Part 1 of the May 2025 trip had us exploring Kagoshima city and the island of Sakurajima. We were very excited to visit the volcano, being resident of such an island ourselves.
After getting to Fukuoka (our arrival destination by plane), the very first thing we encountered, we said “yes” to. Outside Fukuoka station was a booth offering freshly brewed tea from the region. Being a tea enthusiast, hubby couldn’t resist.
We paid a small fee for the tea tasting, and they offered us tea snacks as well. It was a great way to rest and recover, actually.
Besides the tea booth, there was a whole area that required an entrance fee outside the station. Lots of different food stands – it was tempting, but we decided to head to our hotel instead. I was sorely tempted to go see an exhibition of an anime/Manga that I had been watching as well. As a bonus, I also encountered a business that specifically washed sneakers (see below).
The hotel that we stayed in was downtown, called “QuintessaHotel Kagoshima Tenmonkan Relax&Sleep”. From an unassuming sliding door facing the sidewalk, you could take stairs or elevator up to the lobby floor. In the lobby, we had access to check-in and “service” (free products that came with the stay). The room was small and compact, but we got free tea/coffee/citrus water in the lobby as well as the typical hygiene products. They also offered scented bath salts that you could mix yourself.
After settling into the hotel, hubby went to grab food at Mosburger and I found a local cart selling yakitori. Then, I found a cute cafe and grabbed a delicious latte and strawberry ice cream.
After breakfast, we wanted to explore the city per usual. We came across our favorite udon chain restaurant, but it was closed. Our wandering took us along more industrial buildings and shops, to the port. The sky was overcast, but we still were able to see Sakurajima island through the clouds.
Our feet then took us inland past some bookstores that we browsed, a community center where elderly visitors were watching nature videos and a shop that sold grilled mochi in a syrup (branded with the city’s mascot):
Hubby took me on a train out to a garden that promised a pretty hike and a visit to a neko shrine (cat shrine).
The views were gorgeous despite it being partly cloudy. The volcanic ash coming from the volcano in the distance really made an impression on me. Especially knowing how close we were to it, being in Kagoshima.
The neko shrine was adorable, the sculptures really well-done. We wished for the health and wellness of our cat and my sister’s cat.
I always love when they offer people the stand with the wooden pieces that you can write on. There’s something special about being able to see everyone’s wishes hanging there.
Dinner for us was at another Sri Lankan restaurant, and breakfast the next day had me foraging at a local bakery and Mr. Donut shop.
Hubby wanted to take me to Kirishima shrine, so we boarded a PINK tram (YAY) and arrived at our stopover point (Kirishima city).
We had to catch a bus that didn’t come by very often. Hubby was talking story to someone and forgot his phone at the bus stop, so we actually had to abandon ship and run back to find it. The kind person at the bus stop had brought it to a local police station as a lost item, so hubby had to fill out paperwork to retrieve it. Since we missed our bus and had to wait for the next one, we filled the time by having a well-earned lunch at this restaurant:
It had diner vibes, but traditional Japanese. The food was filling, comforting and delicious. The price was good, too. Many locals filled the seats, and I could see why.
One thing we picked up was reflux medication at a local pharmacy, and I have to show you because it’s packaged very different from what I’m used to in the States.
It was a resealable ziplock package with loose, unpackaged pills inside. By the way, we highly recommend this exact antacid, we have found it to be more effective than TUMS in the States. We wish we had bought a few more packs of these. Next time, we will!
We hiked up to Kirishima shrine, and when we were just in front of the shrine we noticed some hot onsen water gushing down the side of the road in a gully. We followed it up a path nearby and found a shrine dedicated to the mountain. I donated and purchased my own token/charm to hang.
Walking up to the entrance of Kirishima Jingu, we saw many fortunes tied to strings. Despite it being slightly rainy (drizzly, really) on and off, there were plenty of visitors.
We read some of the wishes left behind, and noticed the 800 year-old tree.
On the way out, it really felt like the shrine was in the middle of the forest (I think it was). Trees surrounding us, and just the sounds of birds.
At the entrance of most large shrines, there is usually a spot to cleanse your hands and rinse out your mouth.
By the entrance Torii, there was another installation of water flowing through a section of bamboo.
Being a popular shrine, there was a large roundabout that was convenient for dropoffs at the site.
There was a gardening (?) store that sold air plants, seen growing here from items hanging from the tree outside the store. Cats loved to climb up in the trees.
To kill time before our bus ride back, we took a short walk down the hill to a much-needed foot bath. The sign here advertised many of the local onsen (too bad we weren’t staying!).
The next day, hubby wanted to try seeing Sakurajima island.
First, we had lunch at a restaurant tucked away among shops and side streets, set in a beautiful older building covered in vines and with incense burning on the doorstep.
The whole place seemed like we were stepping into someone’s home. There was just two or three tables available for guests it seemed, and one of them was occupied with meal prep for to-go/pickup orders. Very small-scale, walk-ins accepted. The food was unbelievably good.
The restaurant was run by the cutest older couple that diligently put together to-go orders, kept running us over hot/fresh tea, and served us a beautiful course meal in traditional style. The auntie offered us each one free pin (that she made herself) to take home.
The ferry was at the port that we had visited the day prior. Easy to find, and on the inside there were shops with gifts, hand-crafted goods and cafes.
It was a tad rainy, so I stayed seated on the inside, but hubby wanted to enjoy the view in the fresh air.
Upon arrival, we found foot baths and trails. It was clearly very rural, and it seemed like by the port there was only one convenience store. After walking around, we took the bus to an area by a restaurant that my hubby had looked up ahead of time and really wanted to visit. Unfortunately, when we came up on the restaurant after our walk, it was closed, so we ended up deciding to do onsen instead (we had come across a local onsen while wandering). It was so nice. Although, if you have tattoos they will ask you to rent a private onsen instead of using the public one. We were happy to do so, as the price was not bad, I think it was something like $1,000 yen for both of us.
Pictured above as well, I had wondered about something I had seen while walking up and down the residential streets. Periodically, there were signs like this showing the volcano and yellow bags with what seemed like dirt/dust piled up around it. I looked online later, and found that it is volcanic ash that residents regularly have to sweep up on their property and place into bags to be disposed of elsewhere. I think it is harmful to their health if they leave it to accumulate.
The next day, our last day in Kagoshima, we decided to make a second trip to Sakurajima Island to see if the restaurant was open but also to see the island again.
We were happy to be able to try the food here – run by a local family, for many years. They use produce grown on the island, so everything you eat is guaranteed to be nourished by the volcanic ash falling on the crops. They had a story posted about the original founder of the restaurant, and a picture of an award-winning turnip (among others). They also sold pretty hand-crafted items and desserts.
It was delicious food, I can still remember how good it tasted. Even the rice was delicious down to the last grain (motainai!). For dessert we were given coffee and fresh fruit.
What an island! If you ever get a chance to go, don’t be afraid of the volcanic plumes coming from it regularly. It is frequently active and the residents are used to living there. If the activity amps up, the local government ensures that the ferries run more frequently to and from the island in case an evacuation is ever needed. There is a convenient bus system on the island that you can take to see the sights and go up the mountain to see the eruption up close, and we took it to stop by a local museum that helped us learn more about the volcano.
Rilakkuma Obsessed 