Feel the wonder of nature by experiencing the real active volcano Sakurajima! An oblong massive trapezoid volcano rises above Kagoshima Bay. It erupts on average 200 times a year. You will be able to experience nature that you have never experienced before. There is Japan's longest 100 meter footbath that will warm your mind and body. Then visit 3 main observatories to experience the real volcano.
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
At your hotel, Port, station
Sakurajima Ferry
Take a 15 minutes ferry ride to the active volcano Mt. Sakurajima.
Mt. Sakurajima Visitor center
Watch 15 minutes Movie about the real volcanic acitivies on English subtitle, some pannels to explain the past explosive eruptions, vegetations after eruptions and the real life with the active volcano.
Footbath at Sakurajima Lava Nagisa Park
One of the largest footbaths in Japan with a length of 100 meters. It uses natural hot springs with a source temperature of 42 degrees that gush out from 1,000 meters underground. When you soak in the reddish-brown footbath, your body will be warmed up and relaxed. Take a break while looking out at Kagoshima Bay spreading out in front of you or Sakurajima towering behind you.
Yunohira Observatory
The mountainside looming before your eyes is very impressive!
After climbing up the mountain path, you will come to the Yunohira Observatory, located at an altitude of 373m, the 4th station of Mount Kita-dake, the highest point on Sakurajima that the public can enter. From here, there are spectacular views in every direction. You can see the rugged mountainside of Mount Kita-dake right before your eyes, the Taisho lava fields spreading out below you, and across Kinko Bay to the west is the cityscape of Kagoshima City, the largest city in southern Kyushu. If the weather is good, you can also see Kagoshima's beautiful peaks, such as the Kirishima Mountains to the north and Mount Kaimon to the south.
Arimura Lava Observatory
This observation point is located on a small hill in the lava field that flowed out in the great explosion of 1946. It is located in the middle of the 1km-long lava promenade, and offers a view of the imposing, world-famous active volcano, Sakurajima, and Kinko Bay as if they were right in front of you. Sakurajima viewed from here has a different appearance than other points. With its steep triangular shape and the nearby crater of Minami-dake, which is currently active, on some days you can hear the rumbling sounds and explosions associated with eruptions, allowing you to experience a different side of Sakurajima.
Buried Shrine Gate, Kurokami
The roughly 3-meter (10-foot) torii gate of Kurokami Shrine was buried, with only its top beam still visible. Rather than excavate the gate, the village elder chose to leave it buried as a testament to the eruption's menace for future generations. Standing quietly next to the gate, as if nestling against it, is an old Japanese sea fig tree that miraculously survived the eruption.
Showa Lava Zone Observation Deck (Kurokami View Spot)
It's been about 70 years since the lava flowed. A desolate landscape unfolds.
An observation deck overlooking the "Showa Crater", which has been actively erupting since 2006. It is also called the Kurokami View Spot. You can occasionally see smoke and steam rising from here, and it's a place where you can really feel that the earth is alive. You may also hear explosions and rumblings that accompany eruptions, so take your time to look around. The surrounding area is also where lava flowed during the Showa eruption (1946), and a desolate landscape unfolds. This whole area is called "Hell River Plain" because steam rose from the ground immediately after the lava flowed. Nearby are the Bunmei Lava (1471) and Taisho Lava (1914) zones,
so it's recommended to see the real thing and compare the differences in vegetation (vegetation transition).
Lunch at a popular local restaurant
take a ferry to the city side
End of the tour
Ending Point
At your hotel, port, station
This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.
guide fee
Transportation: Chartering a taxi or bus is recommended, average chartered taxi or bus fare; up to 3 for 30,000 JPY, up to 8 for 40,000 JPY.
Sakurajima ferry round trip fare: 500JPY per person, taxi 4,700 JPY depending on size.
lunch (you and guide)
We walk at a slow pace for about 1 hour or more, so comfortable shoes are preferable.
Tours are all open to any kind of arrangement. please feel free to let me know your preferences.
Hello! I’m Hitomi. I was born and raised in Kagoshima. After graduating from the college, I mostly lived in Tokyo and came back to my hometown 10 years ago. I love communicating with people and sharing each other’s culture and history. As I used to work for an airline company, I could travel to many foreign countries with lots of joy experiencing their unique cultures. Now, I want to help visitors from abroad enjoy Japanese unique culture, history, nature.
Julie O.
“Fabulous day in Kagoshima”
Correspondence with Hitomi prior to our tour ensured it went off seamlessly. Kagoshima was our first port in Japan so we didn't expect to clear customs so quickly. The day had a great mix of nature, excellent food and culture. Hitomi speaks excellent English and was always clear in her explanations. Hitomi ensured we remained on time during our tour. Although the original restaurant wasn't available for lunch the replacement was excellent. I would highly recommend Hitomi as a guide.
Hitomi A.
Thank you for visiting Japan and Kagoshima. I'm so glad you all enjoyed the top three attractions in Kagoshima. Even after the tour is over, I still enjoy reading your detailed travel articles posted on Facebook. Your language is beautiful and literary. I look forward to your new posts in the future. I wish you and your family all the best!
William G.
“Highlights of Kagoshima, Sakurajima and Sengan-en Garden”
Hitomi was wonderful. She was so easy to work with and made everything easy for our small group of cruisers. She is very knowledgeable and passionate about guiding through her city. I highly recommend her.
Hitomi A.
I really enjoyed showing you and your group around Kagoshima. Your sense of humor and sociable personality made our tour that much more enjoyable, even when the weather turned to rain and wind in the afternoon. I wish you all the best.
Thomas M.
“A nice day exploring Sakurajima, Sengan-en, and more”
Hitomi was fun and easy to talk to, and very knowledgable! I learned a lot about Kagoshima's history and about the places we visited. It was nice to be able to explore Sakurajima without the hassle of renting a car and driving (and note that the tourist bus doesn't make the complete loop around). We also had a nice lunch and explored Sengan-en and surrounding sites (plus a fun side adventure). Great!
Hitomi A.
Thank you for traveling around Japan while staying in Japan for months on a digital nomad visa. I was amazed at your wealth of knowledge of Japanese history. And it was a great pleasure to talk to each other about it. The spiritual and spirited places we first visited on the recommendation of your guide in Yakushima will likely be my first and last visit, as you told me, unless a visitor like you visits Kagoshima City again. The places you have visited and will visit in Japan are places we Japanese would love to visit too. Your taste in choosing the places to visit is amazing. I hope you enjoy the rest of your stay in Japan and make a lot of money while you are here.
$440/ per group