Where to Stay in Kagoshima: Choosing the Right Area

The terminus of the Kyushu Shinkansen, with a station building and hotels clustered around it, and airport buses depart from here too. Streetcars and buses run to Tenmonkan, the port and Shiroyama, and limited express trains to Ibusuki also leave from this station.

Best for

• ✓First trips to Kagoshima
• ✓Side trips to Ibusuki and elsewhere in the prefecture
• ✓Arriving or leaving by shinkansen

Keep in mind

Getting to the Sakurajima Ferry terminal means taking a streetcar or bus.

Nearest stations

🚉 JR Kagoshima-Chuo Station; Kagoshima-Chuo-Ekimae stop (Kagoshima City Tram)

Considered the biggest entertainment district in southern Kyushu, its covered arcades are lined with shops serving kurobuta black pork, Kagoshima ramen and shirokuma shaved ice, along with many business hotels. In the evening, the izakaya pubs on Bunka-dori and Yamanokuchi Hon-dori are lively.

Best for

• ✓Dining and bar hopping in the evening
• ✓Exploring town even on rainy days
• ✓Walking to the Saigo Takamori statue and around Shiroyama

Keep in mind

On days you use the shinkansen or airport bus, allow for the trip to Kagoshima-Chuo Station.

Nearest stations

🚉 Tenmonkan-dori stop (Kagoshima City Tram)

A seaside area with the Sakurajima Ferry terminal, the Io World Kagoshima Aquarium and Waterfront Park. Some hotels look straight out at Sakurajima, and Tenmonkan is within walking distance.

Best for

• ✓Family trips
• ✓Anyone planning to cross to Sakurajima
• ✓Strolling along the waterfront

Keep in mind

From the shinkansen station you will need to take a streetcar or bus.

Nearest stations

🚉 Suizokukan-guchi stop and Izuro-dori stop (Kagoshima City Tram)

Sakurajima, reached by ferry from Kagoshima Port, has the Nagisa Lava Trail, a footbath and a visitor center, as well as accommodation with hot springs. You can see the night lights of Kagoshima city across the water.

Best for

• ✓Experiencing the volcano up close
• ✓Spending quiet time
• ✓Driving around the island

Keep in mind

There are few places to stay, and getting around the island means taking a bus or car.

Nearest stations

🚉 Sakurajima Port (Sakurajima Ferry)

A hot spring town in the south of the Satsuma Peninsula, famous for its sand baths, with hot spring ryokan inns and large hotels along the coast. It is also a base for sightseeing at Lake Ikeda, Mt. Kaimon and Chiran.

Best for

• ✓Relaxing in hot springs
• ✓Riding a sightseeing train
• ✓Exploring the Satsuma Peninsula

Keep in mind

It is some distance from Kagoshima city, so if you want to combine it with sightseeing in the city, plan separate nights for each.

Nearest stations

🚉 JR Ibusuki Station