Kagoshima - We witnessed an Eruption
- Paul Hallman
- Apr 11
- 5 min read
Today we arrived in Kagoshima, Japan aboard the Coral Princess—our second day in Japan, and a welcome change from the stretch of rainy, surprisingly chilly weather we’ve been sailing through since leaving Los Angeles. The forecast promised Kagoshima would be different: 21°C and sunny. After days of gray skies, that sounded like a gift. The city glowed below the sunshine and we were excited for our day in town.
This was the view of the city with the island and Mount Sakurajima standing tall
Our plan was simple: get off the ship, walk from the pier to the tram, and ride into downtown Kagoshima where most of our exploring would happen. The ship offered a shuttle for $25 per person, round trip—but we chose the more local option. A one-mile walk, a $1.50 tram fare each, and we’d be in the heart of the city the way residents do it.
We left the ship at 9:30 a.m., reached the tram by 10:00, and settled in for the roughly 30-minute ride into the center city. Kagoshima immediately felt calm and orderly—clean streets, polite crowds, and that quiet sense of purpose you notice right away in Japan.
Almost all cities in Japan—over 95% of the 1,718 municipalities—have unique, locally designed manhole covers, totaling around 12,000 different designs nationwide. These artistic covers, which began in the 1980s to improve the image of sewage systems, feature local landmarks, city flowers, trees, mascots, and cultural stories. This is the manhole cover in Kagoshima.
Terukuni Shrine — A Place of Loyalty and Memory
Our first stop was Terukuni Shrine, and it was impressive—spacious, dignified, and clearly important to the city.
Terukuni Shrine is dedicated to Shimazu Nariakira, a powerful lord of the Satsuma Domain (the historic region that includes Kagoshima). Nariakira is remembered as a forward-thinking leader during a time when Japan was being forced to confront the outside world after centuries of isolation. He supported modernization and helped set the stage for the enormous political and cultural shift that would soon reshape the country.
Shrines like this aren’t just “historic sites”—they’re living places of tradition.
When we arrived, there were families gathered, and it looked like young children were being brought forward for blessings. Seeing that made the shrine feel less like a monument and more like a community heartbeat—history and everyday life sharing the same space.
One detail that really stood out was the landscaping: a fabulous evergreen shrub trimmed into the shape of a bird soaring through the sky. It felt perfectly Japanese—careful, artistic, and quietly symbolic. One child that was going into be blessed actually posed for me with her mother's permission.
Saigō Takamori — The “Last Samurai”
From there we walked toward the Tsurumaru Castle Ruins, and along the way we passed a statue of Saigō Takamori—one of the most famous figures in Japanese history, and a man deeply tied to Kagoshima.
Saigō was born in the Satsuma Domain and became a key leader in the movement that ended Japan’s old feudal government and helped restore power to the Emperor in the late 1800s. He played a major role in shaping modern Japan during the Meiji era, when the country rapidly transformed—politically, militarily, and culturally.
But Saigō’s story is complicated, and that’s part of why he’s so important. Even though he helped build the new Japan, he later became disillusioned with how quickly the old samurai way of life was being dismantled. He ultimately led the Satsuma Rebellion in 1877—an uprising of former samurai against the new government. The rebellion failed, and Saigō died at its end.
To many, he represents loyalty, honor, and the tension between tradition and modernization. That’s why he’s often called the “Last Samurai”—not because he was literally the final one, but because he became a symbol of the samurai spirit at the moment it was fading from everyday life.
Reimeikan Museum and the Castle Ruins
We continued on to the Reimeikan Museum and found ourselves drawn into the relics and exhibits—especially the tree slabs that were said to be over 1,000 years old. There’s something humbling about standing in front of wood that was already ancient before so much of recorded history even happened.
Inside the museum they had all kinds of displays including a cut from a tree that was over 1000 years old. The tree was a cedar tree and it was amazing how long that tree survived.
After the museum, we visited the Tsurumaru Castle Ruins and then walked along the moat. The water was calm, and koi fish moved slowly below the surface—one of those peaceful moments that makes you forget you’re in a busy city.
And then it happened.
At 12:08 pm, Mount Sakurajima erupted. Billows of smoke and ash shot straight up into the air, rising fast and dramatic against the sky. It was one of those moments where your brain takes a second to catch up—Is that really happening?—and then you’re scrambling for your camera because you know you’re witnessing something you’ll never forget.
We were actually walking in town, checking out the Koi at the moat when I looked between the buildings and saw the eruption as it happened. The photo above was taken by a passenger on the ship - I guess he was in the right spot at the right time but ironically most of the "professional photographers" on board missed it completely as they were somewhere on an excursion.
Sakurajima isn’t just a mountain—it’s one of Japan’s most active volcanoes, and it’s a defining presence in Kagoshima. It sits across the bay, close enough that it feels like part of the city’s daily life. Eruptions here aren’t rare in the way they are in many parts of the world; Sakurajima is known for frequent activity, sometimes producing ash plumes that drift over the city. Kagoshima has adapted to it—people live with the volcano the way others live with heavy snow or hurricanes: with preparation, respect, and a sense that nature sets the rules.
I managed to get some decent photos of the eruption, but one passenger on the ship captured the perfect shot—right at the moment it exploded. Timing like that is pure luck, and it made for an unforgettable image.
As the ship sailed from the port you could still see the trail of ash and other debris from the eruption. They say it can happen often but they never know when lava will happen. The last big lava flow was in 1914.
Shopping, Music, and a Farewell That Felt Personal
After the excitement, we headed to the shopping area and picked up a few things—some small gifts for staff on the ship and a few items to bring home.
Back at the port, we were greeted by something unexpectedly charming: a junior high school band—an all-girls group—playing music at the terminal. They played as the ship pulled away, like a send-off meant just for us.
And then the waving started while the band played.
I took this video as they were warming up in the terminal as we arrived. Later they went outside and played for 30 minutes as we left the port. For such a young group the talent was phenomenal.
The people of Japan are so kind, friendly, and honest—and they stood there waving goodbye until the ship was out of sight. It didn’t feel like a performance. It felt sincere, like they genuinely wanted visitors to leave with a good memory of their city.
She was sad we were leaving
Tomorrow we arrive in Kochi, Japan where the weather is to be hot and sunny. After the rain and cold, that sounds perfect.
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