RegionUsable guide

Kagoshima (prefecture)

Prefecture of Japan

Photo: Fred Cherrygarden, CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Overview

Kagoshima Prefecture (鹿児島県 Kagoshima-ken) is the southernmost prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. Here you can find the majestic cedar forests of Yakushima, active volcanoes such as Sakurajima, abundant hot springs, samurai history, and rich nature.

Getting there and around

Getting there

By train
Kagoshima is the southern terminus of the Kyushu Shinkansen line. A bullet train service connects Kagoshima with Shin-Osaka in 3 hours and 45 minutes launched.
By ferry
Virtually all ferries heading south towards the Amami Islands or Okinawa call in at Kagoshima.

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Getting around

By ferry
Kagoshima's islands are connected by a web of ferries radiating out from Kagoshima, with some also calling in at Ibusuki.

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Airports and nearby hotels

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Kagoshima Airport

Kagoshima · International · KOJ

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Read before you go to Kagoshima (prefecture)

Articles and travel topics about Kagoshima (prefecture) and Japan.

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Full travel guide

Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.

DestinationsKagoshima prefecture lie at the south end of Kyushu, which is the southernmost of the four main islands in Japan.

UnderstandKagoshima was known as Satsuma (薩摩) until 1871. It was one of the strongest Japanese provinces, at its height ruling an empire whose effective domain extended from Okinawa in the south to northern Kyushu.

TalkThe Kagoshiman dialect of Japanese, called Kagoshima-ben (鹿児島弁) or Satsuma-ben (薩摩弁), is famously incomprehensible to other Japanese.

Get inKagoshima's airport (KOJ), about two hours by air from Tokyo, is well-connected to the rest of Japan and has links to Seoul and Shanghai. There are also direct flights to Amami Oshima from Tokyo-Haneda and Osaka-Itami.

Get aroundMost of the prefecture's larger islands are served by flights from Kagoshima, although schedules are sparse and costs high. For example, JAC's 25-min hop to Yakushima costs ¥12,750 one-way.

EatKagoshima is an agricultural area, known for numerous products:

DrinkKagoshima's specialty is imojōchū (芋焼酎), a strong liquor distilled from sweet potatoes (薩摩芋 satsuma-imo).

Stay safeKagoshima, like most of Japan, is remarkably safe place with kind people. Of course this is no excuse to forget common sense, so take regular precautions with your valuables and yourself.

Sources and licences

Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Kagoshima (prefecture)" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
Summary from the Wikipedia article "Kagoshima Prefecture", available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikipedia
Photo: Fred Cherrygarden, CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

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