KYUSHU TRAVEL DIARYREVIEW KYUSHU TRIPS WE HAVE VISITED

The thought of taking a car ferry across the bay directly to the shores of a towering, active volcano was a little scary, but local Kagoshima residents take Sakurajima’s frequent volcanic eruptions in stride.  This volcano spews ash about 1000 times per year, nearly 3 times a day, and usually issues just minor cloudbursts. The day was clear when I boarded the ferry so I climbed up to the top for better viewing. Landing about 15 minutes later, it was a short ride up a windy road to the highest car-accessible observation point. From there, I climbed the stairs to look out over the mountain and the surrounding city and villages. Just as I arrived, I was lucky to capture a really fast-moving minor eruption with my camera phone.

After a few minutes snapping photos and taking videos, I returned to the car for a  drive down to Nagisa Park by the seaside. It was the perfect time to catch a relaxing footbath at the edge of the water on the wooden deck, while the sun was setting over Kagoshima to the west. To the east was a clear view of Sakurajima. It was magical, and I was fortunate to be able to dip my feet in the footbath in near solitude. After the sunset, I returned to the port to catch the ferry back to the city, and drove a short distance to the guest house which was nearby, but far enough away from the city lights to appear as though in the middle of nowhere.