Day 4: Kagoshima City Explorer (Oct 2015)

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Wednesday, 21st October 2015

I have a full day in Kagoshima today to explore the city proper. With sights scattered along the major public transportation points, this was an easy journey that allowed plenty of time for me to reflect in between places of interest.

Starting from the JR Kagoshima Station, my first stop for the day was a visit to the Museum of the Meiji Restoration. Located along the Kotsuki River, this was a mere 5 minutes from where I started. Other noteworthy sites around the vicinity included the birthplace of Saigo Takamori as well as a replica of the Samurai House which was a common sight during the pre-Meiji Restoration era.

After immersing myself on some Japanese history, I took to the Shiroyama Observatory which commanded a great view of downtown Kagoshima and Sakurajima Island. This is a must-do, must-visit place made simple with the Kagoshima City View bus service.

From the Observatory, I headed along the coastal Iso area where I chanced upon the Joyfull Café. This was a typical Japanese inspired western café which offered hearty meals at reasonable prices. There was even a drink bar where I could help myself to the endless servings of drinks and soups as long as my stomach could comprehend. After a heavy lunch, it was time for me to head back to my comfy APA Hotel to catch some wink before venturing out again in the evening.

Determined to catch the sunset views of the city, I headed up to the Shiroyama Observatory again in the evening. Along the way, I passed by the Central Park and the History and Cultural Road where it contained the remains of Kagoshima Castle. The colourful flowers that lined the road was an attraction by itself. On the second straight night, I was back at Tenmonkan for some serious shopping as the folks at home needed some stuffs. The funny part was that most of the stuffs that I purchased eventually were for my own consumption.

I took my dinner at the Satsuma Shimuja Ramen shop which had an outlet next to my hotel. Nice, friendly folks aside, my Kagoshima ramen was possibly one of the best ramen that I have tasted in my life-time. It was truly Oishii as I thank the staffs for their great noodles when I left their shop that evening.

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