The Kyushu Shinkansen will eventually extend all the way north to Hakata station in Fukuoka in the spring of 2011, but in the meantime, to reach Kagoshima from Fukuoka, you can take a ''Relay Tsubame'' limited express train to Shin-Yatsushiro, then change there to the Kyushu Shinkansen ''Tsubame'' train. The ''Relay Tsubame'' trains follow a newly-built spur directly to the Shinkansen platform. All you have to do is walk across the platform to take the bullet train, which is timed to depart about 3 minutes after the arrival of the ''Relay Tsubame''.
It takes approximately 2 1/2 hours to go from Fukuoka to Kagoshima by train, at a cost of ¥10050. If you have a Japan Rail Pass, you can take these trains at no charge.
Because most overnight trains from Tokyo and Kansai to Kyushu have been discontinued, traveling overnight to Kagoshima is difficult, but it IS possible. If you're willing to constantly change trains, you will be rewarded as your journey will double as lodging.
From Tokyo you will have to take FOUR trains: the 10 PM ''Sunrise Seto/Sunrise Izumo'' overnight service to Okayama, the Shinkansen from Okayama to Hakata, the Relay Tsubame to Shin-Yatsushiro and finally the Kyushu Shinkansen. This route has you leaving Tokyo at 10 PM and getting to Kagoshima-Chuo at 11:30 AM the next morning. (13 1/2 hours)
Japan Rail Pass holders must pay the lodging charge on the Tokyo-Okayama segment; the rest of the trip is covered under the pass. Lodging charges currently range from ¥9450 for a B solo to ¥10500 for a B single, to ¥16500 for an A single deluxe. If you really want to travel on the cheap side, ¥3660 gets you your own floor space... literally, you sleep on the floor.
The second overnight option is best done from the Kansai area; this has you traveling the overnight segment along the eastern part of Kyushu.
You will need to travel to Kokura station during the evening on the San'yo Shinkansen. Once there, board the ''Dream Nichirin'' limited express train that travels down Kyushu to Miyazaki. Finally, after a one-hour layover in Miyazaki, take the ''Kirishima'' limited express, which travels across the south to Kagoshima-Chuo. As of March 2009, this routing has you leaving Shin-Osaka at 8:59 PM, arriving at Kagoshima-Chuo at 9:36 AM, for a traveling time of 12 1/2 hours.
This entire journey is '''fully covered''' under the rail pass. For a charge of ¥4000, ordinary Rail Pass holders can upgrade to a more comfortable Green Car seat on the Kokura-Miyazaki segment.
It is possible to start this option even from Tokyo, but you would have to leave Tokyo station on the ''Hikari'' service leaving at around 5:30 PM, then change to the ''Hikari Rail Star'' as described above. This results in a much longer travel time of 16 hours, but the good news is that the trip is '''covered 100%''' by the Japan Rail Pass.
Streetcars are a convenient way to get around Kagoshima city. Both lines 1 and 2 can be boarded at the Kagoshima station; only line 1 runs by Kagoshima-chuo. Board the tram from the back door, and pay the \160 per ride fee when exiting the front door. If you don't have exact change, the fare machine can make change, but it is polite to get your change during the ride, so as to not hold people up when at your final stop. Streetcar signage varies by the age of the streetcar; some have electronic signs that indicate the stop, but many do not. [http://www.synapse.ne.jp/update/whatup/back/densha/densha.html Streetcar information] and a [http://www.synapse.ne.jp/update/whatup/back/backimages/densha/denshamap.pdf route map] are available from www.synapse.ne.jp.
The ferry between volcanic island of Sakurajima and Kagoshima harbor operates frequently and around the clock. The boat ride will take about fifteen minutes.
Given Kagoshima's relatively small size and straighforward layout, buses (\150) are less confusing than in larger Japanese cities.
If you plan to make Kagoshima a base for multiple trips, or make Kagoshima a stop on a trip throughout Kyushu, then a [http://www.jrkyushu.co.jp/english/kyushu_railpass.html 5-day Kyushu rail pass] may be the best option. If you are travelling from Tokyo or farther via train, then a [http://www.japanrailpass.net/eng/en001.html 7-day Japan Rail pass] is about the same price as a one-way shinkansen ticket from Tokyo to Kagoshima. Both of these passes have extensive limitations; be sure to review terms and purchase your pass before entering Japan.
There are also a couple of other lookout points, where you can take a closer look at the volcano. Because Sakurajima is essentially an active volcano, remember that tourists are forbidden to go within 2 km of the crater.
'''Tsurumaru Castle''' Once the castle of the Shimazu clan who govern the Satsuma domain till the Meiji restauration. It was destroyed during the Senian war (Seinan Sens?). The only part remaning today are the wall and the moat. Since it's around so many sights and monument around Kagohsima, it's a nice sight to see and it containts the REIMEIKAN.
'''Kagoshima Prefectural Museum of Culture''' (REIMEIKAN) Beautiful museum with nice expositions retracing the origin and evolution of the first habitants of the southern Kyushu area till the Meiji restauration. Generic information is available in english but for more details about the differents pieces contained in the exposition, a Japanese reading friend should be brought to fully enjoy all the information available.
'''Sengan'en Garden'''
'''Kagoshima City Aquarium''' (Io World)
'''The Nanshu Cemetery'''
In Tenmonkan, Satsumaimo-no-Yakata has several hundred types of sweet potato products. Tel: ''+81'' (0)99-239-4865.
English Bookstore: Kagoshima also has the only English Specialist Bookstore in the Prefecture. Jelly Beans Educational English Bookstore is the place to go for all your English needs and they also have a nice Second Hand Book Section as well. Tel 099-216-8800 Take the No 1 Streetcar to Shinyashiki and hop off, you shouldn't have too many problems from there; just follow the signs. The shop is open Tuesdays through Saturdays, but if you call in advance and let them know you are coming they will try their best to open it up especially for you on Sundays and Mondays! The store is open 10am - 7pm
Kagoshima is an agricultural area, known for numerous products:
Special dishes in Kagoshima cuisine include:
In Kagoshima, the most common way to drink shochu is mixed with hot water, or ''oyu-wari''. This releases the fragrance of the shochu, and also reduces the alcohol content to be on-par with wine. Because Kagoshima is the center of manufacture, many factories offer tours and have small shops for tasting and purchasing the locally made shochu.