Day 11 Kagoshima
Located at the southwestern tip of the island of Kyūshū, Kagoshima is the largest city in the Kagoshima prefecture by some margin. It has been nicknamed the “Naples of the Eastern world” for its bay location (Aira Caldera), hot climate, and emblematic stratovolcano, Sakurajima. Kagoshima is constantly bombarded by ash from the eruptions of Sakurajima and is at risk of a major volcanic disaster. Sakurajima (‘Cherry Blossom Island’) is an active stratovolcano. A stratovolcano is a typically conical volcano built up by many alternating layers (strata) of hardened lava and tephra. The lava flows of the 1914 eruption connected it with the Ōsumi Peninsula. It is the most active volcano in Japan. Sakurajima is serviced by the Sakurajima Ferry which runs 24 hours per day 7 days per week.
There was not a lot about this port that thrilled us, but a volcano was another matter. We docked at a purpose-built cruise terminal, but as you can see from my photographs it was overcast. We did not book any excursions again deciding to explore for ourselves. So, we caught the shuttle to the city and made our way to the Sakurajima Ferry Terminal. As we did so we came upon a circus – well more of a small town in caravans and containers.
The ferry terminal was easily found and operated on the “you are going to have to return” basis so you only paid for a one-way ticket. As you can see from my photos below it is a large car ferry with 3 stories of passenger seating – Sakurajima is a tourist spot obviously. The ferry terminal at the other end was quite impressive and clearly well used. You can make out the volcano in the background and the steam venting from it.
Here is a gate not to the shops but to the Tsukiyomi Shrine. So where are the shops? The settlement according to our map was 4 streets wide and 5 streets deep and the fabled pottery shops were not to be found. Well, it is still winter so no tourist shops to be seen. We followed Yogan Nagisa trail, a concrete paved trail following the coastline of the island.
Look at the beach in the photos below – the island is so obviously volcanic. We stumbled across a local secret by following the trail – hot spas for tired feet. Kerry very quickly had her shoes off and stuck them into very warm volcanic water and as you will see from the pictures the volcano is still active, has 3 peaks and a major eruption is predicted in the next 30 years – watch the headlines. Apart from enjoying the sunshine and the bushy surroundings there was not a lot to do.
We found our way to the High School, and you will see from my photo the volcano dominates the island. All along the trail we were followed by the Black Kites we first saw in Port Keelung. I stopped to get a photo of the volcano. It was still shrouded in cloud, but we could see one of the peaks/calderas of the volcano.
We caught the ferry back to Kagoshima (the ferries are about 10 to 15 minutes apart). Most of the ports had a welcoming and farewelling ceremony and even though Kagoshima was not the biggest and best they were the most enthusiastic. One group followed us to the end of the dock.
Day 12 Kochi – Glendon’s birthday
My birthday started with this surprise awaiting me on my return from breakfast.
I was not feeling on top of the world but thought I was well enough to look around the dock. We could see some industrial buildings on a high plateau of earth likely made from reclaimed material from the harbour. So, we headed for the plateau via over 100 stairs from the road below the plateau and found another mini brewery – South Horizon Brewery. It was not open yet. They had two small delivery vans out front and in the loading dock which caught my eye and whilst I checked them out Kerry had attracted some interest from staff in the brewery, and they opened for the day. Coffee and cake for the first time on an excursion and we were joined by two other Aussies who sat with us (I think he was Kevin, but I cannot think of her name). They had done a lot of traveling also and we swapped tales for an hour or more all the time in the shadow of the ship so to speak. They had got out of bed a bit earlier than us and had walked around the plateau, so they headed for the ship whilst we continued our walk. Unfortunately, my unsettled stomach brought me back to the Brewery urgently and that’s when Kerry bought the beer so that I could remember the name. We then returned to the ship, and I rested for the remainder of the day. My chemo treatment strikes back in strange ways.
That night we dined with Barry and Sandi in the fine dining restaurant taking coffee on deck 10. Not as good as a roof top in Rome but pretty damn good just the same. We hatched a plan for tomorrow with the Rowlands to see Kobe.
Day 13 Port Kobe
Feeling much better, the 4 of us caught a cab to go to Kobe’s Rokko Cable Line a funicular railway that climbs Mount Rokko. It offers stunning views of the city and surrounding areas. Our Japanese is lousy, but I don’t know how to confuse funicular with herb garden. Our lack of Japanese worked in our favour, and we found ourselves at the first station of the Kobe Nunobiki Ropeway not the Rokko Cable Line. This elegant “walk-in-the-sky” ropeway offers a comfortable 10 – minute ride with panoramic views of all of the colours of the seasons while looking down upon Kobe as well as sweeping views of Kyoto and Osaka. The ride up on the ropeway took us through station 2 onto station 3 and the top of the gardens and it was beautiful and panoramic despite the overcast weather.
Upon arriving at the last station, I was surprised to see clearly Austrian / Swiss architecture. The flowers were amazing, and this led us to make our way through the gardens to station 2 but on the way, we spotted the flowerpot men, gothic garden chairs, the glasshouse and its café and verandah deck where Barry and Sandi discovered the foot baths –
ooh they liked it. And then just as we went up we had to come down.
Here are some more random photos – the Japanese version of an iced coffee, me at rest and us in the verandah cafe.
At station 2 we decided to take the ropeway to the first station down to the streets of Kobe. Oh O, we had a passenger with us, but he had enough and crawled away.
Kobe has an odd passion about sewerage covers throughout the city with different designs on each lid, so I photographed some as we made our way back to the ship. We also walked past the former US Embassy building.
That night we decided to visit the town at night starting with Chinatown (very odd in Japan) which was just across the road where the ship’s shuttle dropped us. We dined in a Chinese looking restaurant drinking Japanese beer, or was it?
Back to the ship and the next day was at sea as we prepared to disembark at the Tokyo International Cruise Terminal. I packed my camera in my suitcase, and we made our way to Osaka and then home to Brisbane – Tokyo Haneda Airport Terminal 1, Travel to Osaka
(Japan Airlines) Osaka Terminal 1 Travel to Brisbane (Jetstar).
A great welcome back to travel and cruising – Kerry has already found our next holiday and you can expect some further blogs from me. Until next time – May you have fair winds and following seas.
glendon1954 