Enjoy Kagoshima’s Spectacular Scenery, History, and Culture! A Guide to Visiting Sengan-en

A representative daimyo garden of Japan, created in 1658 by Shimazu Mitsuhisa, the 19th head of the Shimazu family.
Its grand scenery, which treats Sakurajima as an artificial hill and Kinko Bay as a pond, allows visitors to enjoy Kagoshima’s rich natural beauty as it changes through the four seasons, leaving a strong impression on all who visit.
Another distinctive feature is the influence of Chinese culture found throughout the garden, including Senjingan, a giant rock carved with characters, and the Konan Bamboo Grove, known for its delicious bamboo shoots.
The Suzumon Gate, which was used as the main gate in the Edo period, is the only gate in Japan whose roof uses tin, a Kagoshima specialty, instead of roof tiles, and its elegant appearance remains to this day.

The Goten was built in 1658 by Shimazu Mitsuhisa as a villa for the Shimazu family.
It later served as the main residence of Shimazu Tadayoshi, the final domain lord, and also functioned as a guest house for distinguished visitors from Japan and abroad.
In addition to the spectacular view of Sakurajima from the Goten, one of its attractions is that you can experience the lifestyle of a feudal lord through spaces such as the Audience Room, designed so he could meet many people at once, and the Oima Room, where Shimazu Tadayoshi spent most of his day.
Inside the residence are 11 types of kugikakushi, traditional Japanese decorative fittings used to cover the heads of plain iron nails, showing the attention to detail of the people of that time.
When you visit the Goten, try looking for the kugikakushi.

Shimazu Nariakira, the 11th lord of the Satsuma Domain, was a wise ruler who promoted the construction of modern Western-style factories, including a reverberatory furnace for casting cannons, shipbuilding facilities, glass production, and spinning mills. These modernization efforts were known as the Shuseikan Project.
In 1865, a machine factory for producing parts for ships and other items was completed.
That factory is now the Shoko Shuseikan Museum, which introduces the 800-year history and culture of the Shimazu family.
The museum exhibits around 10,000 items, including machinery that was in operation at the time and helped lay the foundation for modern Japan, a model of the reverberatory furnace, the oldest surviving daguerreotype taken by a Japanese photographer, treasured items passed down through the Shimazu family, and objects connected to Nariakira.
In 2015, together with part of Sengan-en, it was registered as part of the World Cultural Heritage site “Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution.”

Shuseikan was a group of Western-style factories built to strengthen the nation and military power.
At its heart was the reverberatory furnace, and today its foundation remains at Sengan-en. A reverberatory furnace is a facility necessary for smelting metal.
You can see this valuable historic site, which played a major role as a center that accelerated Japan’s modernization.
The Reverberatory Furnace Ruins are also registered as part of the World Cultural Heritage site “Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution.”

Satsuma Kiriko developed under the leadership of the great Edo-period ruler Shimazu Nariakira.
These finely cut glass pieces, made by layering various colors of glass over clear glass, are highly regarded in the history of crafts for both their beauty and their advanced technique.
However, they were produced for only a short period of just over 20 years.
Approx. 100 years after production ceased, the Shimazu family took the lead in efforts to revive it, and today it is once again produced as one of Kagoshima’s traditional crafts.
At the Satsuma Kiriko Factory, you can closely observe the superb skills of artisans who make these traditional crafts by hand.

A natural park located on Shiroyama, a small hill in central Kagoshima City. At about 107 meters above sea level, it is easy to reach by bus or on foot.
From the observation deck at the top, you can enjoy panoramic views of Sakurajima, the symbol of Kagoshima, and Kinko Bay, as well as the cityscape, making the night view beautiful too.
Despite being close to the downtown area, it is also a treasure trove of nature where temperate and subtropical plants such as large camphor trees, ferns, and coral ardisia grow naturally, and in 1931 it was designated both a National Natural Monument and a Historic Site.

The Sakurajima Visitor Center is located Approx. a 10-minute walk from the Sakurajima Port ferry terminal.
Through exhibits such as videos and dioramas, it introduces Sakurajima, recognized as part of the Sakurajima-Kinko Bay Geopark, as well as Kirishima-Kinko Bay National Park. The facility is made up of seven sections.
You can learn in detail about the history and nature of Sakurajima and its surrounding area through a wide range of displays.

A seaside park popular for its free footbath.
The natural hot spring that wells up from 1,000 meters underground contains abundant iron and minerals, and soaking your feet in its reddish-brown water will warm your body pleasantly.
Stretching for Approx. 100 meters, one of the largest footbaths in Japan, it offers a relaxing time while you look out over Kinko Bay in front of you and Sakurajima behind you.

A café located near Sengan-en, the World Cultural Heritage daimyo garden.
The location is excellent, standing along a roadside with views of Sakurajima and Kinko Bay beyond the windows, and in seasons with pleasant weather, you can relax while feeling the refreshing sea breeze.
The cozy interior, with sofa seating throughout, serves dishes made with ingredients from Kagoshima Prefecture, so you can enjoy not only café offerings but also a satisfying meal.

Satsuma ware is pottery long treasured as one of Japan’s representative exports for its simple yet delicate craftsmanship.
This gallery and café showcases works from CHIN JUKAN POTTERY, a ceramic brand created by Chin Jukan Kiln, a pottery studio preserving that history, in collaboration with Landscape Products, a team aiming to create new craftsmanship.
The menu features items with a strong Kagoshima focus, including locally loved sweets such as sweet potato cheesecake and Ponkichi shortcake.

Oniku to Wine Kuronosu (Kronos) is located in the Tenmonkan area. It is an observation restaurant on the 15th floor of CenTerrace Tenmonkan.
Its menu makes the most of ingredients from Kagoshima, one of Japan’s leading livestock-producing prefectures, and it is popular with both business travelers and tourists.
The concept of Oniku to Wine Kuronosu (Kronos) is meat dishes.
You can enjoy richly flavored meat dishes that make full use of techniques refined in hotels.