Kagoshima Shore Excursion: Custom Car Tour — Guide Tachi

What Is a Private Cruise Port Tour of Kagoshima and Sakurajima Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

The group of guests, visiting from North America, arrived on a cruise ship at Kagoshima. Their advance request was for a "cultural experience." During earlier communication, I had suggested options such as a sand steam bath, but access and timing made it difficult, so we set that aside. After that, contact with the agency was lost, and with the help of [Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.)](https://www.j-g-a.org/) staff in confirming the meeting point, I continued adjusting arrangements right up until just before the tour day, finally managing to re-establish contact with the guests and share the itinerary. It was a relief that I was standing by at the cruise ship terminal an hour and a half before the meeting time. I met the guests 50 minutes earlier than scheduled (and was also able to meet the driver of the vehicle the guests had reserved), explained the itinerary once more, and started the tour.

First, the guests enjoyed a cultural experience for about 30 minutes at the scenic Sengan-en garden, making original accessories from fragments of Satsuma Kiriko cut glass. According to conversations via a messaging app before meeting and during the drive, the guests said, "Two days ago we sightsaw in Nagasaki in a downpour, and the day before we enjoyed temple-and-shrine hiking and scuba diving on Jeju Island in Korea, but we are tired, and since it's raining today, we'd like to take it easy." After the cultural experience, I guided them through the interior of the former Shimazu family villa, the Goten. The guests already had some knowledge of Japanese history from their time in Nagasaki, so I explained the connection between the Shimazu family and the Imperial family, the features of each room, and let them take their time viewing the inner garden. I showed them brand halls featuring Satsuma Kiriko, Satsuma ware, and Yakusugi cedar products, and then we had lunch at the garden café. After explaining the full menu in advance, the guests ordered the "keihan set" originating from Amami Oshima, and the "Kagoshima tea (5 varieties) and Japanese sweets set." The keihan, in which five or six toppings are placed on rice and then dashi broth is poured over it, seemed fresh and new to them, and they were delighted with the novel experience. They also enjoyed the different flavors of each tea. After that, they took a quick look at the souvenir shop and returned to the car.

The rain came and went, and Sakurajima finally revealed itself. Wanting them to try karukan, a famous local confection I had mentioned during the drive from the terminal, I offered guide-selected karukan buns to the driver and the guests to taste. During the Sakurajima ferry ride (15 minutes on board), one of the guests polished off the ferry's specialty soba noodles! When we reached the Yunohira Observatory, it started raining again and the summit was in the clouds. To make the most of it, we drove along the exposed lava road formed by the large amounts of lava that flowed out during the great eruption of 1914, and I guided them to the Kurokami buried torii gate, still half-submerged by the massive ashfall of that time, but the rain was pouring. I actually guided one of the guests to the torii, while the others took a restroom break or viewed it from the car window.

On the way to Sakurajima Port, when I told them that the final visit to "Amami no Sato" would be difficult time-wise, one of the guests said, "If you drop us off at Dolphin Port in the city center, we can shop at the mall there and catch the free shuttle bus to the cruise terminal. We can part ways there." However, the shopping mall at Dolphin Port had closed several years earlier, so I recommended visiting the Tenmonkan downtown area if they wished to shop, and they got out of the vehicle there. Yet, perhaps because it didn't match their image, they didn't buy anything in particular at the souvenir shops, and at the guests' request we traveled by streetcar and on foot to Dolphin Port, arriving safely at the shuttle bus stop for the cruise terminal, where we parted ways.

Click here for more details: Kagoshima Shore Excursion: Custom Car Tour, Licensed Guide

Tour Report by Tachi

Hi! I’m a local guide in Tokyo and have been working as a licensed tour guide for almost 10 years. I love helping guests discover the “real Japan” beyond the guidebooks. I enjoy showing guests both famous sights and places that many tourists miss. My tours are based on your interests and can include not only famous sightseeing spots, but also local neighborhoods, culture, history, and everyday life in Japan. I also help guests enjoy Japanese cultural activities and make communication easier. If you’d like vegan or gluten-free meals, let me help you find suitable restaurants in Tokyo. If you have any food allergies or dietary restrictions, please feel free to let me know in advance. I look forward to showing you around Tokyo!