Kagoshima · Things to do
Things to Do in Kagoshima: 17 Places with Hours, Prices and Access
17 things to do · checked October 22, 2026
17 things to do in Kagoshima, from Sakurajima and the city to the day trips
Hours, prices and access checked against each place's own page on October 22, 2026. They change; check before you go.
1Sakurajima Ferry桜島フェリー
City-run ferry · Kagoshima Port
The Kagoshima City ferry between Kagoshima Port and Sakurajima Port. The crossing takes about 15 minutes (about 20 in rough weather). Since 1 October 2025 it no longer runs around the clock: there are no sailings between 0:00 and 3:59.
Saturday 24 October 2026 runs on a partly special timetable.
- Access
- Kagoshima Port terminal: from Kagoshima-Chuo Station, Kagoshima City View bus to Kagoshima Suizokukan-mae (Kagoshima Port) and 1 minute on foot; or the tram bound for Kagoshima-ekimae to Suizokukan-guchi and 5 minutes on foot. About 7 minutes on foot from JR Kagoshima Station.
- Price
- Adults ¥250; ages 1 to elementary school ¥130; one preschool child per adult free. Credit cards and e-money accepted at the ticket offices, gates and toll booths
2Sakurajima Island View busサクラジマアイランドビュー
Sightseeing loop bus · Sakurajima
A city loop bus from Sakurajima Port to the island's viewpoints, including Akamizu and Yunohira. One loop takes about 60 minutes and it runs 15 times a day, every 30 minutes from 9:30 to 16:30.
- Access
- Starts and ends at Sakurajima Port, where the ferry arrives.
- Hours
- Departures every 30 minutes, 9:30–16:30
- Price
- Fare by distance: adults ¥230, children ¥120. One-day pass adults ¥500, children ¥250 (sold on board and at the Kagoshima Port ticket office)
3Sakurajima Visitor Centre桜島ビジターセンター
Volcano visitor centre · Sakurajima Port
A free visitor centre about the volcano, a short walk from the ferry. Its operator puts the trip from central Kagoshima to Sakurajima at about 45 minutes in all.
- Access
- About 10 minutes on foot from the Sakurajima Port ferry terminal. Address: 1722-29 Sakurajima Yokoyama-cho.
- Hours
- 9:00–17:00
- Closed on
- Open every day
- Price
- Free
4Sakurajima Lava Nagisa Park foot bath桜島溶岩なぎさ公園足湯
Free hot-spring foot bath · Sakurajima Port
A foot bath about 100 m long in a seaside park, fed by natural hot spring water drawn from about 1,000 m underground. It faces the bay with the volcano behind.
- Access
- About 9 minutes on foot from the Sakurajima Port ferry terminal; 1 minute from the Visitor Center bus stop. Address: 1722-3 Sakurajima Yokoyama-cho.
- Hours
- Park open at all times; foot bath 9:00 until sunset
- Price
- Free
5Yunohira Observatory湯之平展望所
Volcano viewpoint · Sakurajima
A viewpoint at 373 m, at the fourth station of Kitadake. It is the highest point on Sakurajima open to the public.
- Access
- Yunohira Tenbosho bus stop, right outside (on the Island View loop). About 11 minutes by car from the Sakurajima ferry toll booth.
- Hours
- Viewpoint open at all times; shop 9:00–17:00
- Price
- Free
6Arimura Lava Observatory有村溶岩展望所
Lava field walk · Sakurajima
A viewpoint on the Taisho-era lava field at the foot of Minamidake, with a walking path of about 1 km. The operator notes that rumbling and blasts from the summit crater are often heard here.
- Access
- Yogan Tenboshomae bus stop, right outside. About 13 minutes by car from the Sakurajima ferry toll booth. Address: 952 Arimura-cho.
- Hours
- Open at all times
- Price
- Free
7Sengan-en仙巌園
Garden and Shimadzu family residence · Iso
The Shimadzu family's garden and residence. Since October 2024 only one ticket is sold, and it covers the garden, the residence (goten) and the Shoko Shuseikan, the Shimadzu family history museum.
- Access
- Kagoshima City View bus stop Sengan-en (Iso Teien)-mae.
- Hours
- 9:00–17:00
- Closed on
- Open every day
- Price
- Age 15 and over (except high school students) ¥1,600; elementary to high school ¥800; age 0–6 free
8Shiroyama and its observation deck城山（城山展望台）
Hill and city viewpoint · Shiroyama
A 107 m hill near the city centre. The observation deck looks over the city to Sakurajima, and the hill keeps sites from the last hard-fought battle of the Satsuma Rebellion (Seinan War), among them Saigo's Cave.
- Access
- Shiroyama stop on the Kagoshima City View bus (day route and night route), right outside. About 10 minutes by car from the Kagoshima Port ferry terminal.
- Hours
- Open at all times
- Price
- Free
9Kagoshima City View busカゴシマシティビュー
Sightseeing loop bus · Kagoshima-Chuo Station
A city loop of about 80 minutes from Kagoshima-Chuo Station past the Museum of the Meiji Restoration, Tenmonkan, Shiroyama, Sengan-en and the aquarium at Kagoshima Port. A night route runs to Shiroyama and back.
- Access
- Starts at Kagoshima-Chuo Station east exit, stop 4. Kagoshima-Chuo is the end of the loop: to stay on, you pay again.
- Price
- Per ride adults ¥230, children ¥120. One-day pass adults ¥600, children ¥300 (with a passport for discounts at sights such as the Museum of the Meiji Restoration and the aquarium). Night-route day pass adults ¥250, children ¥130
10Kagoshima City Aquarium (Io World)いおワールドかごしま水族館
Aquarium · Kagoshima Port
The city aquarium beside the Sakurajima ferry pier. Tickets bought on the day allow re-entry on that day.
- Access
- Tram Line 2 from Kagoshima-Chuo toward Kagoshima-ekimae, about 15 minutes, to Suizokukan-guchi, then 8 minutes on foot. Buses from Kagoshima-Chuo to Kagoshima Suizokukan-mae, about 15 minutes. About 15 minutes on foot from JR Kagoshima Station.
- Hours
- 9:30–18:00 (last entry 17:00)
- Closed on
- Four days from the first Monday of December (7–10 December 2026); open as usual over the New Year
- Price
- High school age and over ¥2,000; elementary and junior high ¥1,000; younger children free
11Museum of the Meiji Restoration (Ishin Furusato-kan)維新ふるさと館
History museum · Kagoshima-Chuo Station
A city museum on Satsuma and Japan at the end of the Edo period and the people behind the Meiji Restoration, told through exhibits, film and games. It closes from 24 November 2026 to 22 January 2027 for an exhibition renewal.
Closed 24 November 2026 – 22 January 2027.
- Access
- About 8 minutes on foot from Kagoshima-Chuo Station. Also a stop on the Kagoshima City View bus. Address: 23-1 Kajiya-cho.
- Hours
- 9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30)
- Closed on
- 24 November 2026 – 22 January 2027 (renovation; the museum says the dates may change). Otherwise open every day
12Ibusuki no Tamatebako train指宿のたまて箱
Sightseeing train · Kagoshima-Chuo Station
A JR Kyushu sightseeing train between Kagoshima-Chuo and Ibusuki, with seats on the sea side that swivel to face the water. Three round trips a day, all seats reserved; about 51–53 minutes each way.
- Access
- Departs Kagoshima-Chuo 9:56, 11:56 and 13:56; departs Ibusuki 10:56, 12:57 and 15:07 (timetable as of January 2026; JR Kyushu says it may change).
- Hours
- Daily
13Ibusuki sand bath: Sunamushi Kaikan Saraku砂むし会館 砂楽
Hot sand bath · Ibusuki
Ibusuki Onsen's sand-bath house: a hot sand bath (sunamushi) and a large hot-spring bath. When waits get long, sand-bath reception can close earlier than planned.
- Access
- About 5 minutes by taxi or about 20 minutes on foot from JR Ibusuki Station. Route bus from Kagoshima city about 1 hour 30 minutes to Sunamushi Kaikan-mae. Address: 5-25-18 Yunohama, Ibusuki.
- Hours
- 8:30–21:00 (last entry 20:00); on weekdays sand-bath reception pauses 12:00–13:00
- Closed on
- Maintenance closures of about a week in July and December; may close in bad weather
- Price
- Sand bath sets from ¥1,500 (junior high and over) / ¥800 (elementary and under); ¥2,100 / ¥1,400 with yukata and towels. Special prices 29 December 2026 – 3 January 2027
14Chiran Samurai Residence Gardens知覧武家屋敷庭園
Samurai district and gardens · Chiran (Minamikyushu)
A preserved samurai street with seven gardens designated together as a National Place of Scenic Beauty. Six are dry landscape gardens; the Mori Shigekata garden is the only one with a pond.
- Access
- Chiran-bound buses leave from Kagoshima-Chuo Station east exit, stop 16 (per the Chiran Peace Museum).
- Hours
- 9:00–17:00
- Closed on
- Open every day of the year
- Price
- Adults ¥530; elementary and junior high ¥320
15Chiran Peace Museum for Kamikaze Pilots知覧特攻平和会館
War history museum · Chiran (Minamikyushu)
A museum in Chiran about the wartime special attack (kamikaze) pilots, with storyteller talks and film screenings at set times. A joint ticket also covers Museum Chiran next door.
- Access
- Bus from Kagoshima-Chuo Station east exit stop 16 toward Chiran to Tokko Kannon Iriguchi, then about 5 minutes on foot. By taxi from Kagoshima-Chuo about 32 km, about 45 minutes and about ¥9,500.
- Hours
- 9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30)
- Closed on
- Open every day; may close in typhoons
- Price
- Adults ¥500; elementary and junior high ¥300. Joint ticket with Museum Chiran adults ¥600, children ¥400
16Kirishima Jingu霧島神宮
Shrine · Kirishima
A shrine whose main hall, offering hall and worship hall are designated National Treasures.
- Access
- Kagoshima Kotsu buses from JR Kirishima-Jingu Station and from Kagoshima Airport; some airport journeys change at Maruo. Bus timetables are on the shrine's access page.
17Yakushima屋久島
Island trip · Yakushima
An island in Kagoshima Prefecture, reached from Kagoshima city by high-speed boat from the South Pier.
Listed here for the boat from Kagoshima; Yakushima will get its own page.
- Access
- Toppy and Rocket high-speed boats from Kagoshima South Pier (5 Honko-shinmachi), landing at Miyanoura or Anbo port. The final decision to sail is made 1 hour before departure.
Good to know
Start with Sakurajima. The city ferry crosses from Kagoshima Port in about 15 minutes for ¥250, and the Visitor Centre, the free foot bath and the Island View loop bus to Yunohira are all at the Sakurajima end. Since October 2025 the ferry no longer runs between 0:00 and 3:59.
Back in the city, the Kagoshima City View bus links Kagoshima-Chuo Station with the Museum of the Meiji Restoration, Shiroyama, Sengan-en and the aquarium for ¥230 a ride or ¥600 for the day. Ibusuki (about 51–53 minutes on the Tamatebako train), Chiran and Kirishima Jingu are the trips out of the city on this list; Yakushima is a boat trip.
Dates to plan around: the Museum of the Meiji Restoration is closed from 24 November 2026 to 22 January 2027, the aquarium from 7 to 10 December 2026, and the Ibusuki sand bath charges special prices from 29 December 2026 to 3 January 2027.
Sakurajima, the city, or a day out
How you get there, what it costs to get in and how late you can still start. Adult prices; children's prices are on each card above.
| Where | Getting there | Entry (adult) | Latest start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sakurajima: Visitor Centre, foot bath, Yunohira, Arimura | Ferry from Kagoshima Port, about 15 min; Visitor Centre about 10 min on foot from the port; Island View bus to Yunohira | Ferry ¥250 · Island View ¥230 a ride or ¥500 a day · sights free | No ferries 0:00–3:59 · last Island View departure 16:30 · Visitor Centre to 17:00 |
| City: Sengan-en, Shiroyama, Museum of the Meiji Restoration | City View bus from Kagoshima-Chuo (¥230 a ride, ¥600 a day); the museum is about 8 min on foot from the station | Sengan-en ¥1,600 · Shiroyama free | Museum last entry 16:30 · Sengan-en to 17:00 · Shiroyama open at all times |
| Kagoshima City Aquarium | Tram to Suizokukan-guchi (about 15 min) + 8 min on foot | ¥2,000 | Last entry 17:00 |
| Ibusuki sand bath | Tamatebako train about 51–53 min, then about 5 min by taxi from Ibusuki Station | Sand bath sets from ¥1,500 | Last entry 20:00 |
| Chiran: samurai gardens and Peace Museum | Bus from Kagoshima-Chuo east exit stop 16; taxi about 45 min | Gardens ¥530 · Peace Museum ¥500 | Peace Museum last entry 16:30 · gardens to 17:00 |
By kind of trip
First trip, one day
Cross to Sakurajima on the ferry, take the Island View loop to Yunohira, then use the City View bus for Sengan-en and Shiroyama. Sengan-en closes at 17:00; Shiroyama is open at all times.
Sakurajima Ferry · Yunohira Observatory · Sengan-en · Shiroyama and its observation deck
Free or nearly free
The Visitor Centre, the Nagisa foot bath, Yunohira and Shiroyama cost nothing; the ferry over is ¥250.
Sakurajima Visitor Centre · Sakurajima Lava Nagisa Park foot bath · Yunohira Observatory · Shiroyama and its observation deck
With children
The aquarium is ¥1,000 for elementary and junior high and free for younger children. The ferry is free for one preschool child per adult, and the Visitor Centre is free.
Kagoshima City Aquarium (Io World) · Sakurajima Ferry · Sakurajima Visitor Centre
Rainy day
These are indoors. The aquarium takes its last visitors at 17:00, the Chiran Peace Museum and the Museum of the Meiji Restoration at 16:30 (the latter is closed 24 November 2026 – 22 January 2027).
Kagoshima City Aquarium (Io World) · Chiran Peace Museum for Kamikaze Pilots · Sakurajima Visitor Centre · Museum of the Meiji Restoration (Ishin Furusato-kan)
A day out of the city
The Tamatebako train runs three times a day to Ibusuki for the sand bath. Chiran-bound buses leave from Kagoshima-Chuo east exit stop 16; Kirishima Jingu is reached by bus from Kirishima-Jingu Station or the airport.
Ibusuki no Tamatebako train · Ibusuki sand bath: Sunamushi Kaikan Saraku · Chiran Samurai Residence Gardens · Kirishima Jingu
Questions
How do I get to Sakurajima, and how much is the ferry?
Take the Sakurajima Ferry from the Kagoshima Port terminal: about 15 minutes, ¥250 for adults and ¥130 from age 1 to elementary school. From Kagoshima-Chuo Station, the City View bus stops at Kagoshima Suizokukan-mae, 1 minute from the terminal; the tram stop Suizokukan-guchi is 5 minutes away.
Does the Sakurajima ferry still run 24 hours a day?
No. From 1 October 2025 Kagoshima City stopped the sailings between 0:00 and 3:59. The first and last sailings are on the city's timetable page.
How much is Sengan-en, and is the Shoko Shuseikan included?
Since October 2024 Sengan-en sells one ticket that covers the garden, the residence and the Shoko Shuseikan: ¥1,600 from age 15 (high school students excepted), ¥800 for elementary to high school, free under 7. It is open 9:00–17:00 every day.
How do I get to the Ibusuki sand bath from Kagoshima?
Take the train to Ibusuki (the Ibusuki no Tamatebako takes about 51–53 minutes, all seats reserved), then about 5 minutes by taxi or 20 minutes on foot to Saraku. A route bus from Kagoshima city takes about 1 hour 30 minutes to Sunamushi Kaikan-mae.
Is anything closed this winter?
The Museum of the Meiji Restoration closes from 24 November 2026 to 22 January 2027 for an exhibition renewal. The aquarium closes from 7 to 10 December 2026, and Saraku has a maintenance closure of about a week in December.