Known for its mild climate and friendly people, Kagoshima is visually and physically dominated by the majestic and active volcano, Mt Sakurajima, towering over 3,500 feet above the city and bay. In 1847 the british sent 6 warships to Kagoshima and bombarded the port after the local ruler refused to pay compensation for the death of an englishman, what a glorious colonial history we have! We docked at 7am, the weather was cold, dry and sunny, ideal for sightseeing. We took the shuttle bus into the Tenmonken district which is one of southern Kyushu's most bustling shopping and dining districts and our first stop was the Yamakataya Department Store, which is a lot like Harrods. The shop assistants were very polite, bowing whenever they saw us, very strange, however everyone was extremely helpful, the greeter at the front door even going so far as to escort us down the street and show us the right road to take to the park. The store also had a superb food hall in the basement which provided a good selection of free tastings of local specialities. Next we walked through the Shiroyamo Park to a scenic observation point 350 foot above the town so that we could get a good view of the volcano. While it hasn't had a major eruption since 1914 the volcano does have a minor eruption every 45 minutes. Whilst at the top we met two charming Japanese girls who had spent time in England and who insisted on sharing their hot baked sweet potatoes with us! Finally we visited the Prefectual Museum which features local plant life, cultural artifacts and local wildlife before returning to the ship. Looking forward to visiting at Nagasaki tomorrow.
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