[2025 Kagoshima Attraction] Travel Guide for Reimeikan - Kagoshima History Museum and Fine Arts Center (Updated Feb)

Kagoshima City is the capital of Kagoshima Prefecture, the southernmost part of the Kyushu region. It is not a tourist destination in Japan, but you can actually spend a day to experience the charm of this slow-paced city. - ❶ View Sakurajima from the Shiroyama Park Observation Deck ❷Tour around the city on the Kagoshima City Tram ❸Try the super-famous Kagoshima black pork cutlet rice - Takuya Kawakaku ❹ Check out the super popular Shirokuma shaved ice ❺Purchase Kagoshima specialty—かるかん（軽羹） ❻Find your favorite coffee shop in the alley near Tenmonkan Station and enjoy the afternoon ❼Go to the かごっまふるさと屋台村 and have a drink and eat some local snacks - 🌟Tips ①Suica cannot be used on Kagoshima City. If you do not have a local transportation card, you can only get off the bus and insert coins or use a credit card. One way is 160 yen. ② Kawajiu needs to make a reservation. Enter your mobile phone number on the machine at the entrance of the store to make a reservation. ③かるかん recommends Akashiya’s. It’s like the rice cakes I ate when I was a kid. It’s lightly sweet and super delicious! Available both inside and outside the station, but the shelf life is very short ④There are two major stations in Kagoshima. Kagoshima Station is convenient to Shiroyama Park and the Aquarium. Kagoshima Chuo Station is convenient to take the Shinkansen. Both stations are connected by JR. ⑤Everyone has to order one portion of Shirokuma Shaved Ice. The normal size is for 1 to 2 people (a very big portion), so just order the baby size. ⑥The Seal of the Hundred Castles of Kagoshima Castle is in the [Aimeikan] at the foot of the mountain, but the Aimeikan is closed on Mondays. You can also go to the [Kagoshima Castle Seal] near Central Park, and you can also buy the castle seal.

Atsuhime was the one who misled the taiga drama production team into thinking that a drama would be a hit if it had a female lead. There is a statue of her here at Reimeikan. There are also statues of Nanataka Ikuhisa (I don't know her, lol) and Nanataka Yukari (I don't know her, of course)! #museum #kagoshima

Reimeikan is a museum where you can learn about the history of Kagoshima Prefecture dating back to prehistoric times, and there are many stone monuments in the garden! Admission to the garden itself is free, so if you're in the area, be sure to stop by! There's even a statue of Princess Atsuhime, who became famous in the historical drama series! #museum #kagoshima

Taking the Kyushu Shinkansen, I arrived in Kagoshima City in the southern part of Kyushu. This city is built around the Sakurajima Volcano, which erupts many times throughout the year. When I arrived, the volcano's crater was still emitting thick smoke. Every household in Kagoshima City has bags in front of their doors to collect volcanic ash. From the observatory in Shiroyama Park, you can see the entire city and the Sakurajima Volcano. Shiroyama Park is the site of the last civil war in Japan, the Satsuma Rebellion. After being defeated in the Satsuma Rebellion, Saigo Takamori committed suicide here. It is said that if you haven't seen the Sakurajima Volcano, you haven't truly been to Kagoshima. However, sometimes due to bad weather, fog may obscure the view of Sakurajima, so it's best to visit on a clear day. Walking to Kagoshima Port allows you to appreciate the Sakurajima Volcano up close. There are ferries that can take you to Sakurajima, but they may stop operating during volcanic eruptions. Kagoshima City also has many statues of famous people. Starting from Kagoshima Chuo Station, you can see statues of Saigo Takamori and Okubo Toshimichi, the statue of the 11th lord of the Satsuma Domain, Shimazu Nariakira, in Terukuni Shrine, the statue of Atsuhime in the Reimeikan, and the statues of Sakamoto Ryoma and his wife in the Tenmonkan shopping street. In the Tenmonkan shopping street, I tasted Kyushu's tonkotsu ramen and Shirokuma ice cream. The Ishin Furusato Museum near Kagoshima Chuo Station is a place to learn about the history of the Satsuma Domain. Kagoshima is also one of the birthplaces of the Meiji Restoration. The museum records historical materials related to Saigo Takamori, the arrival of the Black Ships, the Satsuma-Choshu Alliance, and the Satsuma Rebellion. There are many items related to the NHK Taiga drama "Segodon." The entrance fee is 300 yen, and the museum is usually open year-round. Kagoshima · Kagoshima Prefecture Sakurajima