomaru flag Japan's naval ensign is held on July 11, and the Rokugatsudo Summer Lantern Festivals in Kagoshima are held on July 15 and 16.
  • Ruins of Kagoshima Castle (Tsurumaru Castle)
    Travel / Tourism
    Kagoshima Pref. Kagoshimashi Shiroyamachou 7
    Also known as “Tsurumaru Castle,” Kagoshima Castle was built by Shimazu Iehisa (the first lord of Satsuma Domain) in 1602. It was a “mansion-style” castle without a tower. Today, only the original walls and moat are still extant. The Reimeikan, Kagoshima Prefectural Center for Historical Material stands on the former site of the inner citadel, while the Kagoshima Prefectural Library and Kagoshima City Museum of Art are situated on the former location of the outer citadel.
  • Kagoshima Prefectural Museum of Culture Reimeikan
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    4.0
    115 Reviews
    Leisure / Hobbies
    Kagoshima Kagoshima-shi Shiroyamacho 7-2
    The museum is located on the site of Kagoshima Castle (Tsurumaru Castle), the residence of the Shimazu family. The moat, stone walls, and stone bridge from the Kagoshima Castle period still remain on the grounds (designated as a prefectural historic site).

    Visited this museum after it had been recommended by someone in the community center nearby, which I passed after coming from the ferry terminal on foot. For the price, building design, display...

  • "Akamizu Observatory Square The ""Portrait of a Scream"" Monument"
    Travel / Tourism
    Kagoshima Pref. Kagoshimashi Sakurajimakamizuchou
    This monument is in the Akamizu Tenbo Hiroba in Sakurajima Akamizu-cho, Kagoshima City. It was placed to commemorate Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi's All Night Concert, held in 2004. Made from Sakurajima lava rock used in the concert arena, it has become a place of pilgrimage for the singer's fans.
  • Terayama Charcoal Kiln
    Travel / Tourism
    Kagoshima Pref. Kagoshimashi Yoshinochou 10710-68
    The site of a charcoal kiln built over 150 years ago. Built to make charcoal for a reverberatory furnace used for creating cannons, guns, and other weaponry for the bygone Satsuma Domain, the kiln produced white charcoal, a type of charcoal which burns hotter than standard charcoal. In 2015, the site was registered as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining listing. Today, the site is part of a nature trail; those seeking to access the site by car must park in Terayama Fureai Park and walk the rest of the way.
  • Kagoshima Museum of Environment: Planet Earth and Its Future
    Travel / Tourism
    Kagoshima Pref. Kagoshimashi Jousei 2-1-5
    An environment-themed public facility located a five-minute walk from the “Shinshoin,” “Somuta,” and “Harasho-mae” bus stops, and a seven-minute walk from the “Josai Koen-mae” bus stop.” Entry is free. The facility is divided into four environmentally conscious areas which look at greenery, water, air, and light; each area contains exhibits based on the principles of discovery, awareness, learning, and action. The facility holds a variety of interactive and participatory events throughout the year, and visitors can have fun while learning about environmental issues. The facility is an ideal destination for children assigned an independent research project. There’s also a reuse and recycle shop and the facility holds an environmentally friendly flea market.
  • Nanshu Park
    Travel / Tourism
    Kagoshima Pref. Kagoshimashi Kamitatsuochou 22-1
    This park is approximately a 17-minute drive from the Chuo Station, and is associated with the grave of Saigo Takamori. In memory of the centennial anniversary of his death, this park was built in 1977 next to the Saigo Nanshu Commemorative Museum. In addition to Saigo Takamori, who took his own life in 1877 during the Satsuma Rebellion, 40 other soldiers were memorialized here. As the remains of the Satsuma warriors were found scattered in various areas, they were brought here to be buried, totaling 2023 bodies. To the north of the memorial is the Nanshu Shrine enshrining those lost in battle. The Nanshu Cemetery was designated as a Historic Landmark of Kagoshima Prefecture in 1955.

Kagoshima Areas

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Over 100 active volcanoes across Kagoshima make it one of the Japan's most exciting prefectures. The prefectural capital, Kagoshima city, looks out to one of the prefecture’s most spectacular volcanoes, Sakurajima, an island of its own that can be visited and seen close up or admired from afar, with the promise of breathtaking sunsets complete with frequent puffs of smoke and ash. Down the Satsuma Peninsula, the most southerly part of mainland Japan, waterfalls, sand onsen, and fascinating history await, while Kagoshima's abundance of satsuma imo (sweet potato) provide a wholesome snack as well as one of Japan's favourite drinks - shochu.

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