Kagoshima Guide

Kagoshima Ferry Port

Shadowed by the rugged slopes of the monumental Sakurajima stratovolcano, its active peak still spewing great clouds of ash and smoke, is the seaside city of Kagoshima. Though ranked as the rainiest region in all of Japan, this sprawling city on the southernmost tip of the country’s Kyushu island more than makes up for it with its heady mix of culture and history. Once the most powerful Japanese province under the name of Satsuma, the region was rocked in 1877 by an armed uprising of embittered samurai warriors who were angry at having their military status stripped by the Empire. After months of fighting, the rebellion was crushed and the samurai class never recovered. The locals of Kagoshima are also known for their use of a unique dialect (known as the Satsugu dialect), that is unlike any other across Japan. The twang is so distinctive that even people of neighbouring regions struggle to decipher the peculiar words and phrases. The cuisine in Kagoshima is also defined by its uniqueness. Deep fried fish cakes known as Satsuma age are commonly eaten dipped in ginger-infused soy sauce, and a variety of locally caught fish- from Amberjack to Sashimi herring - are prepared in restaurants throughout the city. The port in Kagoshima is located on the banks of the deep-blue waters of Kagoshima bay, just opposite the island that plays host to the iconic Mount Sakurajima. Though the piers teem with vessels and the air is filled with the clatter and clang of the nearby shipyards, the harbour is surrounded by stretches of green parkland and broad-leafed palm trees that give the area a scenic front. The ferry terminal in Kagoshima, discerned by its triangular, green roof, is found on a wide pier just south of the Dolphin Port shopping centre. The terminal is supported by a multitude of transport links that allow passengers to head back and forth to Kagoshima City and beyond. Local taxis and coaches operate from bays just outside the entrance to the port, regularly whisking passengers both downtown and towards the mountainous back-country. One of the best ways to traverse the urban maze of bustling shopping malls and modern apartment blocks is by catching a city tram from Asahidori station just a ten-minute walk from the ferry terminal. Those looking to travel further afield can hop on a train from Kagoshima station and follow the Satsuma peninsula coastline along the Nippo Main Line; a route that shoots east to the cities of Miyakonojo and Miyazaki. A number of ferry routes currently operate from the port throughout the week. Services hosted by Tane Yaku Jetfoil lines sail across Kagoshima Bay to the islands that pepper the sea to the south; destinations including the district of Nishinoomote on Tanegashima Island, and the towns of Anbo and Miyanoura on the island of Yakushima. Another route makes a beeline for the tip of the Satsuma peninsula and the city of Ibusuki.

Ibusuki Guide

Ibusuki Ferry Port

On the island of Kyushu forming part of the mosaic of southern Japan the coastal city of Ibusuki. The city is nestled deep within volcanic country and is surrounded by a steeply undulating landscape of verdant hills that pale in comparison to the hulking peak of the Kaimondake volcano on the western outskirts. Ibusuki is also famed for its black-sand spas and hot springs warmed by the underground flow of magma. Every year visitors flock to the city to don towelling robes, bury themselves up to their necks in the sand, and let the curative warmth knead the aches and pains away. The area around Ibusuki is a wonderland of natural beauty. Upon the fertile hills of the countryside are found a multi-coloured motley of deep woodland and flowers; among them the emblematic hibiscus plant whose blossoms are resplendent in a mix of crimsons, golds and pinks. With such a diverse range of flora on the doorstep, it is little wonder that the city has gained a reputation as an important wildlife sanctuary. The Ibusuki Experimental Botanical Garden; where students can study rare, tropical plants and genetic conservation; is just one of the many local facilities dedicated to protecting Mother Earth. The port in Ibusuki is found in the Minato district of the city, on the eastern side of the spine of hills that splits the city in two. It consists of a wide pier that extends into a section of the warm Kagoshima Bay sheltered by a breakwater. A single, palm-lined road leads from the residential streets that trace the city shore to the ferry terminal at the tip of the pier. The small facility, painted in baby-pink, is home to a ticket office, a small car-park, a few vending machines selling food and drink, and an indoor waiting room. The easiest way to travel to the port is to catch the Ibusukimakurazaki Line train to Ibusuki Station and then walk the short distance to the port. Those driving can make use of the number 226 motorway that cuts through the heart of the city before curving north along the coast of the peninsula towards the city of Kagoshima. This route is regularly traversed by buses that leave from a stop just outside the train station to whisk passengers to Kagoshima airport. Three ferry routes currently operate from the port in Ibusuki throughout the week. Services hosted by Tane Yaku Jetfoil zip to various destinations in the southern reaches of Japan. They include short island-hopping trips to Miyanoura on the island of Yakushima and Nishinoomote on Tanegashima, as well as a slightly longer trip north through Kagoshima Bay to the mainland city of Kagoshima.