Kagoshima Information

Kagoshima prefecture, one of Japan 's 47 prefectures, lies at the very southern tip of Japan and occupies an area of 9,187 square kilometers. Consisting of two peninsulas, Satsuma and Osumi, and many remote islands, the prefecture has 72 municipalities, 16 cities, 51 towns, and 5 villages. Kagoshima , which is still often referred to by its old name, "Satsuma", was once the property of the Shimadzu family; a feudal clan that helped pioneer the introduction of Western technology. These efforts in part promoted the Meiji Restoration of 1868, which dissolved the previous era of feudalism and returned power to the Emperor.

With its geographical advantage of being located in the south, Kagoshima 's unique history and culture are the result of contact with China , Korea and other countries in South-East Asia and the rest of the world. The kind and friendly disposition of the citizens of Kagoshima is based on the open and cheerful personality particular to the southern region, and is an advantage in expanding Kagoshima 's relationships both domestically and internationally. The Kagoshima Prefectural land, spans 600 kilometers from north to south, is blessed with a mild climate and the rich and diverse natural beauty of unique islands such as Yakushima (a World Natural Heritage Site), volcanoes such as Sakurajima, lush forests and an abundance of hot springs . It also has many interesting tourism resources for history and culture, making Kagoshima one of Japan 's most well-known tourist destinations. Kagoshima Prefecture produces ample agricultural and fishery products of excellent quality. The concentrated food industry, which utilizes such products, now serves the role of major food supplier for the rest of Japan . The integration of electronic-related industries and advanced technology has been promoted in and around the Kokubu-Hayato region. Additionally, Kagoshima is the only prefecture in Japan that has space exploration and rocket launching facilities, the accumulated essence of modern science.

In March 2004, Kyushu Shinkansen Kagoshima began service between Kagoshima-Chuo and Yatsushiro, reducing rail travel times between Kagoshima and Fukuoka to 2 hours and 10 minutes and thus greatly improving land access to Kagoshima . (With the completion of full service, travel time between Kagoshima and Fukuoka will be about 1 hour and 20 minutes). Kagoshima Prefecture is full of great potential with its blessed and diverse natural environment, geography, unique history, and culture, diverse industries, and technologies and of course, its people.

Source: Kagoshima Tourism Information