Kagoshima, Japan
I had never heard of this place before we decided to go there. The only thing I found out was that it was a smaller city with a volcano nearby. The temperature was mild, and the weather nice. There are lots of parks, and an interesting waterfront area, so overall, it was a nice place to rest.
There are a lot of monuments and statues around the city. Many simply say "Birthplace of XXXXX", so I guess it is auspicious to visit these places.
There is an aquarium on the waterfront. It is kind of crowded inside, and there isn't a whole lot to see there, but they did have some whale sharks and dolphins, so it was worth seeing.
The dolphin pool looks more like a swimming pool. I missed the show, but the dolphins were playing around anyway.
There are several blocks downtown that form an open air mall. It's kind of nice to walk around breathing fresh air, but in the end, it is still a mall.
I've hear rumours of vending machins selling alcohol and other stuff, but the only vice I've seen sold is cigarettes. My friend tried to buy some, but strangely enough, you actually have to show identification to the machine before it will sell them to you.
There's a lot of these electric trams running through the middle of the city.
A view of the city from the top of the ferris wheel.
Another monument, this one dedicated to "Young Pioneers". These people were students who went abroad to study at a time when foreign travel was prohibited. It all seems very strange.
A typical monument dedicated to the birthplace of someone important. These were all over the place.
There was lots of fake wood used on the deks of patios, gazeboes and the like. Sure, it looks good, but it looks too good. This is very Japanese.
This is a rest stop at Dolphin Port were you could soak your feet in some hot water for a few minutes. There were little bumps on the "floor" that you could run your feet over for a "massage".
This is the park that was at the waterfront.
After letting the waiter choose my meal for me (sometimes it is just easier that way when there is a anguage barrier), I let hime choose a selection of "shochu" for me to try. The little card reminds you which one is which.
I mentioned the volcano. At first I thought it was dormant, but then I noticed these signs around town. I have no idea what it says, but I imagine it is a warning that your car might get covered in ash.
This is Mount Sakurajima, which lies just across the water. It was sort of hazy in Kagoshima, so it was difficult to get a good shot.
And this is the same volcano spewing out some steam and ash. Someone tried to tell me that this was lava. People are pretty dumb, sometimes.
