Visiting Sakurajima and Tarumizu—lands shaped by a volcano and the ocean
Sakurajima, an active volcano in the middle of a bay which frequently makes small eruptions that spew smoke high into the air, is one of the most iconic sights of Kagoshima. You’ve organized a two-day road trip in and around the volcano, starting with a ferry ride across the bay from Kamoike Port in Kagoshima City to tranquil Tarumizu, where you hope to savor the city’s beautiful natural scenery and delicious local cuisine. The next day, you plan to visit Sakurajima, visiting the lava fields and observation points to get a firsthand sense of the volcano’s natural power. This trip is going to be all about the joy of travel.
Taking the car on the ferry to Tarumizu
Fairfield by Marriott Kagoshima Sakurajima is situated in a location from where both Kagoshima Bay (called Kinko Bay locally) and majestic Sakurajima are visible. It will serve as the perfect stopover for your trip. Plus, it has a roof terrace that offers stunning views of the volcano and the bay.
08:00 Kagoshima-Chuo Train Station
08:15 Luck Apartment
09:10 Kamoike Port
10:20 Tarumizu Port Ferry Terminal
11:00 Lunch at Minato Shokudo
13:00 Kamikawa Otaki Waterfall Park
15:00 Sugawara Shrine
16:00 Fairfield by Marriott Kagoshima Sakurajima
Day 1 Total Distance: 90 km
Day 1 Total Travel Time: About 3 hours 40 minutes
You’ll begin your journey in downtown Kagoshima City. You’ll drive to the Kamoike Port ferry terminal, where you’ll load your car onto the ferry to cross Kagoshima Bay. Your first destination is going to be Tarumizu, which stretches along the eastern shore of the bay. The peaceful port city, bordered by both sea and mountains, is famous for its spectacular views of Sakurajima. Throughout your explorations of the city, the volcano will always be in the background, changing its face as the hours pass.
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You leave Kagoshima-Chuo Station and drive toward the port, passing clattering streetcars on the way.
Luck Apartment: A café that welcomes all
A legacy inherited from a beloved jazz café
Before boarding the ferry, you stop at Luck Apartment, a café right next to Kagoshima City Hall. It opens at 6:30, and you are glad to have somewhere to sip a delicious latte first thing in the morning.
The friendly owner, Hirotaka Fukunaga, tells you that on weekdays the café gets crowded with people working nearby before they head into the office or during their lunch break. On weekends, it often hosts events that attract a younger clientele. Since it’s near the ferry terminal, it also draws many international tourists.
Inside, you notice the café’s massive collection of records and its heavy-duty sound system. Hirotaka inherited them from a famous jazz café that had been a long-beloved fixture in the city, and he still carefully maintains and uses them today. Sometimes, former regulars from that café visit to listen to the records and relive days gone by. You suspect it’s because Hirotaka knows exactly the kind of place he wants to run that he’s managed to give the shop a warm atmosphere that brings people together across generations.
Ferrying your car across Kagoshima Bay
Kamoike to Tarumizu—a ferry route that is part of daily life
After your indulgent cup of morning coffee, you head to Kamoike Port, where you plan to board the ferry that runs between the cities of Kagoshima and Tarumizu. You’re a little nervous about driving your car onto a ferry for the first time, but the instructions of the staff are clear, and you board without a hitch.
After parking and heading toward the passenger cabin, you are surprised to see an udon noodle stand on board. This is Nankai Udon, which operates only here on the Tarumizu Ferry. You are charmed—where else could you enjoy a bowl of noodles during a 40-minute boat ride? The thick flour noodles—and the view of Sakurajima and Kagoshima Bay passing by the ferry—only heighten your excitement for the journey ahead.
With such beautiful scenery to enjoy, it seems like but the blink of an eye before you arrive at Tarumizu Port. An announcement prompts you to return to your car, and you follow the crew’s instructions to disembark. What a neat experience to travel by car via ferry—although you suspect it’s an everyday thing for the locals!
Upon landing on the Osumi Peninsula, where Tarumizu is located, you take in an atmosphere that feels distinctly tropical—very different from Kagoshima City.
Minato Shokudo: A sumptuous meal dedicated to amberjack
The fresh flavors of a fishermen’s cooperative
You head south to Kanoya Port, where you pull into Minato Shokudo, a restaurant directly managed by the city of Kanoya’s fishery cooperative. They specialize in dishes made with Kanoya Kampachi amberjack, freshly caught and just arrived at port. You go for the most popular item, the Marinated Amberjack Rice Bowl Set. The fresh, firm meat pairs perfectly with the soy sauce marinade. You notice the soy sauce in Kagoshima is sweeter and richer than the more commonly found version, and you take a moment to appreciate the wide variety of regional cuisine in Japan—one of the true joys of traveling the country. Amberjack is also used in the side dishes—a simmered fish head and a miso soup—making for a truly luxurious meal fully centered around amberjack.
Incidentally, Kagoshima is Japan’s top producer of farm-raised amberjack. You’re glad to have had this opportunity to indulge in fresh-caught fish—and it’s clear that other tourists, many of them on their way to scenic Cape Sata, have the same idea. Minato Shokudo’s reputation has spread by word of mouth, and the restaurant has grown into a place that naturally attracts travelers like you. After all, what could be better than savoring local specialties right where they’re produced?
Kamikawa Otaki Waterfall Park: Walking among the waterfalls
Multiple falls accessible via suspension bridges and walking trails
You take National Route 269 south along the shore of Kagoshima Bay before arriving at Kamikawa Otaki Waterfall Park, a scenic spot where you can immerse yourself in the nature of the Osumi Peninsula. The park is dotted with multiple waterfalls, the largest of them, Kamikawa Otaki, with a drop of about 25 meters (80 feet) and a width of about 30 meters (100 feet). Walking trails and suspension bridges allow you to get up close to the falls and take in the dynamic scenery from a number of different vantage points.
Kagoshima actually is home to many waterfalls. The abundant rainfall and volcanic terrain have given rise to a landscape of beautiful cascades. As you walk past Kamikawa Otaki, feeling its spray on your skin, you begin to comprehend the vast scale of nature on the Osumi Peninsula. This park is the perfect place to relax after a long drive; it leaves you refreshed in body and soul.
Sugawara Shrine: A Shinto shrine on a rocky outcropping
Prayers for success and views of the sea
Your next stop is Sugawara Shrine, which is dedicated to the 9th-century aristocrat Sugawara no Michizane, revered for his contributions to education. The shrine building—located at the top of a rocky slope—is adorned with numerous votive plaques, used by worshippers to pray for academic success. Many people visit to pray for academic achievement and success on exams; you suspect that the shrine is especially crowded with students and their families during exam season.
Within the grounds, you notice people who appear to be locals carefully tending to the shrine’s upkeep. You get the impression that it’s an important fixture in their daily lives. Sugawara Shrine is popular as a scenic spot due to its location on a land-tied island with views of two mountains, Kaimondake and Sakurajima, but it seems to be also deeply intertwined with the local community.
Stunning views from the Fairfield by Marriott Kagoshima Sakurajima
Sipping local shochu from Yachiyoden Shuzo
You arrive at your hotel, Fairfield by Marriott Kagoshima Sakurajima. While you check in, the staff inform you that the good weather means there should be a clear view of Sakurajima from the roof terrace. You go up right away and are indeed greeted with an expansive view of the volcano.
Once inside your ocean-view guest room, you look out over Kagoshima Bay and listen to the faint sound of the waves through the closed windows. After dinner, you poke your head into the hotel’s Marketplace, where a bottle of Yachiyoden Kuro catches your eye. You see that this shochu is brewed at Yachiyoden Shuzo, a distillery in Sarugajo Gorge here in Tarumizu, and is rarely found in mass retailers. You borrow a glass from the front desk, fill it with ice from the ice machine in the Lobby Lounge, and pour yourself a glass on the rocks. You take a sip, savoring its rich texture and subtle sweetness.
The hotel staff mention that the distillery offers tours, which you don’t hesitate to add to the following day’s itinerary.
Per Night Per Room from ¥15,730