'''Chiran''' (_m__) is in Kagoshima prefecture, part of Kyushu in Japan.

Understand

After dinner at the restaurant on the eve of his suicide mission, Sgt. Saburo Miyagawa, Tome and her high-school age daughter Reiko were walking when they came upon some fireflies, at which point Miyagawa suddenly told the women that he wanted to come back and visit them the next day, promising to return to the restaurant in the form of a firefly at 7pm. "Promise me you'll sing for me when I come," he said, and they promised.

At 7pm the next day, Tome and her daughter were sitting in the dark restaurant listening to war reports on the radio, when Tome got up to go outside and found a firefly hovering just outside the door, as if waiting to get in. The insect flew in and flew straight to the apex of the building, flashing rhythmically. "It's Saburo-kun. He's come back!", she said. In the dark there, she and Reiko sang an old war song for the young sergeant, and then the firefly flew out and disappeared into the night.

This story, relayed in book form by Reiko's daughter, and in movie form as part of the semi-fictional 2001 film ''Hotaru'', is responsible for a boom in Japanese tourism to Chiran.}}

Get in

By train

From Kagoshima, take the JR '''Ibusuki Makurazaki line''' to Hirakawa (____) station. Then take the Kagoshima Kotsu bus to Chiran.

By car

Chiran is about one hour from Kagoshima by car.

By bus

Kagoshima Kotsu operates a bus from the Yamakataya department store in Kagoshima to Chiran.

Get around

See

  • '''Chiran Special Attack Peace Museum''' (_m_____U___a____) 0993-83-2525. During World War II, Chiran was a base for kamikaze pilots and this museum displays photos and letters of the pilots. The museum was founded in 1975. Admission: adults ¥ 500, children ¥300. [http://www.town.chiran.kagoshima.jp/] (in Japanese)
  • '''Tomiya Shokudou''', the original location of Tome Torihama's military eatery.
  • Do

    Buy

    Eat

    Drink

    Sleep

  • '''Tomiya Ryokan''' (_x______), 0993 83 1038, fax 0993 83 1038.
  • Get out