KAGOSHIMA PREFECTURE AND CITY IS AS FAR SOUTH OF TOKYO ON THE MAIN ISLANDS AS ONE CAN GO, 900 MILES YOU CAN GET THERE ON TWO FAST TRAINS, IN LESS THAN 7 HOURS. (TAKE THAT AMTRAK.)

"ORDINARY CLASS" LOOKS PRETTY GOOD...

... AS DO THE RESTROOM AREAS. (TAKE THAT AMTRAK)

KAGOSHIMA'S MAIN SIGHT IS THE FOREVER ACTIVE VOLCANO, SAKURA-JIIMA, HERE DEPICTED IN AN ART GLASS INSTALLATION  AT THE RAILROAD STATION.
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NORMALLY IT LOOKS LIKE IT HAS A SMOKESTACK ON THE RIGHT END WITH A STEADY PLUME OF SMOKE. OCCASIONALLY THERE IS A "BOOM" AND A COLUMN OF SMOKE AND ASH ARISES, BRING DUSK TO HIGH NOON AND...

... FALLING ASH. THE CITY PROVIDES SPECIAL BAGS, AND COLLECTION BOXES FOR ​ITS DISPOSAL.
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​THERE WAS A CASTLE COMPLEX INSIDE THESE WALLS BUILT IN THE 17TH  CENTURY BY THE RULING SHIMAZU CLAN. IT WAS WAS DESTROYED DURING THE CIVIL WARS OF THE 1860 – 1870’s, LEAVING A LARGE SPACE FOR CONTEMPORARY BUILDINGS, SUCH AS THE PREFECTURAL MUSEUM OF CULTURE, THE PREFECTURAL LIBRARY AND THE CITY ART MUSEUM. 
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THE SHIMAZU CLAN WAS QUITE PROGRESSIVE, ESPECIALLY UNDER THE 28TH LORD, SHIMAZU NARIAKIRA (1809 - 1858). HIS STATUE IS PROMINENT AS IS…

... A SHRINE TO HIM. ITS ORIGINAL TORII GATE DIDN'T SURVIVE WWII BOMBING, BUT IT GOT AN IMPRESSIVE REPLACEMENT...​

... A LARGE TOPIARY "BIRD" TO WELCOMES VISITORS TO...

...THE MAIN SHRINE BUILDING.
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THE SHIMAZU FAMILY CREST IS A MODEL OF SIMPLICITY.
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SINCE THE SPREAD OF CHRISTIANITY ALONG THE PACIFIC WAS FROM SOUTH TO NORTH, KAGOSHIMA WAS WHERE THE INTREPID JESUIT MISSIONARY ST. FRANCIS XAVIER LANDED IN 1549.
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THIS REMNANT OF A 1908 JESUIT CHURCH NOW COMMEMORATES XAVIER'S TIME IN JAPAN.
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HOPEFULLY THIS POST-WAR REPLACEMENT IS MORE SPIRITUALLY UPLIFTING THAN IS ITS ARCHITECTURE.
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EXPOSURE TO THE WEST BROUGHT MORE WESTERN INFLUENCES TO SATSUMA, KAGOSHIMA'S FEUDAL NAME, SUCH AS THE PURSUIT OF ASTRONOMY. THE LOCATION OF ITS OBSERVATORY IS NOW DOWNTOWN'S MAIN SHOPPING AREA.

THIS IMPOSING COLLECTION OF MEMORIAL STONES REMINDS IT WAS NOT ALL FUN AND STARS DURING THE EDO ERA. IN 1755 SATSUMA WAS ORDERED TO SEND 1,000 WORKERS TO CENTRAL JAPAN TO ASSIST IN BUILDING FLOOD CONTROL MEASURES. IT TOOK 15 MONTHS TO DO SO, AND IN 1920 THIS MONUMENT WAS BUILT TO CONSOLE THE SPIRTS OF 84 WORKERS WHO DID NOT RETURN.
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BUT THE THE BIG CHEESE IN TOWN WAS, AND IS, SAIGO Takamori. OFTEN CALLED" THE LAST SAMURAI", HE WAS A LOYAL RETAINER TO THE SHIMASU LORDS AND TO THE IMPERIAL EMPERORS. HE GOT CAUGHT UP IN THE SHIFTING TIDES OF POLITICS IN THE CIVIL WAR AND WAS KILLED IN THE FINAL BATTLE IN 1877.
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 HIS LOYAL HOLDOUTS ARE BURIED IN A LARGE CEMETERY AT THE SITE OF THE BATTLE...

 ... SURROUNDING HIS GRAVE.
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BEING THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MEIJI EMPEROR MOVING TO EDO...ER...TOKYO, THIS YEAR IS DEVOTED TO PROMOTING SAIGO AND KAGOSHIMA. NHK HAS A LONG RUNNING SERIALIZED DRAMA ABOUT HIS LIFE AND TIMES, POSTERS FOR WHICH ARE ALL OVER TOWN.
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IN 1885, DURING THE CIVIL WAR, SATSUMA, CONTINUING ITS OPENING TO THE WEST, SENT A DELEGATION OF STUDENTS TO STUDY ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING IN EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA. THIS MONUMENT IS TO THEM.
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OF COURSE THE ONE WHO BECAME AN ARCHITECT WAS OF MOST INTEREST.
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KAGOSHIMA NEVER GOT RID OF STREETCARS. THEY HAVE OLD AND NEW ROLLING STOCK ...

...​AND SEEM WELL USED. TOURISTS FROM CITIES WHICH HAVE ELIMINATED THEM COME FOR NOSTALGIC RIDES THRU THE URBAN CORE AND OUT TO THE SUBURBS.

ONE LINE GETS NEAR THE PREFECTURAL GOVERNMENT CENTER. POSSIBLY THE ARCHITECTS WERE LOOKING OVER AT MICHAEL GRAVES' WORK -- NEXT TIME IN PORTLAND, OREGON,
​ LOOK UP THE PORTLAND MUNICIPAL SERVICES BUILDING.
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IT HAS A FULL HEIGHT ATRIUM WHICH BRINGS DAYLIGHT TO THE INNER ROOMS...

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... AND, ON THE TOP, OBSERVATION ROOMS LOOKING IN ALL DIRECTIONS, BUT OF COURSE THE BEST IS LOOKING AT SAKURA-JIMA, A GREAT PLACE TO WATCH THE FIREWORKS!

NEARBY IS THE MAIN CITY LIBRARY...AS A LIBRARIAN KEIKO WISHED TO CHECK IT OUT.
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A BIT MORE UTILITARIAN THAN THE PREFECTURAL CENTER, BUT HAS SOME FLARE TO IT.
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IT TOO HAS A  HIGH OPEN SPACE BRINGING DAYLIGHT INTO THE READING AREA AND STACKS.

AFTER A DAY OF TRAMING AND TRAMPING AROUND TOWN, A VISIT TO ONE OF THE MANY "SENTO" (PUBLIC BATH) IS A FINE IDEA. NOTE THE STEAMING WATER SYMBOL.
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OF COURSE, TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES, AFTER ASCERTAINING WHICH IS FOR WOMEN AND WHICH IS FOR MEN. 
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ONE ATTENDANT CAN RECEIVE WOMEN (ON HER RIGHT) AND MEN (ON HER LEFT) AND KEEP AN EYE ON THINGS IN THE BACK AS WELL.
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PROCEED TO THE CHANGING AREA, WHERE CUBBIES ARE PROVIDED FOR YOUR, WELL,  EVERYTHING.
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PROCEED TO THE LARGE SPACE WITH WASHING AND SOAKING AREAS. THE WALL BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES IS LOW, SO BOTH SEXES CAN ENJOY THE PAINTING ON THE WALL, AND ITS EASY TO YELL OVER, "I'M DONE. ARE YOU?"
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ANOTHER SENTO TOOK ON A HOT SPRING RESORT LOOK WITH BIG ROCKS AND PLANTS SURROUNDING POOLS IN THE BACK, AS WELL AS THE TYPICAL POOLS OF HOT WATER, COLD WATER, SHALLOW HOT WATER WITH FULL FLAT LAYOUT AND RELAX CONFIGURATIONS.

ONCE DONE, AND DRIED, ITS TIME FOR A CHAIR MASSAGE!
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AND, OR, GO NEXT DOOR FOR A SNACK.
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IN THIS CASE, FRIED DOUGH WITH A TID-BIT OF OCTOPUS INSIDE, AND SHAVED BONITO FLAKES ON THE TOP. AND OF COURSE BEER, OR, BETTER YET, SHOCHU ON THE ROCKS!