Friday, July 23, 2010

Golden Week (Part 3 of 3): Sakurajima and Kagoshima

We all got up fairly early and checked out of the hotel in Ibusuki so that we could catch the train back to Kagoshima.  You may have noticed that Kagoshima was home base to get to all of our destinations.
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima

After arriving in Kagoshima, we took a 15 minute ferry across to Sakura-jima, an active volcano.  We spent the day and one night on the volcanic island!  It's actually no longer an island.  An eruption in 1914 caused the island to connect with a nearby peninsula.  I'll still call it an island, since it's easier!

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From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima

Once on the island, we rented bikes and went for a nice bike ride along Lava Road.  We enjoyed great views of the volcano, a park with an interesting sculpture, paths lined with lava formations, an observatory, and the foot bath at the end of the ride.

Since we were only staying a day, we figured it would be a good idea to take the bus tour around the island.  It was very informative.  We went up to an observatory that was the highest point that visitors can go to.  The volcano erupted as soon as we got up there!  We passed by many orange trees that produce the smallest oranges in the world.  Sakura-jima also grows the largest dikons (radishes) in the world!  We passed by many banyan trees and a buried torii gate!  At one of our pit stops, we were served shochu that we actually enjoyed so we bought some and enjoyed it later in the evening.  We stopped at one last observatory and enjoyed a second eruption before the tour was over.  One interesting fact that we learned is that all of the graves in the town are covered with a concrete roof to protect them from a major eruption and all of the ash.
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima

After the bus tour, we checked into the Furusato Kanko Hotel, and enjoyed green tea upon arrival.  We decided to share the ryokan style room because it was very expensive.  It was expensive since it had a very popular onsen that was oceanfront with gorgeous views.  I think we went three times!  Once at the hotel, we relaxed in the onsen, ate dinner, relaxed in the onsen, and went to bed.  
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima
From Golden Week 2010 Part 3 Sakura-jima and Kagoshima

We woke up to eat breakfast and relax in the onsen one more time before leaving!

After checking out, we headed back to the ferry port and took the ferry across to Kagoshima one last time.  We visited the Kagoshima aquarium which was very crowded and rather small.  It was okay but nothing special.  We enjoyed lunch together before parting ways.  Dayle and Mo had an early train back.  Tim and I went to a store to enjoy local ice cream and local beer before heading back to Fukuoka.
Great vacation!  Loved Golden Week!  Though we enjoyed all three places, Yakushima was by far our favorite!  It was pretty cool to say that we slept on an active volcanic island, though!

More photos from Sakura-jima and Kagoshima...

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Location: Sakura-jima

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