Furu Anime Panikku

Going to Kagoshima was on impulse. I didn’t have any plans to head there, but I had a day with totally nothing to do. It was my second time in Kyuushuu. Kumamoto had not many other places of interest left to offer, I would be heading to Fukuoka later on, and heading to Oita would just make me feel depressed. The only other nearest place left was Kagoshima.

I hadn’t the slightest idea of what to expect in Kagoshima since I didn’t even do any information gathering. Upon arriving at Kagoshima Chuo station, I took a look at the area map at the station.

The most striking thing was Sakurajima, since it was the nearest island from the station. That was my destination.

Similar to Kumamoto City, there were trams. Yet, I chose to walk all the way to the ferry terminal. Usually, I would prefer to walk if the distance permits in order to take in more sights and sounds.

I finally arrived at a ferry terminal, only to find out that it was the one to Sakurajima, but islands such as Yakushima. Most of the people there were carrying trolley luggage and haversacks, indicating that the islands were not for 1 day trips. True enough, the ferry ride cost nearly 10000 yen for a 2-way trip, and took far longer than I had anticipated.

I made my way over to the correct terminal, but before that, I made a stop at the Kagoshima Aquarium.

It wasn’t anything impressive, and the only interesting thing was the dolphin show. I still prefer the aquarium in Nagoya which I went to 3 years ago.

The ferry ride to Sakurajima costs 300 yen for regular passengers. It’s possible to drive your vehicle aboard the ferry too. The ferry ride, while short, allowed me to bask a little in the relaxing sea breeze. I’m heading away from the city into nature!

Indeed, the sea is what separates the city and nature of Kagoshima city. For someone like me who has been facing concrete trees all day long, it’s a much welcomed refreshing change.

Divided by the sea

At Sakurajima, I grabbed a map to decide where to visit. It turned out that the island was far larger than I had expected. Most of the places were far from the terminal. Walking would be insane, especially for a day trip. I could take the bus, but it wasn’t cheap. I still had nearly 2 weeks remaining in Japan, so I decided to pass and walk instead.

Near the terminal, there was a volcanic rock route, as well as an outdoor foot bath. After quite a bit of walking in the city, I decided to soak my legs for a while before embarking on the route.

The scenery along the route was totally worth the 3km hike. I may be seem like it, but I do actually enjoy nature.

Halfway during the route, I wanted to sidetrack a little off the gravel path into the grassy areas. However, upon realising that I’ve only seen a single person on the route, I decided against it. If there were any snakes or who-knows-what, I’d probably end up dying there before I can get any medical aid.

When I finally arrived at the end of the route, I realised that the end point was just a observation hut. There was no bus back to the terminal, and that meant another 3km. My legs were starting to ache due to the exercise I’ve lacked for years. I’m starting to think that living in Japan might just keep my fitness level up.

I headed back to the city sometime during the evening. Worn out from all that walking, I treated myself to a famous Kagoshima dessert, the しろくま (Polar Bear). It was really sweet, too sweet for my liking.

It was a real pity that I didn’t do any preparation before heading to Kagoshima. I’ve only covered a fraction of what Kagoshima has to offer, and I’m certainly excited about going back there again. There’s still Kirishima and Yakushima that I want to visit, and Sakurajima which I want to revisit. However, the next time I return to Kagoshima, I’ll probably find some companions. Hiking and having fun in the outdoors gets boring really quick if you’re all alone.