Moopon

1. Once visitors exit immigration and customs at Kansai Airport, visitors will be on the 1st floor. Follow the signs for “Railways”, taking one of the 4 escalators or 3 elevators to arrive at the 2nd floor.

2. Once on the 2nd floor, follow the signs to one of several walkways and walk across the road to Kansai-airport Station. Visitors need to exit the air terminal building to arrive at the JR Station (two separate buildings connected by a walkway). Two train companies use Kansai-airport Station: JR (blue/green) and Nankai (orange). Only JR can take visitor to the platform Haruka departing from. DO NOT use Nankai.

3. Before entering tickets gate, find JR Ticket Office where visitors can purchase ticket or reserved ticket for JR train.(there is a huge sign in English above their head).JR ticket office staff may or may not speak English, but they can read place names and train types written in the Roman alphabet. 

4. With one’s tickets, go through JR ticket gate and take an escalator to get to Platform 4.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park (広島平和記念公園 ), located in downtown Hiroshima, is the site of where the first atomic bomb was dropped at 8:15 am on August 6, 1945.  The park is dedicated to the victims of the atomic bomb. The park promotes peace while reiterating the horrors of nuclear war.

Within this spacious park visitors will find many structures reflecting peace.  On Peace Boulevard, behind the fountain is the Peace Memorial Museum. Here visitors can witness and learn about Hiroshima’s history and struggle after the attack.

Visitors will see an arched structure, the Memorial Cenotaph, located in the middle of the park. The names of all of the victims of the bomb are written here with the inscription “Let all the souls here rest in peace for we shall not repeat the evil." The structure was constructed on August 6, 1952, with the arch shape reflecting the souls of the victims.

The Peace Flame behind the Cenotaph has been continuously lit since 1964. With a prayer of internal peace, the flame will remain lit until all nuclear weapons have been destroyed and the world is free from the threat of a nuclear war.

Hiroshima Memorial, or commonly known as the Atomic Bomb Dome, lies at the end of park, near the streetcar street (Aioi Street). Known as the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall at the time, this is the only remaining building near the bomb’s epicenter. Though there was some controversy whether the building should be torn down or preserved, it was decided the Atomic Bomb Dome is an important part of local as well as world history. Though the Dome has been reconstructed a few times, the original architecture was always been preserved in remembrance of the victims.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park is the site of the annual Peace Memorial Ceremony held on August 6. There are peace exhibits throughout the park as well as narratives from the survivors of the atomic bomb, storytelling activities for children. Near the Peace Memorial Museum, visitors can find information about experiences translated in English.

On that day, i the evening, paper lanterns illuminated by candles are floated down the river next to the park. For a nominal fee, visitors can create their own paper lantern, with their own message of peace, to be floated down the river. Once the lantern is created, the volunteers will assemble the lantern and assist visitors in floating the lantern. Please be aware, as many people wish to participate in this tradition, there is usually a long line to float the lantern. Whether involved in the creation or not, all visitors to the park can view the paper lanterns floating down the river, the candlelight illuminating the black water.
 

The St. Francis Xavier Memorial Church (サビエル記念聖堂) was built in honor of the Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier.  Francis Xavier was a fundamental member in spreading Christianity to Asia in the 1500s. Seven years after the first Europeans arrived in Japan, Francis organized a mission from Kagoshima to Kyoto. It was at this time Francis Xavier spent a few months in Yamaguchi, a city forever dear in his heart.

The original church was constructed in 1952 but fell victim to a fire in 1991.  The current, beautiful building was reconstructed in 1998. Visitors are given to the opportunity to roam through the church, appreciating the beautiful contemporary interior. With light pouring in from the stained windows, it is the perfectly place to feel a spiritual connection.

There is a museum on the first floor where visitors can see Christian paintings, statues, medallions, clothing and other religious items from the past.  In addition, old maps detailing the spread of Christianity in Japan as well as those showing the route of Xavier's travels are on display.

Hours: 9:00 to 17:00
Closed: The Church is opened all year round.  However, the museum is close on Wednesdays (if a national holidays falls on a Wednesday, the museum will be closed the following day)
Admission: Admission into the Church is free; however, donations are encouraged. 
There is 300 yen admission fee into the museum.

Access Information:
The St. Francis Xavier Memorial Church stands about 1.3 kilometers northwest of Yamaguchi Station.
By Foot:
**15 to 20 minutes from Yamaguchi Station
By Bicycle
**Bicycle can be rented outside the station (300 yen for two hours or 700 yen for the whole day)

Made from a special type of wheat traditionally grown in Kagawa Prefecture, Sanuki Udon has fans not only in its hometown of Takamatsu, but throughout Japan and possibly around the world.  Sanuki Udon was voted as one of Japan’s three most famous types of udon.  The other two type of udon are Mizusawa Udon and Inaiwa Udon. However, Sanuki Udon is better known of the three udons. 

Sanuki Udon has a firm, chewy texture.  This leads to the various ways Sanuki Udon can be served.  Hot in a broth with different topping or chilled with soy sauce it needs to dipped in before eating, Sanuki Udon has many faces. Among the most popular are:
Kake Udon:  Hot broth (soup) over the boiled udon noodles.  Scallions (green onions) is a popular topping.
Zaru Udon:  Boiled udon noodles are cooled with cold water. After water is drained from the noodles, the limp, chilled noodles are served with a small bowl of soy sauce. The noodles are to be dipped in the soy sauce before eaten.

Bukkake Udon: Boiled udon noodles are served in soy sauce (small amount, not a soy sauce soup).  Topping include fried vegetables (tempura), seafood or grated white radish.
Kamaage Udon:  Boiled udon noodles placed in a –usually—wooden bowl to maintain the noodles’ heat.  The noodles are served with a small bowl of soy sauce for the noodles to be dipped in before they are eaten.

Takamatsu City has classes where people can learn how to make Sanuki Udon themselves. The process is not difficult, but involves strength to kneed, roll, and cut.

Sanuki Udon is inexpensive but healthy.  As previously stated, though Sanuki Udon has fans across Japan, its hometown of Takamatsu is probably its biggest fan.  Visitors will find Sanuki Udon to be a common menu item in quite a number of eateries in Takamatsu.

There are so many things to do and enjoy in Shodoshima Island, located in the Seto Inland Sea of the coast of Kagawa Prefecture in Shikoku.  From driving along the Shodoshima Skyline to view the gorge near the Monkey Park and Kankakei Gorge to the paying homage to the temples on the Pilgrim Road, visitors could relax, explore, and find themselves.  In addition, visitors may be interested in the Osaka Castle Stones or Angel Road.

Osaka Castle Stones/Michi No Eki
Shodoshima is well known for its quality stones. As a result, stones from the destruction of the Osaka Castle were shipped to Shodoshima to be restored and re-cut for the reconstruction of the Castle. Some of the stones still remain on the island and can be seen on the northeastern tip of the island. 

Visitors interested in stone cutting may wish to visit the former site of a stone cutting workshop.  Though closed now, there are still many unfinished stone pieces remaining for visitors to view. The Osaka Castle Stones Michi no Eki is another site for people interested in the castle stones to stop by. Michi no Eki literally means a station on the road, and this is a rest area for drivers and passengers.  At the Osaka Castle Stones Michi no Eki, visitors can visit the museum featuring tools used in the past.  Castle stones are also displayed here as well.

Osaka Castle Stones Michi no Eki
Hours: 9:00 to 16:30
Closed: December 29th to January 3rd
Admission: Free      
                       
Angel Road
This heavenly named road is truly a thing of wonder. This sandbar located near the Tonosho Port can only be crossed during low tide. Many couples come to this island, hoping to cross the Angel Road as it is said if a couple crosses the sandbar hand-in-hand, they can find true happiness together.  There are people who write their wishes for love on wooden boards (ema) to be hung on a tree here, in hopes their wish will come true.

Senmaida
Literally translated to mean one thousand rice fields, visitors will find hundreds of rice fields embedded into to the hillside on Shodoshima. These rice fields create the illusion of being steps of along a staircase of rice fields ascending to the top of the mountain.  There is an outdoors kabuki stage, as well, in a village nearby. Since the Edo Period, local kabuki plays have been performed here. 

Access Information

Osaka Castle Stone Cutting Workshop
Board the bus from Fukuda Port, Kusakabe Port or Tonosho Port. The workshop ruins are located along the Minamimawari Fukuda bus line (南廻り福田線). Disembark at Iwagatani (岩ケ谷) bus stop.
From Fukuda port, the journey will take 10 minutes with a cost of 380 yen.
From Kusakabe Port, the journey will take 20 minutes with a cost of 390 yen.
From Tonosho Port, the journey will take 50 minutes and 940 yen.
There is one bus every two hours.

Osaka Castle Stones Michi no Eki
Board the bus from Tonosho Port or Fukuda Port. The Osaka Castle Stones Michi no Eki is located along the Kitamawari Fukuda bus line (北廻り福田線) and disembark at Omi (小海) bus stop.
From Tonosho Port, the journey will take 25 minutes with a cost of 550 yen.
From Fukuda Port, the journey will take 30 minutes with a cost of 810 yen.
There is one bus every 90 minutes.

Shodoshima, located off the coast of Kagawa Prefecture, Shikoku, is well known for its production of soy sauce.  With over 400 years of production history, it is no surprise there are about a dozen soy sauce factories around the town center.

One of the largest soy sauce manufacturer, Marukin, has a museum within its factory grounds that visitors are able to visit to learn more about the soy sauce manufacturing process.  With large barrels located right outside the entrance, the museum is modeled after a traditional soy sauce factory.  Visitors will find vats, barrels, shovels and other soy sauce producing items within the museum.  Pictures from the past, advertisements, containers, etc., are also displayed. There are English displays in this museum.  Also, a souvenir shop on the premises as well. Visitors will be amazed in the variety of soy sauces produced.

Marukin Soya Sauce Museum
Hours: 9:00 to 16:00 (until 16:30 during the summer holidays and the autumn color season)
Closed: October 15th and from December 28th to January 1st
Note:  In January and February, the museum is opened on weekdays only if there is an advance reservation.
Admission: 210 yen
English level: Good

Shodoshima is also famous for its tsukudani.  Tsukudani are small pieces of fish are seaweed that has been preserved by being cooked in a sweet soy sauce.  Japanese people enjoy eating tsukudani with white rice. And Shodoshima’s tsukudani is famous not only on Shikoku island, but throughout Japan.

Visitors interested in learning more about tsukudani may wish to visit either Kyohotei Tsukudani or Ittokuan Tsukudani.  Both places are located near Marukin Soya Sauce Museum.

Kyohotei Tsukudani shows visitors the tsukudani process by providing free 20 minute factory.  However, the tours are in Japanese and require an advance reservation. Ittokuan Tsukudani provides its visitors with samples of their tsukudani products. Having a large range of tsukudani, visitors can enjoy trying the different samples to find their favorite.  Visitors can also purchase moromi ice cream at the Ittokuan Tsukudani store.  Moromi Ice Cream is a type of ice cream with a soy bean during soy sauce fermentation-type flavor.

Kyohotei Tsukudani
Hours: 8:30 to 17:00 
Tours require advance reservation. Reservations can be made via phone or online
Closed: Weekends, national holidays and December 27th to 30th
Admission: Free

Ittokuan Tsukudani
Hours: 9:00 to 17:00
Closed: New Year holidays
Admission: Free

Access Information
Via bus
From Tonosho Port, board the bus bound for Sakate (坂手) or Eigamura (映画村). Disembark from the bus at Marukin-mae (丸金前). The journey should take about 40 minutes and cost is 770 yen.
From Kusakabe Port, board the bus bound for Sakate (坂手) or Eigamura (映画村). Disembark from the bus at Marukin-mae (丸金前). The journey should take about 10 minutes and cost is 200 yen.
From either port, there are only 1 to 2 buses per hour.

Via car or taxi:                                            
From Tonosho Port, it would take about 40 minutes. The taxi cost would be about 6000 yen.
From Fukuda Port, it would take about 30 minutes. The taxi cost would be about 5200 yen.
From Kusakabe Port, it would take about 5 minutes. The taxi cost would be about 1000 yen.

Known as the “Olive Island”, Shodoshima Island, located in the Seto Inland Sea off the coast of the Kagawa Prefecture, Shikoku, is the birthing place of olive cultivation in Japan. Being blessed with a Mediterranean climate, the island successfully grew olives in 1908. Since then, Shodoshima olives and olive oil are highly regarded throughout Japan.

Olive Park, a tourist attraction site, is a working olive grove where the first olives were grown.  Visitors can enjoy the walkways throughout the hillside surrounded by olive trees.  Within the park is a windmill presented to the park from Milos, Greece.

Visitors interested in olive cultivation best visit the small museum within Olive Park.  In addition, there is a restaurant, a cafe and some shops which allow visitors to sample as well as purchase olive related merchandise such as olive oil, olive candy, olive cosmetics, olive noodles and olive ice cream. 
Olive Museum and Shops
Hours: 8:30 to 17:00
Closed: Opened All Year Round
Admission: Free

Sun Olive is a hot springs bathhouse within the park. The baths are separated by gender with eight different types of baths.  Some of the baths allows bathers to enjoy beautiful views while soaking in the natural hot springs.
Sun Olive Bath House
Hours: 12:00 to 21:45 (entry until 21:00)
Closed: Wednesdays (except national holidays) and New Year holidays
Admission: 700 yen

Access Information:
Via Bus
From Tonosho Port, board a bus bond for Sakate (坂手), Fukuda Port (福田港) or Eigamura (映画村). There are 2 buses every hour. The bus fare is 560 yen (one way) and it should take about 25 minutes. Disembark at Olive ga Oka (オリーブヶ丘) bus stop.  Olive Park is a short walk from the bus stop.
From Kusakabe Port, board a bus bound for Tonosho Port (土庄港). There are 2 buses every hour. The bus fare is 210 yen (one way) and it should take about 5 minutes. Disembark at Olive ga Oka (オリーブヶ丘) bus stop.  Olive Park is a short walk from the bus stop.
From Fukuda Port, board a bus bound for Tonosho Port (土庄港) along the island's southern coast (南廻り福田線). There is 1 bus every 2 hour. The bus fare is 780 yen (one way) and it should take about 40 minutes. Disembark at Olive ga Oka (オリーブヶ丘) bus stop.  Olive Park is a short walk from the bus stop.

Via Car or Taxi
From Tonosho Port, the journey should take about 20 minutes.  The taxi cost should be about 4000 yen.
From Kusakabe Port, the journey should take about 5 minutes.  The taxi cost should be about 1200 yen.

Sengan-en Garden (仙巌園), also known as Isoteien (磯庭園), is a Japanese style landscape garden along the coast north of downtown Kagoshima.The use of Sakurajima and Kagoshima Bay bring amazing landscape as borrowed scenery is one of the garden’s most striking feature. The garden also includes small ponds, streams, shrines and a bamboo grove.
Sengan-en was built in 1658 by the wealthy Shimazu Clan, one of the most powerful feudal clans during the Edo Period (1603-1867). The Shimazu ruled the Satsuma domain (today Kagoshima) for almost 700 years until the end of the feudal age in 1868. They continued to be influential into the modern era as some of the earliest adopters of Western science and technology.

At the center of the garden stands the Iso Residence. The residence was originally constructed in 1658 along with the rest of the garden, but the current building mostly dates back to a rebuild of the mid 1880s. The Iso Residence became the main residence of the Shimazu family after the end of the feudal age, and its rooms are preserved in the way they were used in the 1890s. The inside of the residence can only be seen on a paid tour that includes tea and a snack at the end.
Sengan-en has a variety of trees and plants that make the garden scenery amusing in all four seasons. There are a number of cherry trees, especially of the early flowering kanhizakura variety, which open as early as late January. Other cherry tree varieties give flowers through mid April.

Outside the main garden area, but included in the admission price, stands a long stone building that used to serve as one of the earliest Western style machinery factories in Japan. Today it houses the Shoko Shusei-kan Museum with exhibits about the culture and maritime activities of the Shimizu Clan and the early factory and machines which contributed toward Japan's modernization in the 1800s.

Access info
Sengan-en can be reached by the Kagoshima City View bus to Senganen -mae bus stop (every 30 minutes, 190 yen per ride. A 1 day pass available for 600 yen.). The bus can be boarded at Kagoshima Chuo Station, the Shiroyama Observatory, Kagoshima Aquarium and some other tourist spots.
Schedule & cost

Hours: 8:30 to 17:30
Closed: No closing days
Admission: 1000 yen (additional 600 yen for tour through Iso Residence)

 

Sakurajima, one of Japan's most active volcanoes and is the symbol of Kagoshima.


The volcano emits smoke constantly, and minor eruptions often occur many times per day.


Located in the middle of Kagoshima Bay, Sakurajima is the area's most splendid geographic feature,

having an elevation of 1117 meters and a circumference of about 50 kilometers.
 

Before a strong eruption in 1914, Sakurajima used to be an island in the bay,

but the massive lava flow from that eruption created the volcano's current land connection to the Osumi Peninsula in the east.


However For a great number of travelers the volcano is still most easily accessed by the ferries that run the 3.5

kilometers between Kagoshima Port and the Sakurajima Ferry Terminal.
 

Sakurajima has three main peaks: Kita-dake(peak) (, 1117 meters),

Naka-dake (1060 meters) and Minami-dake (1040 meters).


The Minami-dake peak is currently the most active,

with a lot of eruptions taking place from the Showa Crater on the peak's eastern slope.


Approaching within two kilometers of the volcano's craters is banned,

but there are many observation points around Sakurajima where eruptions can be seen from about three kilometers away.
 

Access information

In Sakurajima

Travelers visiting Sakurajima can find many attractions just around the Ferry Terminal,

including an onsen, foot baths, short hiking trails and an information center.


Those who would like to further explore the volcano should travel by rental car,

which can be taken across the water from Kagoshima by the ferries.

Sightseeing buses, regular buses and rental bicycles are other possible methods of travel.


The way up to Sakurajima

Kagoshima and Sakurajima are connected around the clock by frequent ferries.

The one way ride takes 15 minute and costs 160 yen.

The ferry terminal is a ten minute walk from JR Kagoshima Station or a five minute walk from the Suizokukan-guchi tram stop,

and is also served by the City View Buses.

The way up to around Sakurajima

The easiest way to travel around Sakurajima is by rental car,

which can be taken onto the ferry (1150 yen one way for 3-4 meter long cars; 1600 yen one way for 4-5 meter long cars).

Driving once around the coast of Sakurajima takes about an hour.

Many car rental outlets are found in the city center and at the airport.


There is some transportation for travelers who want to travel around Sakurajima,

like a loop bus, the Sakurajima Island View Bus,

that operates hourly from the ferry terminal to the Yunohira observation point and back.


The fare depends on the distance traveled or is 500 yen for a 1-day pass.

Instead,sightseeing bus tours are available for Sakurajima (3-4 hours, about 2500 yen) or in combination with Kagoshima (6 hours, about 4000 yen).

 

There are also regular city buses that run infrequently from the ferry terminal along the northern

coast (departures every 1-3 hours) and along the southern coast (departures every 40-90 minutes) of Sakurajima.

 

Nagisa Lava Trail

About three kilometers of walking trails connects Nagisa Lava park with Karasujima Observation Point along the water beside the Sakurajima Ferry Terminal.


The trail cuts through a lava zone created by the powerful eruption of 1914.

That burned every grasses and plants.

However, travelers can observe the growth of grasses and short plants nowadays.
 

Sakurajima, one of Japan's most active volcanoes and is the symbol of Kagoshima.
 

The volcano emits smoke constantly, and minor eruptions often occur many times per day.
 

Located in the middle of Kagoshima Bay, Sakurajima is the area's most splendid geographic feature,

having an elevation of 1117 meters and a circumference of about 50 kilometers.

 

Access info

From Sakurajima Ferry Terminal: 10-minute walk 

From bus stop “visitor center”: 1-minute walk
 

The way up to Sakurajima

Kagoshima and Sakurajima are connected around the clock by frequent ferries.

The one way ride takes 15 minute and costs 160 yen.

The ferry terminal is a ten minute walk from JR Kagoshima Station or a five minute walk from the Suizokukan-guchi tram stop,

and is also served by the City View Buses.


 

These pleasant foot baths are a great place to take a break observing Sakurajima.


The baths are very long and stretch for dozens of meters.

From the baths there are also respectable views onto the bay and across the water to Kagoshima City.

A towel can be purchased at visitor center near the park.


Admission: Free
 

Sakurajima, one of Japan's most active volcanoes and is the symbol of Kagoshima.

The volcano emits smoke constantly, and minor eruptions often occur many times per day.


Located in the middle of Kagoshima Bay, Sakurajima is the area's most splendid geographic feature as it is located in the middle of Kagoshima Bay.


It has an elevation of 1117 meters and a circumference of about 50 kilometers.
 

A Powerful eruption happened and burned everything in 1914, however, grasses and plants are growing these days.
 

Access information
 

In Sakurajima

Travelers visiting Sakurajima can find many attractions just around the Ferry Terminal,

including an onsen, foot baths, short hiking trails and an information center.
 

Those who would like to further explore the volcano should travel by rental car,

which can be taken across the water from Kagoshima by the ferries.

Sightseeing buses, regular buses and rental bicycles are other possible methods of travel.
 

The way up to Sakurajima

Kagoshima and Sakurajima are connected around the clock by frequent ferries.

The one way ride takes 15 minute and costs 160 yen.


The ferry terminal is a ten minute walk from JR Kagoshima Station or a five minute walk from the Suizokukan-guchi tram stop,

and is also served by the City View Buses.


There are also regular city buses that run infrequently from the ferry terminal along the northern coast (departures every 1-3 hours)

and along the southern coast (departures every 40-90 minutes) of Sakurajima.