Kagoshima, Japan
Finally—perfect weather! Cool, sunny, and a very welcome break from all that rain.
Today’s adventure dove straight into Japan’s feudal past, starting with a short ferry ride over to Sakurajima. This isn’t just any scenic island – it’s one of Japan’s most active volcanoes, casually throwing out around 300 ash eruptions a year. No big deal.
We hiked up to the Arimura Lava Observatory for sweeping views, and sure enough, Sakurajima was doing its thing – steadily smoking away like it had somewhere important to be. Apparently, that’s just a normal Tuesday here. Another “odd” thing we saw were coins, to apparently pay tribute to the volcano, tucked into crevices and piled along crannies on some of the lava rocks on display.
Back on the mainland, we started with the Shoko Shuseikan Museum, set inside Japan’s first Western-style factory. It traces over 700 years of Shimazu clan history – an impressive deep dive into the legacy that shaped this region.
From there, we headed to Sengan-en, built in 1658 by Shimazu Mitsuhisa. This garden is what happens when a feudal lord decides he wants both stunning landscaping and a volcano as a backdrop. The garden was being prepared for a wedding, and we happened to come upon the lovely couple as they were getting their photos taken by their photography. Naturally I couldn’t resist a quick sneaky shot of my own. Farther along we came upong a cat shrine – gotta love Japan and it’s love of cats. With Kagoshima Bay and Sakurajima in the distance, the whole place felt almost unreal – ponds, shrines, bamboo groves…
…and then, just to keep things interesting, the volcano actually erupted while we were there.
Seeing the smoke and ash rise up in real time? Pretty incredible. Also a little “okay then, guess we’re doing this now.”
After the tour, we made a quick (and necessary) stop at the ship’s buffet – fuel for round two – then grabbed our cameras and headed back out to the pier.
And honestly? The pier was a whole vibe. A big open park, jogging paths, food trucks, vending machines (of course – it’s Japan), and locals out enjoying the sunshine. We wandered, looked for birds, and eventually just sat in the grass for a bit, soaking it all in. One of those simple, perfect travel moments.
On the way back, we had to try the vending machine ice cream. It felt like a requirement. I went with green tea (when in Japan…), and Alan grabbed a vanilla fruit sorbet on a stick. Both excellent decisions.
But the real surprise came just before departure. A group of local high school students set up and started playing – swing-era jazz, of all things – and wow… they were good. Like, “better than some adult orchestras” good. People poured out onto balconies and the open decks, dancing, listening, smiling.
And then – because it couldn’t get any better – they wrapped up with a medley of classic Mickey Mouse and Disney tunes. The crowd loved it.
As the ship slowly pulled away, everyone on the pier – everyone – stopped to wave goodbye. People in the park, families, couples… all of them. And at the very end of the pier, one little boy stood there yelling “bye-bye!” at the top of his lungs.
Naturally, the entire ship yelled it right back. Over and over again. Loud enough that I’m pretty sure he heard us, because he repeated it, and the ship obliged again.
It was one of those unexpectedly joyful moments that just sticks with you.
What a great day.
I love Japan.