Recently my wife and I PCSed from Sasebo to Okinawa We decided to end our time in Kyushu in style and roadtripped our way to the island Our 10-day trip culminated in an ocean-going ferry ride from Kagoshima City to Okinawa with stops along the way to see the Amami Islands The Amami Islands are an archipelago partway between Kyushu and Okinawa These little islands are what you’re looking for in a tropical getaway— they’re lightly populated yet geared for tourists with beautiful landscapes of sea historic ruins and plenty of outdoor adventures lodging and food are very affordable and the people are among the friendliest we’ve ever encountered in Japan It is possible to fly to all four of the Amami Islands the ferry stops at driving with the car we will use in Okinawa made sense Compared with flying taking the ferry is easier requires far less inappropriate touching by security personnel there’s no unpleasantness because they felt the one-inch nail file on my toenail clippers was “threatening.” (Both true stories.) There’s also a certain adventurousness that comes with arriving via ship to a freight terminal on a remote island Calling it a ferry is a misnomer as ocean-going ferries are more inter-island freight vessels with passenger service on the side It’s more akin to a cargo ship than the little boats which cross rivers and bays that come to mind when you say “ferry.” Two ferry companies service the same routes on alternate days There is little difference between them in either service or cost and we used both during our trip A full trip from Kyushu to Okinawa takes about 25 hours so there is one stop at each destination every day by one of the two companies Arranging for a trip was easy but requires a Japanese speaker for easy navigation if dealing with the company My wife called ahead of time to check the schedule and though we didn’t make reservations we were able to show up an hour before boarding to purchase tickets By calling ahead you can also see what special deals are available such as unlimited stops during a set period (Think bumming between islands for a week whenever you feel like.) An alternate choice is going online and buying tickets through an English-language ferry website like aferry.com Since we brought a car we had to wait on the pier at Kagoshima’s Shinkoku Port in our vehicle until it was time to drive aboard We repeated this process two more times with no trouble at our two stops when we had to get back on Kagoshima’s friendly neighborhood active volcano had been smoking for a few days and our car got covered in a fine layer of ash while waiting The first leg of our trip to Amami Oshima was overnight and took off about an hour later when it was dark bringing a vehicle is only viable compared to flying when PCSing Renting a vehicle once you arrive on an island is a better option if you’re on holiday From Kagoshima to Naha the ferry is less than $150 a person if traveling on foot tickets between islands can be as low as $15 Bringing a car adds several hundred dollars to the equation The ferries offer three classes of accommodations for visitors which correspond only to sleeping arrangements; all passenger areas are open to everyone 2nd Class is a shared cabin and 3rd Class is Japanese style on the floor in a large open bay The trips were smooth with the ocean only gently rolling us in a sleep-inducing and lackadaisical manner Only on the overnight trip to Amami Oshima did we choose 2nd class accommodations which entailed a rack in a cabin for eight It’s pretty similar to a navy berthing minus about 100 people and that odor (You know the one.) There’s an open shelf for your bag and the ship also has smaller lockers for valuables that anyone can use Amami-Okinoerabujima and Okinoerabujima-Motobu (Okinawa) we chose 3rd Class accommodations as sleep wasn’t that relevant though we did nap at one point Dropping off cargo and passengers on schedule for these ferries means pre-dawn pitch black departures and us having to arrive an hour early for that The mat and small pillow weren’t bad for the short rests All ferries had open lounges and vending machines for food and drink It’s not the Titanic so don’t expect fine dining but the food here is still better than you’d get on certain commercial airlines A small gift shop also carries snacks and souvenirs I spent most of our trips sitting at a table reading H.P Lovecraft which in retrospect is not the best author for an open ocean voyage and eating Japanese snacks I’d brought with me We stopped and spent days on Amami Oshima and Okinoerabujima two islands with histories related to Saigo Takamori the man who inspired “The Last Samurai.” On each island we had only 24 hours to see the Saigo-related historic sites and museums take in the tropical countryside and learn a little about what made each island unique On Amami Oshima we tried local black sugar-based shochu at a brewery and on Okinoerabujima we explored the ruins of an ancient Ryukyuan castle overrun by the jungle What the islands had in common were the people as everyone we met was consistently friendly On two occasions we were invited for tea simply because we stopped off at a nearby historic site Another time we stopped by a museum that was closed due to the owner being out of town for a month so the nearby local goods shop/minimart clerk sat us down for her homemade lemongrass tea along with generous servings of their local sweets and a fresh papaya off we’d go on the ferry to our next little adventure typhoons need to be kept in mind as from June to November they may affect ferry service A very late season typhoon began developing while we were in Kagoshima so we pushed back our trip by a day to see how the weather would play out The ferries were running but having endured rough seas on a submarine tender inching toward Hong Kong years ago I’d rather wait a day than experience that unpleasantness again Rough seas at the island of debarkation may also make it impossible to get off and instead you’ll be taken to the next island We were given a warning the seas may be too rough to land at Okinoerabujima but our hotel on Amami Oshima told us that the ferry lines had been telling people that every day for a week and every day the ferries still landed Read now > Sign up for our weekly newsletter of articles from Japan Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Tokyo named after a famous folk song from the seaside city in Kyushu songs and dance performances on May 17 and 18 The main procession takes place between 12noon and 5pm on Sunday May 18 moving along Dogenzaka-dori and Bunkamura-dori streets Expect to see dancers in colourful yukata and happi (festival jackets) accompanied by traditional drummers During the festival, you can sample a selection of Kyushu delicacies at the Uniqlo Dogenzaka store If the festivities inspire you to take a trip to Kagoshima make sure to visit the city’s tourist information booth right there and then facebooktwitterpinterestinstagramAbout us Welcome to IPE Real Assets. This site uses cookies. Read our policy By 2025-04-10T08:39:00+01:00 Asia Pacific real estate investment manager SC Capital Partners has bought a 165-room hotel for its Japan hospitality fund The manager has invested an unspecified sum to acquire the asset in Kagoshima on behalf of the Japan Hospitality Fund I said the investment further strengthens the firm’s presence in Japan’s hospitality sector He said the firm would leverage its deep local expertise and extensive platform to capitalise on the Japanese market’s long-term growth potential places us in a unique position to capitalise on opportunities in this highly sought-after sector,” said Chiaranussati The property will operate under the Oriental Express brand which is managed by SC Capital’s Hotel Management Japan The new owner will undertake steps to enhance operation and refurbish the asset Since 2010, SC Capital Partners has invested more than US$1bn (€911m) through its private funds strategies, encompassing 59 hotels and over 13,000 rooms. SC Capital Partners is also the majority owner of Japan Hotel REIT Advisors the asset manager of Japan Hotel REIT Investment Corporation owner of a portfolio of 51 hotels and 14,130 rooms To read the latest IPE Real Assets magazine click here.  Copyright © 1997–2025 IPE International Publishers Limited Site powered by Webvision Cloud Hotel Oriental Express has announced opening a new location in Kagoshima's Tenmonkan district The hotel is a short five-minute drive from Kagoshima Chuo Station and 55 minutes by bus from Kagoshima Airport Its strategic location is ideal for business travelers and tourists The 13-story hotel building offers 165 guest rooms each with various amenities designed for extended stays The hotel also features a spacious public bath infused with artificial carbonated spring water It also serves freshly brewed coffee and a variety of teas 24 hours a day guests can enjoy panoramic views of Sakurajima and Kinko Bay from BLUE KITCHEN and SOLID BAR BLUE KITCHEN offers a breakfast buffet with 40 different dishes The menu includes traditional breakfast items and local Kagoshima favorites It also includes inventive options like Chicken Rice Pho-Style SOLID BAR provides a warm and inviting setting During the "Blue Hour," guests can watch the sky and sea blend into twilight hues The bar's menu features a variety of beverages Click here to join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest hotel news and trends Copyright © Hotel News Resource & Nevistas | All rights reserved Japan's weather agency issued a rare special typhoon warning Wednesday for most parts of Kagoshima Prefecture in the country's southwest as powerful Typhoon Shanshan which has already caused several injuries in affected areas The Japan Meteorological Agency said the storm is heading in a northerly direction south of the prefecture's Yakushima Island off the southwestern main island of Kyushu maintaining its strength and possibly making landfall in Kyushu on Thursday suspended its 14 plants nationwide late Wednesday and railway operators announced the cancellation of some services a total of nine people had sustained injuries due to the typhoon according to the prefectural governments of Kagoshima and neighboring Miyazaki JR West said operations of its Sanyo Shinkansen bullet train between Hiroshima and Hakata will be suspended after Thursday afternoon while JR Kyushu said it will cancel all of its local train and bullet train services by the afternoon of the same day bullet train services on the Tokaido Shinkansen line between Shizuoka and Kakegawa were suspended adding that a rain gauge installed in central Japan had reached the regulatory threshold Some flights were also canceled on Wednesday with the typhoon nearing mostly those serving airports in Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures Residents have been warned to prepare for strong winds as well as high tides and waves with the weather agency urging people to be ready to evacuate before conditions worsen The agency said the typhoon could pack winds capable of destroying some houses The Kagoshima prefectural government said it opened 478 evacuation centers in 28 municipalities as of 3 p.m As much as 600 millimeters of rain over 24 hours has been forecast in some areas The storm's sluggish pace could increase the danger posed as areas may be struck for a prolonged period by strong winds and heavy rains said it will suspend operations at its two factories in the western prefectures of Hiroshima and Yamaguchi from Thursday night through late afternoon the following day Special typhoon warnings are declared in cases of extraordinarily powerful storm systems The same warning was issued for Kagoshima Prefecture in 2022 as Typhoon Nanmadol approached which was at that time a first for any area other than Okinawa could also be released for both Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures the typhoon was moving northward at 10 kilometers per hour and was located about 40 km northwest of Yakushima Island It had an atmospheric pressure of 935 hectopascals at its center Transport disrupted as typhoon expected to hit western Japan Strong typhoon heading toward southwestern Japan To have the latest news and stories delivered to your inbox Simply enter your email address below and an email will be sent through which to complete your subscription Please check your inbox for a confirmation email Thank you for reaching out to us.We will get back to you as soon as possible The 13-storey property features 165 guest rooms each equipped with amenities that cater to extended stays Hotel Oriental Express Kagoshima Tenmonkan has opened in Japan to cater to both business and leisure travellers Situated in Kagoshima’s downtown area the hotel is a five-minute drive from Kagoshima Chuo Station one-minute walk from the Takamibaba City Tram Stop and under an hour by bus from Kagoshima Airport This hotel’s offerings include a public bath with artificial carbonated spring water The lobby provides a 24-hour welcome service with complimentary coffee and tea options Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis Blue Kitchen offers a breakfast buffet with over 40 dishes blending traditional breakfast items with Kagoshima specialties It also features inventive culinary creations such as chicken rice pho-style provides the view of the “Blue Hour” when the sky and sea blend in soft twilight hues Guests can avail local shochu-based cocktails as well as a selection of mocktails and whiskeys at the bar Hotel Oriental Express Kagoshima Tenmonkan is the fifth hotel under the Oriental Express brand includes sub-brands—Oriental Hotel and Hotel Oriental Express It operates 16 hotels throughout Japan Hotel Management Japan has a portfolio of 24 hotels the company manages a diverse range of hotel brands such as Hilton Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network Today's print edition Home Delivery The Meteorological Agency on Sunday raised the volcanic alert for Shinmoedake in the Kyushu region to Level 3 from Level 2 The agency warned that large volcanic rocks could reach areas within 4 kilometers of the crater of the volcano which is located between Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); Level 3 urges restrictions on entry to the volcano while Level 2 advises people to avoid approaching areas around the crater volcanic earthquakes have increased since around Friday and changes believed to be the swelling of the mountain have also been confirmed The alert for Shinmoedake was raised to Level 2 on Dec which warns of a possible increase in volcanic activity In a time of both misinformation and too much information quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. To learn more see our FAQ Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division a new historical romance-fantasy that begins in early 21st century Japan a Scottish women researching her Japanese ancestry experiences both love and war after she’s transported back in time during the Satsuma Rebellion the bloody 19th century conflict which saw the samurai make their final stand Scottish-born Isla Mackenzie ventures to Kagoshima City where she seeks to verify her family lore that her third-great-grandfather was a samurai who fought in the Satsuma Rebellion alongside its leader Saigo Takamori known to history as “last samurai.” While there who offers to show the fiery redhead around his native city Isla gets swept away in an out-of-season typhoon that magically lands her 128 years into the past to the onset of the samurai’s rebellion against the new Imperial government of Japan Isla comes face to face with famed historical leader Saigo who renders the mysterious foreign girl into the care of Keiichiro Maeda a young samurai whose family honor has been disgraced Isla wonders what her purpose there is and if she’ll ever make it back to her own time again “Romantasy” books like this are quite popular right now though they’re not something I’m too familiar with The relationship builds organically without melodrama or stereotypical romance-novel language The love story never overshadows the historical aspects which is the book’s greatest feature likable character with a compelling journey that shines a spotlight on this intriguing almost mythical time in world history through a richly detailed and well-paced narrative Poppy Kuroki‘s writing beautifully brings to life the setting of 1877 Japan through the eyes of a modern woman making it accessible even to readers unfamiliar with the period Gate To Kagoshima nicely blends together history and romance with the fantastical element of time travel in an engaging way that offers a unique perspective of Japan’s past It’s worth noting that Gate To Kagoshima includes supplementary material at the back of the book which is divided up by fictional characters and real historical figures (a major bonus!); a Glossary containing Japanese terms used in the story; a Family Tree; Historical Timeline; a By The Numbers section containing dates there’s a special Author’s Note detailing Kuroki’s love of Japan and what inspired her to write this book This ancillary material will be especially helpful for those not familiar with Japan it comes with a PDF of this supplementary material RSS feed for comments on this post. Blue Sakuya lost 28-33 to Ryukyu Latida in the 28th round of the 2024-25 Japanese Women's Handball League H at Shokai Arena in Nishihara The loss ended Blue Sakuya's 15th consecutive win and they lost after 20 games since losing to Latida Ryukyu on September 27 last year Both of their losses this season were lost to Latida Ryukyu recording 1-2 wins and 2 losses against each other and now he will confirm the championship if he wins three games but continued his hopes of advancing to the playoffs Blue Sakuya led the attack with Chikako Kasai scoring seven goals while goalkeeper Natsuki Kawamura made nine saves and Nozomi Takarada made six Latida Ryukyu led the attack with 12 goals by Ayuna Kina and six goals each by Park Seung-young and Mao Hamaguchi while goalkeeper Mai Taguchi led the team to victory with 13 saves and Latida Ryukyu finished with consecutive goals at the end Blue Sakuya Aichi Ijichi started with his first goal but consecutive goals by Park Seung-young and Ayuna Kina led Latida Ryukyu 2-1 When Blue Sakuya scored three goals in a row and ran away Latida Ryukyu scored a reverse goal and balanced it 5-5 in the eighth minute Latida Ryukyu led the mood with an 8-6 run but it was again tied 10-10 in the 23rd minute as he conceded consecutive goals Ryukyu Latida has been in a tight race with Ayuna Keena's back-to-back goal In the final minute and 10 seconds he scored three goals and finished the first half with a 16-13 lead Ryukyu Latida started by scoring three goals first Blue Sakuya narrowed the gap little by little with the performances of Saki Hatori and Chikako Kasai When Ryukyu Latida went 31-24 with Ayuna Kina and Mao Hamaguchi scoring two goals in a row Blue Sakuya again closed the gap to 28-31 by scoring four goals with Chikako Kasai at the center Latida Ryukyu scored two goals in a row at the end ※ This service is provided by machine translation tool To read this full article you need to be subscribed to Newsline SC Capital Partners Group has acquired a 165-room strategic hospitality asset in Kagoshima The hotel is situated in the heart of Kagoshima which is renowned for its rich cultural heritage and vibrant tourism industry Located in the southernmost part of Kyushu Kagoshima is home to various historical and cultural landmarks The city is also well-connected by an extensive road and rail network making it easily accessible for both domestic and international travelers The growing number of flights into Kagoshima Airport further enhances visitor arrivals supporting the region’s expanding tourism industry the city also benefits from steady local accommodation demand driven by government offices Glossary, videos, podcasts, research in the Resource Center Upload your latest press release or suggest a story idea to our editorial team We use cookies and other tracking technologies to personalize your user experience on our site and perform site analytics. By clicking on “I accept”, you consent to our Privacy Policy. Industry and market insights and forecasts Key figures and rankings about companies and products Consumer and brand insights and preferences in various industries Detailed information about political and social topics All key figures about countries and regions Market InsightsMarket forecast and expert KPIs for 1000+ markets in 190+ countries & territories Consumer InsightsInsights on consumer attitudes and behavior worldwide eCommerce InsightsDetailed information for 39,000+ online stores and marketplaces Directly accessible data for 170 industries from 150+ countries and over 1 million facts: Full-service market research and analytics Strategy and business building for the data-driven economy Transforming data into content marketing and design: Industry-specific and extensively researched technical data (partially from exclusive partnerships) A paid subscription is required for full access the average land price in Kagoshima Prefecture stood at about 53.9 thousand Japanese yen per square meter increasing from 53.5 thousand yen per square meter in the previous year Figures are based on the official land price and standard land price Average land price in Tokyo Prefecture 2015-2024 Quarterly house price to income ratio in Japan Q1 2014-Q3 2024 Land use in Tokyo metropolis in Japan 1955-2023 To download this statistic in XLS format you need a Statista Account To download this statistic in PNG format you need a Statista Account To download this statistic in PDF format you need a Statista Account To download this statistic in PPT format you need a Statista Account As a Premium user you get access to the detailed source references and background information about this statistic As a Premium user you get access to background information and details about the release of this statistic you will immediately be notified via e-mail … to incorporate the statistic into your presentation at any time You need at least a Starter Account to use this feature By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Following popular demand, YOSHIROTTEN’s FUTURE NATURE II in Kagoshima solo exhibition is now extended until December 8 The exhibition opened last month and was officially scheduled to end on November 24 FUTURE NATURE II in Kagoshima showcases large bodies of work where spatial and lighting design plays a pivotal role The multidisciplinary artist began working on the “Future Nature” series reimagining and blending natural textures from mountains and rivers with technology a trio of Raihō-shin or “visitor deities” known as Boze appears on Akusekijima Dressed in fan palm leaves and a large Polynesian-style mask Boze carries a phallic staff and chases around women and children of the island blessing them with sacred mud and scaring evil spirits away Recognized as an intangible cultural heritage property the Boze festival has only survived on Akusekijima Though Boze only appears once a year on a remote island you don’t have to travel that far to get a glimpse of this bizarre tradition; just head to the Kagoshima Prefectural Museum in Kagoshima City and there is a small exhibit on the Boze festival The Kagoshima Prefectural Museum is open every day except Mondays from 9 a.m The Boze exhibit is located on the third floor All 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac are depicted in anthropomorphized deity form massive crowds flock to this 300-year-old temple to celebrate a unique The Hindu god Vishnu is said to have walked at this Hindu pilgrimage site A centuries-old Hindu cave temple is tucked away in a quiet suburb This incredible second-century sculpture depicts a trio of gods worshipped by the ancient Romans a small shrine venerates a forbidden folk saint Iceland's first pagan temple in 1,000 years is underway in Reykjavík a drowning man prayed for his life and promised to build a chapel where he would wash ashore On December 23, 2024, an explosive eruption at Sakurajima Volcano was observed from Taremizu City in Kagoshima Prefecture located in southwestern Japan’s Kyushu region sending a towering plume of smoke 3,400 metres into the sky from the summit crater a former close associate of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and a notable… Comedians are on the move on a daily basis They travel daily from north to south and west to east for business and TV taping who has once again become popular after passing the age of 60 He is traveling with a large Boston from Outdoor Products and we caught up with him on a business trip to Kagoshima in April to learn about the bag's capabilities and his own rules for business and work Kagoshima — The seventh cow to pull a sightseeing cart in Izumi which offers a relaxing tour of the cityscape The cart tour features stone walls that once were part of samurai residences please disable the ad blocking feature and reload the page This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent occurred after her predecessor Chiharu passed away on March 11 after about 10 years of cart-pulling service The city is known for its wintering cranes which attract tourists in the colder part of the year With the opening of the Kyushu Shinkansen in 2004 the tourist cow cart service was started to draw visitors year-round the cow cart takes passengers on a 30-minute ride around a one-kilometer stretch of samurai residences designated by the central government as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings Izumi started to slowly pull the cart with children on board and made her way around the samurai residences A member of the service operating group said: “Chiharu worked hard in hot and cold weather Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun At the back of the Kagoshima City Museum of Art sits a bizarre stone statue nicknamed Jimesaa It is well-respected by the locals of Kagoshima who identify it as an effigy of Princess Kameju or Jimyōin-sama the daughter of 16th-century daimyo Shimazu Yoshihisa Female civic officials put a new makeup on the statue in her honor every year on her death date while Jimyōin-sama (or Jimesaa in local dialect) was a rather uncomely-looking woman she was kind-hearted and respected by her people The makeup tradition has been known since 1929 and is believed to help make local women look more beautiful many historians and folklorists argue that no historical records mentioning the "ugliness" of Jimyōin-sama exist and that the statue may not even depict her in the first place The popular theory is that it is a statue of Ksitigarbha likely discarded during the persecution and abolition of Buddhism in the 19th century and later found by locals by accident.  This pair of statues commemorates a once-widespread carnival tradition of blowing on each other’s butts with bellows Kissing the ass of this stone lioness has become a rite of passage in the city of Girona A tribute to a local delicacy and the women who prepare and sell it An effigy of the deity emerges from a temple's water every 40 years Locals often dress this effigy of Traverse City's founder in festive outfits Every day is like Christmas on this street where the traditional Neapolitan nativity scene comes to life Along the side of the road on a small Japanese island is an extensive garden of uniquely designed Shisa statues local students "clean" this statue with a champagne shower the exhibit has captured hearts and imaginations granting visitors more time to immerse themselves in the multidisciplinary artist’s striking blend of natural textures and futuristic aesthetics FUTURE NATURE II is more than an art exhibition; it’s a sensory journey that reimagines the interplay between the organic world and cutting-edge technology YOSHIROTTEN has built a reputation for crafting abstract interactive works that blur boundaries between the physical and digital realms with a collection of old and new pieces curated to transform the exhibit space into a living breathing testament to innovation and artistry The environment itself plays a critical role with spatial and lighting design enhancing the viewer’s experience which blends mountain and river textures with technological themes A bold exploration of what happens when natural forms meet futuristic interpretations One of the standout installations is Silver Mountain (2018) a large-scale sculptural marvel cloaked in reflective foil this piece reflects not only light but the viewer’s interaction with the space offering a dynamic experience that changes depending on one’s perspective The exhibition also features a variety of formats from large-scale sculptures to interactive works each inviting the audience to engage with art in unexpected ways and interactive elements makes FUTURE NATURE II a playground for creativity and introspection Visitors to Kagoshima are treated to an exhibition that celebrates the beauty of nature while embracing the possibilities of the future Whether you’re an art aficionado or simply curious FUTURE NATURE II promises to leave a lasting impression Don’t miss your chance to experience YOSHIROTTEN’s visionary world before December 8 check out the official gallery or plan your visit today Input your search keywords and press Enter Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information National Report SHIZUOKA—Long the top tea-growing prefecture in Japan dropping into second place for the first time since record-keeping began in 1959 Kagoshima was ranked second in the production of “aracha,” steamed and dried tea leaves that have not yet been processed into finished products The prefecture muscled its way into the number one spot last year by producing 27,000 tons of aracha according to farm ministry statistics released on Feb Production in Shizuoka fell to 25,800 tons—a 5 percent drop from the year before “It is a great pity that our prefecture slipped to second place,” said Shizuoka Governor Yasutomo Suzuki “We want to work hard with farmers to regain the top spot.” This decline was mainly attributed to a mid-season production cutback to maintain prices Shizuoka’s first harvest was delayed by rain Farmers scaled back the second harvest to prevent further price decreases The first harvest produced 10,000 tons of aracha--940 tons more than in 2023--but the second produced 15,800 tons the growth of tea leaves remained stable in Kagoshima tea-growing areas in Shizuoka have shrunk 30 percent over the past 10 years or so while those in Kagoshima have dropped only 5 percent Shizuoka prefectural officials cited two factors that make mechanization difficult in the prefecture About 60 percent of tea farmers operate on small fields of 1.5 hectares or less and mainly in mountainous areas and on plateaus A man who established an agricultural corporation in Shizuoka city more than 20 years ago said it was predictable that the prefecture would eventually surrender its top spot He explained that many farmers have stopped growing tea due to a shortage of successors and other key workers “It’s unfortunate because Shizuoka Prefecture has billed itself as Japan’s number one in the tea world,” said Norihisa Ito the executive director of the Chamber of Tea Association of Shizuoka Prefecture “We will accept the outcome and work with the prefecture and other parties to boost the appeal of Shizuoka tea,” Ito said Shizuoka Prefecture plans to focus on exports as the domestic green tea market has been shrinking the prefectural government allocated about 450 million yen ($3 million) for tea-related programs including 220 million yen for bolstering exports “It is necessary to expand business to cater to growing overseas demand,” Suzuki said One priority will be stepping up the production of “tencha,” tea leaves used for producing matcha which has been growing in popularity outside Japan (This article was written by Yoshiko Aoyama and Miho Tanaka.) VOX POPULI: 'Tis the season for making a pot of green tea as practice wanes Global warming casts a pall over Japan’s pear and grape growers Scorching heat devastating famed cherries in Yamagata Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions Please right click to use your browser’s translation function.) A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II In-house News and Messages No reproduction or republication without written permission Japan’s space agency announced plans for seven or more lift-offs annually of its flagship H3 rocket from the Kagoshima complex in Kyushu The science ministry and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) are now busy with equipment upgrades at the site The government set aside 1.88 billion yen ($12 million) in its draft budget for fiscal 2025 that begins in April and its supplementary budget for fiscal 2024 to cover related expenses Officials said the ministry is hoping Japan will get more orders for satellite launches using H3 rockets six H3 lift-offs a year is the best that Japan can do because of equipment limitations at the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture The capacity of liquid oxygen storage tanks at the site is only sufficient for a single launch so lift-offs at shorter intervals are not possible officials are hoping to increase the number of liquid oxygen storage tanks from the current three to four The number of assembly buildings for satellites sent aloft will also be increased from the current two to three to allow for concurrent work on three rockets An existing assembly building for H-2A rockets will be converted and adapted for the H3 model The next launch of the H-2A model will be the 50th and the last before the series is decommissioned Instruments that X-ray rocket piping interiors will be introduced at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ Tobishima plant in Aichi Prefecture to shorten the time requirement for making a rocket JAXA is planning to finish the upgrades no later than the first half of fiscal 2027 The space agency has its sights set on rocket launches at one-month intervals with initial plans for at least seven lift-offs a year “Shorter launch intervals will allow lift-offs to be scheduled more flexibly which will give us more advantage in getting orders,” said an official with the science ministry’s Space Development and Utilization Division “That will be essential for strengthening our international competitiveness,” the official added Hokkaido town seeks economic liftoff through new spaceport Mitsubishi Heavy reschedules moon rocket launch for Sept Space One’s second rocket liftoff fails to launch satellites Japan announces plans to launch upgraded observation satellites on new flagship rocket’s 3rd flight Taiwanese rocket startup may be early test of Japan's space hub plans Early risers across Kagoshima Prefecture and other parts of western Japan spotted a fiery object slowly splitting apart as it traveled across the predawn sky around 4 a.m An expert said that the object was likely a Chinese spacecraft that re-entered the atmosphere and burned up Live footage from a camera set up by The Asahi Shimbun in Tarumizu captured the streak of light moving beyond Mount Sakurajima a curator at the Hiratsuka City Museum in Kanagawa Prefecture said that the object was likely the orbital module of China’s manned spacecraft Shenzhou 17 The module had remained in orbit after detaching from the return capsule that carried three astronauts to a Chinese space station a glowing object was seen breaking apart and fading over several seconds in the early hours of Dec with videos of the spectacle shared on social media Share your travel photos with us by hashtagging your images with #visitjapanjp you might be wondering where to find the perfect Sakura viewing spot While many head to popular parks and gardens why not escape the crowds and uncover a hidden cherry blossom haven Nestled at the base of the Kirishima Mountains lies a shrine that transforms into a magical pink paradise each spring Kirishima Jingu Shrine is a hidden gem in Kagoshima Prefecture Dedicated to the deity Ninigi no Mikoto — the grandson of the sun goddess Amaterasu — it is a sacred place believed to hold divine power the shrine is said to bestow prosperity to businesses and safeguard homes Despite being damaged multiple times by volcanic eruptions it was reconstructed in its final location its foundation seemingly strengthened by the turmoil endured With over 1,000 years of history imbued in its rich vermilion torii gates Kirishima Jingu Shrine is a testament to the indomitable human spirit and the courage it takes to rebuild and start anew Couples who travel to Kirishima Jingu Shrine to embark on this enriching walk together are encouraged to pause and reflect Comparing similarities between life’s challenges and the journey to the observation deck can turn the walk into a meaningful shared experience approximately 200 Sakura trees grace the grounds of Kirishima Jingu Shrine adding a magical touch to an already ethereal landscape From snapping postcard-worthy photos to sharing quiet moments under a canopy of pink petals Uncover this lesser-known Sakura viewing spot with your partner this year You might just find yourselves back next year to book a Shinto wedding ceremony at Kirishima Jingu Shrine itself Note: Sakura trees in Kirishima are predicted to bloom between March to mid-April 2025 Please check official sources closer to your visit for more information Website: https://www.kagoshima-kankou.com/for/attractions/10113 Browse the JNTO site in one of multiple languages Kagoshima Prefecture--The dominance of standard Japanese in colloquial speech across the archipelago has obvious advantages But it comes at the risk of killing off rare dialects spoken on remote islands This explains an eleventh-hour effort to preserve dialects that are unintelligible to the rest of the population Television is clearly a primary culprit as islanders have tended over the years to “correct” their way of speaking so their offspring wouldn’t face discrimination when they went job hunting or pursued higher education on the mainland Eight areas of Japan were included in the most recent “red list” of endangered languages and dialects Okinoerabujima island in Kagoshima Prefecture is one of the target areas and concerted efforts are now under way to revive the local dialect Okinoerabujima became part of Japan’s Satsuma feudal domain after it belonged to the independent Ryukyu Kingdom That history created a distinct diversity to the island’s culture UNESCO released a list in 2009 of the world’s endangered languages Inscribed on the red list were eight local languages of Japan including the “Kunigami” language spoken in an area including Okinoerabujima “There are ways to revive a local language,” said Masahiro Yamada an associate professor with the Tokyo-based National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics (NINJAL) leads a project titled “Research on the Conservation of Endangered Languages.” The NINJAL approach being practiced for the first time on Okinoerabujima involves a method called Master-Apprentice devised in the United States in the 2000s The Master-Apprentice program relies on intensive one-on-one dialogue between a “master,” who speaks a local language at risk of dying out The idea is to develop new speakers of the language The method has worked well with Native American dialects NINJAL officials have held “dialect salon” sessions on Okinoerabujima once a month After explaining how the Master-Apprentice program works NINJAL officials said 25 islanders signed up to stop their dialect from dying out Standard Japanese has long been the norm in speech on Okinoerabujima in school education and most households some islanders with a burning urge to pass on their dialectal tradition have been busy working on their own to keep the island’s language alive who serves on Wadomari’s municipal board of education making picture cards to go with local folklore told in the dialect which she was determined to pass on to children through reading sessions and other events “I always harbored a sense of alarm that the dialect could vanish soon,” Tanaka said it’s like you are forcing your activities on others I think there are more chances of success if you incorporate the dialect in an enjoyable way so people will take interest in it.” became active after she took part in the dialect salon She set up a circle in her neighborhood last year and began collecting materials toward the goal of creating a dictionary for the dialect of the Tamina district which is different from those of other districts Tanabe’s group asked two women from the neighborhood 1,200 words have been preserved for posterity All the signs point to a future revival of the dialect NINJAL began enlisting the help of three-generation families on Okinoerabujima to get them to engage in fun activities that involve the use of the dialect during the annual summer break but she can now converse in it with her mother also used to have difficulty even with listening comprehension But they now understand 70-80 percent of what is being said in the dialect and speak it better members of the Maeda family continued learning from Chizuko and using the dialect when they talked among themselves at home or chatted on the Line free messaging app they ended up practicing the Master-Apprentice program without even being aware of it “I don’t know how I should describe this sense of satisfaction,” said Yurika of her newly acquired ability to converse in the dialect The project to revive the Okinoerabujima dialect has only just got under way “The local community has already embraced the idea,” the linguist said “The first local language to be revived will likely be either the Ainu language (in Hokkaido) or the dialect here.” An evacuation advisory has been issued for about 118,000 households Update: According to NHK the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) downgraded emergency warning for strong winds and high waves to warnings for Kagoshima Prefecture the typhoon could make landfall on the southwestern main island of Kyushu on Thursday morning on Thursday morning and the same time the following day Hundreds of flights — mainly to and from Kyushu — have been canceled due to the typhoon is also planning to cancel all of its local train and bullet train services from Thursday afternoon postal services have been suspended in the region and many stores plan to close early The JMA launched the Emergency Warning System in 2013. According to the agency’s website “Emergency Warnings are issued to alert people to the significant likelihood of catastrophes in association with natural phenomena of extraordinary magnitude.” They are “intended for extraordinary phenomena such as the major tsunami caused by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake by which 18,000 people were killed or left missing the 1959 storm surge in Ise Bay caused by Typhoon Vera by which more than 5,000 people were killed or left missing and the 2011 heavy rain caused by Typhoon Talas by which around 100 people were killed or left missing.” The Emergency Warning System has been issued because of typhoons three times before in Japan: for Miyakojima Island in 2014 for the Okinawa main island in 2016 and for Kagoshima Prefecture in 2022 already known as the “kingdom of dairy farming,” has earned a new accolade for its beef According to the central government’s statistics on agricultural output for 2023 that were released at the end of 2024 Hokkaido surpassed Kagoshima Prefecture as the country's top beef cattle producer for the first time involves evaluating a prefecture's agricultural production in terms of monetary value and current condition of its agriculture This is calculated based on annual production volume and prices at the time of shipment from farmers Hokkaido's beef cattle production was 122.4 billion yen ($835 million) known as the “kingdom of livestock breeding,” saw its production fall 2 billion yen for a total of 120.8 billion yen Hokkaido topped the nation with 1.35 trillion yen in output for all commodities the market price fell due to a slump in demand for "Kuroge Wagyu" (Japanese Black) beef as a result of rising prices This directly affected Kagoshima's production as the Wagyu breed accounts for more than 90 percent of the cattle raised there varieties raised in Hokkaido consist almost equally of Wagyu Holstein (or "Horusu") and crossbred cattle that are a mix of a female Holstein and male Kuroge Wagyu “The strength of Hokkaido is the perfect balance between the three types of cattle,” a senior official of Hokuren a federation of agricultural cooperatives responsible for economic business under the JA (Japan Agricultural Cooperatives) Group Hokkaido but the prices of Holstein and crossbred cattle have not collapsed,” the official added Holstein are essentially the face of dairy cattle Cuts are characterized as lean with little fat and chewy has both the fat and the lean flavor of Wagyu About 90 percent of the meat labeled as “Hokkaido beef” or “domestic beef” in supermarkets is either Holstein or crossbred beef Hokkaido's entire livestock industry has been promoting the branding of all beef cattle eight brands of Hokkaido beef have been registered as regional collective trademarks with the Japan Patent Office including “Tokachi Wakaushi” of Shimizu town and “Shihoro beef” of Shihoro town there are more than 100 brands of beef in Hokkaido,” said a person in charge of the industry group it is not clear whether Hokkaido's “perfect balance” of cattle will continue in the long term Existing technology now can breed female Holsteins with a 90 percent probability rate technology involving implanting eggs fertilized by Kuroge Wagyu cattle into female Holsteins is becoming more common and has turned into a source of income for dairy farmers whose businesses are struggling The industry is unanimous in its view that the ratio of Wagyu cattle with a higher commercial value will increase in the future “It is a good thing that high-quality branded beef is being bred in various parts of Hokkaido thanks to the efforts of producers," said Keigo Kuchida a professor of meat quality evaluation at Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine they have not yet been able to compete with long-established beef brands such as 'Matsusaka-ushi,' 'Kobe beef' and 'Yonezawa beef.'" who is familiar with the northern prefecture's livestock breeding situation "Although there are some difficulties because Hokkaido is so large it would be good to have a strategy to promote 'Hokkaido' at the forefront and market it nationwide as a major beef-producing region.” Kishida pledges aid package to farmers to boost wagyu exports Matsusaka beef exports to rise to ‘fill stomachs of wealthy’ abroad Kumamoto firm delivers halal Japanese beef in Muslim countries Kyushu ranch on mission to bring happiness to unwanted cattle Copyright © The Asahi Shimbun Company. All rights reserved. No reproduction or republication without written permission. 13 Apr 2025 04:00:00 GMT?.css-1txiau5-AnswerContainer{color:var(--GlobalColorScheme-Text-secondaryText2);}Kagoshima United vs Azul Claro Numazu on Sun Predicted lineups are available for the match a few days in advance while the actual lineup will be available about an hour ahead of the match The current head to head record for the teams are Kagoshima United 5 win(s) Kagoshima United and Azul Claro Numazu have not drawn any of their last 6 matches against each other Have scored 2 goals in their last 5 matches Who won between Kagoshima United and Azul Claro Numazu on Sun 13 Apr 2025 04:00:00 GMT?Kagoshima United vs Azul Claro Numazu on Sun 13 Apr 2025 04:00:00 GMT ended in a 1–1 tie.InsightsHave scored 7 goals in their last 5 matches Kagoshima United is playing home against Azul Claro Numazu on Sun Several types of horses have galloped or lumbered along a sandy beach during a decades-old racing event in Japan's southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima The spring tradition began in 1958 as a fun diversion during a cherry blossom viewing party organized by a horse-drawn cart union About 13,000 spectators gathered at the seaside racing venue in the city of Ichikikushikino on Sunday with a total of about 60 horses taking part one contestant was carrying a 1-year-old human baby on the back It managed to plod toward the finish line only after a member of the toddler's family provided help by drawing the reins one contender abruptly stopped in its tracks as if reluctant to proceed further racehorses sprinted powerfully along a roughly 1.2-kilometer stretch under blue skies A spectator in his 70s said he had come to see the event for the first time and found the pony race interesting A fourth-grade girl said big horses and fast horses were cool The head of the event's organizing committee said local residents have kept traditional racing alive He added that his group will continue to promote the event JP EN FR 简体中文 繁體中文 Richer living through mindfulness of the traditional Japanese seasons Discovering a richer life in the traditional seasons of Japan Place × Season × Time=Unforgettable experiencesThrilling experiences born of the right place Discovering the hidden stories in everyday lifeUntold stories from just around the corner in Japan Unique brand stories combining tradition with revolutionRevolutionary traditionalism: Brand stories like no other Interviews with the people of the momentMeetings with the women and men who make Japan tick Weaving a lifestyle from Japanese sensibilities and aestheticsBring the Japanese sense of beauty into your life Online salons led by individual hostsThought-provoking discussion led by fascinating figures Premium Japan Members One of the joys of touring a distillery is tasting a variety of brands of whiskey including products exclusive to the distillery at the tasting corner attached to the distillery This is at the cafe bar and shop "Hojo" next to the "Mars Tsunuki Distillery." When rich nature and the wisdom of the people who live there are combined Numerous shining "treasures" are born in various parts of Kagoshima Prefecture They are now attracting attention from around the world we will introduce four distilleries that aim to produce world-class Japanese whiskey by utilizing the traditions and techniques of shochu brewing unique to Kagoshima: Mars Tsunuki Distillery as well as two bars where you can taste such Japanese whiskey While Japan's traditional sake brewing has been recognized as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO Japanese whiskey has also attracted a lot of attention and its export value has now surpassed that of sake There are nearly 180 whiskey distilleries (or more precisely with Kagoshima Prefecture boasting the highest number of distilleries by prefecture which have both pure water filtered through the volcanic Shirasu Plateau and sake-making techniques handed down by shochu brewers have been producing a succession of distinctive whiskeys in recent years A huge tower suddenly appears among the mountains of the Satsuma Peninsula where lush green mountains form beautiful ridgelines The word "Tsunuki" is vividly painted on the wall of the imposing 26-meter-tall tower a shochu manufacturer with over 100 years of history and one of the largest in Kagoshima Prefecture Hombo Shuzo has long been involved in whiskey production in Nagano and other areas but in 2016 it resumed distilling malt liquor in Tsunuki The contrast between the historic stone storehouse and the towering "old distillation tower" is eye-catching called the "old distillation tower," was built to cover the still that produced Hombo Shuzo's signature potato shochu which was in operation until the early 1970s you'll be surprised at the enormity of the still which is equipped with long distillation tubes to remove the distinctive odor that occurs when refining high-purity alcohol is the embodiment of the passion that Hombo Shuzo has poured into shochu production It is only natural that such stills remain as symbols even though they are no longer in operation and they give a sense of their deep history there are also panels summarizing the history of Hombo Shuzo and the Hombo family which have been leaders in shochu production in Kagoshima The interior of the "Old Distillation Tower," which displays information on shochu production in Tsunuki Mars Tsunuki Distillery produces single malt whiskey bearing the name "Tsunuki." The mountain basin has a climate with large temperature differences and the high-quality spring water is a blessing from the surrounding mountains combined with the history and techniques cultivated over many years of shochu production It has received high praise both at home and abroad Aging is an essential part of the whiskey-making process the raw liquor waits for the years to mature in a stone storehouse surrounded by heavy exterior walls reminiscent of old European castles The sight of rows of barrels lit by subdued lighting is overwhelming This is the aroma of the raw liquor evaporating little by little from the barrels while it is aging The faint aroma of whiskey wafts through the silent stone barrel storage facility where the second president of "Hombo Shuzo" has been renovated and is open to visitors as a cafe face the lush Japanese garden and are a bright and open space There are whisky tastings and distillery goods for sale You can experience the subtle differences in the flavor of whisky which are caused by the barrels used and the degree of aging Drink your whisky while looking out at the beautifully maintained Japanese garden It's a taste that can only be found in "Japanese whisky." you can also try whiskeys exclusive to the distillery Tel: 0993-55-2121 / Business hours: 9:00-16:00 / Closed: 12/30-1/3 *May be closed temporarily Admission is free (all tastings are charged) / Shop available (Takatsune Cafe Bar & Shop) Kanosuke Distillery is built on a plateau overlooking Fukiagehama Beach which faces the East China Sea and is known as a nesting ground for sea turtles If Mars Tsunuki Distillery is a mountain distillery Kanosuke Distillery may be more appropriately called a sea distillery a long-established shochu manufacturer with over 140 years of history Kosei Brewery is a brewery that produces barrel-aged rice shochu known as "Mellow Kozuru." The reason this long-established brewery started producing whiskey was due to the passion of its fourth-generation owner The exterior of the distillery is designed in colors that blend in with the surrounding sand dunes so as not to spoil the scenery "Melo Kozuru was the first shochu to be barrel-aged in Japan It was released in 6 after a long period of six years of barrel storage It is a mellow and wonderful shochu that is still loved by many people in Japan there was no culture of drinking distilled spirits with meals at the time while most distilled spirits in the world have an alcohol content of 1957% or more Demand was limited to Japanese restaurants frequented by Japanese expatriates overseas and it was difficult to expand sales channels." and shochu culture to the world through the barrel-aging techniques I developed with Mellow Kozuru and the flavor of the whiskey that can be enjoyed anywhere in the world I launched this whiskey distillery in 2017 the second generation distiller who created Mellow Kozuru with an eye on the world." When fourth-generation owner Yoshitsugu Komasa established Kanosuke Distillery he travelled to many whisky distilleries in Scotland to broaden his knowledge There are three stills in operation at the Yoshino Distillery Each still has a different shape and performance they can create a wide variety of raw spirits with different aromas and flavors A whiskey distillery with three stills is rare even in Japan still produces shochu at the Hioki Distillery located about a five-minute drive from Kanosuke Distillery The Hioki Distillery originally used as many as seven stills to produce a variety of shochu It is precisely because these techniques have been passed down that the complex and time-consuming process required for whiskey production has become possible the raw liquor for pot still whiskey is produced here using shochu techniques In addition to the commonly used bourbon and sherry barrels the whiskey is aged in barrels that have previously stored Mellow Kozuru and various other ingenious efforts can be seen throughout the distillery The final tasting area on the distillery tour is "THE MELLOW BAR," named after "MELLOW," the concept behind the whiskey produced at "Kanosuke Distillery." Behind the single-piece counter and glass windows the majestic East China Sea spreads out before you "Because we are a distillery close to the sea we did consider making a taste that emphasizes the peaty flavor But we felt that the whiskey we make at KANOSUKE should be soft and mellow the participants will compare three types of whiskey including "Single Malt Kanosuke," which can be considered the flagship product of "Kanosuke Distillery." The subtle differences in flavors are shared by the refined and gentle bitter-sweetness which has been cherished by KANOSUKE and is made using shochu-making techniques that have been passed down from Mellow Kozuru "THE MELLOW BAR" offers a panoramic view of the East China Sea In addition to "Single Malt Kanosuke," brands available for tasting include "Kanosuke HIOKI POT STILL" and "Kanosuke DOUBLE DISTILLERY." Applications must be made at least one week before the desired tour date.The tour fee is 1,000 yen (including tasting) please visit the Kanosuke Distillery website known for its potato shochu Satsuma Shiranami This marks the birth of the southernmost whiskey distillery on the mainland In addition to the two malt whiskey stills installed inside the all-glass modern distillery building the premises are also equipped with a continuous still for grain whiskey The all-glass distillery building is reminiscent of a cutting-edge science laboratory Satsuma Shuzo is a brewery that is part of the Hombo Group the distillery was established with advice from Hombo Shuzo The biggest feature of Hi no Kami Distillery is that not only does it have a production system for grain whiskey in addition to malt whiskey but it also owns a barrel workshop called the Cooperage Satsuma Shuzo is the only shochu brewery that has a barrel workshop and barrel storage facility to produce Kami no Kawa a representative brand that ranks alongside Satsuma Shiranami There are very few shochu breweries that handle their own barrels which play an important role in determining the flavor of whiskey it has once again come into the spotlight in whiskey production three young craftsmen were working on maintaining the barrels They were maneuvering the huge empty barrels with ease and otherwise repairing the barrels that had been purchased A barrel is like a house where raw liquor spends a long time The work of caring for this house and creating a comfortable environment for raw liquor is like an indispensable behind-the-scenes support It is said that there are currently only a few dozen barrel craftsmen in Japan Cattail stems are fitted as packing to seal any gaps between the top and side panels The steady work of young craftsmen produces delicious whiskey It is beautiful to see them taking pride in their work "God of Fire," is scheduled to be released in 2026 the distillery is scheduled to open to the public in 2025 and a guest space with a visitor's center will be established on the same premises as the distillery Chief Distilling Manager Matsuzaki Masahiko said but hot summers and occasional snowfall in winter and the sea breeze probably speeds up the aging process I'm personally looking forward to seeing what kind of whiskey will be born from this southernmost distillery in the mainland in such an environment." We can't wait for the first release "We installed the still with advice from Mars Tsunuki Distillery but we are aiming for a different taste from Tsunuki," says Matsuzaki What kind of whiskey will be produced at the southernmost distillery on the mainland *Tours are scheduled to open in November 2025 when the visitor center is completed On the other side of the Satsuma Peninsula The distillery is called "Hishida Distillery." It is run by "Tensei Shuzo," a manufacturer of shochu which uses "Hishida groundwater," known as the softest water in Kagoshima Prefecture The Hishida area is known for its high-quality underground water it was a thriving area for shochu production with over 120 sake breweries operating there and has been producing a variety of shochu for over XNUMX years there were more than twenty sake breweries in the Hishida area won the highest gold award in the shochu category at the Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition for two consecutive years in 2021 and 2022 This sparked a growing momentum to make whiskey using Hishida Water The distillery will have a still capable of producing both malt and grain whiskey and plans are underway to produce blended whiskey within the same distillery in the coming years they obtained a whiskey production license They began producing malt and grain whiskey and the warm climate of the Osumi Peninsula resulted in a whiskey with a smooth mouthfeel by using Tensei Shuzo's unique "Early Drop Distillation Method" for the distillation of the whiskey was previously a staff member involved in whiskey production at Nagahama Distillery in Shiga Prefecture his sister distillery has a partnership with Nagahama Distillery and the two distilleries exchange various techniques The fledgling small distillery has also received warm words of encouragement from fellow distillers across the country "Hishida Distillery Newborn Prelude I," will go on sale on March 2025 Tel: 099-477-0510 / Business hours: 9:00~16:30 *Please contact us in advance if you wish to visit Each of the four distilleries we visited had their own unique techniques and they were proud to use them to create distinctive whiskeys they were constantly competing with each other to share information and we could sense their enthusiasm to increase the appeal of craft whiskey in Kagoshima Prefecture as a whole Japanese whiskey is currently attracting a lot of interest not only in Japan but also around the world and there is no doubt that Kagoshima Prefecture will become the core that drives this momentum in the future we'd like to introduce you to two bars where you can enjoy Kagoshima-made Japanese whiskey You can also sample whiskeys from the breweries introduced here side by side such as sitting at the counter or relaxing on the sofa seats we recommend the "Godfather," which combines "Single Malt Tsunuki" and amaretto Click here for The Cellar N Baron Nagasawa's website have partnered to reopen Kirishima-Jingu Station as part of a station building renewal and line utilization project aimed at revitalizing the station and the local area In addition to "Koubou," where you can taste Kagoshima whiskey there is also a gallery and a private sauna next door Brunch 8:30-12:00 (Brunch set using plant-based ingredients) LightClick here for Mang’s Instagram You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience JinkoSolar’s latest n-type tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) modules delivered higher energy yield per watt than a competitor’s n-type back contact (BC) modules in a three-month field test in Kagoshima JinkoSolar’s n-type TOPCon modules have been found to deliver significantly higher energy yield per watt compared to n-type BC modules during a three-month field test conducted by TÜV Nord at a field testing base in Kagoshima was conducted from October to December 2024 as part of a year-long study It found that JinkSolar’s TOPCon modules generated an average of 8.82% more energy per watt than n-type BC modules developed by an unnamed manufacturer with the highest monthly gain reaching 9.84% The test setup consisted of two modules from each manufacturer installed on fixed mounts 1.2 meters from the ground at a 32-degree tilt angle The initial power of the modules was measured using the SAT method with spectral correction not considered in the test results The study collected energy yield (DC) data with a sampling interval of one minute The normalized energy yield of JinkoSolar’s TOPCon modules reached 294.2 kWh/kW over the three months compared to 270.2 kWh/kW for the n-type BC modules Analysis of energy yield performance under different irradiance levels found that for most of the testing period the average energy yield gain of n-type TOPCon modules reached 8.05% JinkoSolar added that Kagoshima’s rainy season was “an ideal setting to showcase the superior low-light performance of TOPCon modules.” Its modules achieving an average daily energy gain of 9.13% per watt during a continuous 15-day stretch of rain from Oct Under higher irradiance conditions (above 1,000 W/m²) the total three-month energy yield of TOPCon modules was 174.04 kWh with a yield gain per watt of 8.10% compared to n-type BC modules “This indicates that TOPCon modules can deliver higher yield under both low-irradiance rainy weather and high-irradiance sunny weather thanks to their excellent low-light performance and high bifaciality coefficient,” said JinkoSolar The study also measured the performance ratio (PR) of each module by comparing actual energy yield with the theoretical yield based on rated power and specific weather conditions It calculated the PR value of TOPCon modules at 97.8% compared to 89.9% for the n-type BC modules JinkoSolar said this demonstrates “that bifacial TOPCon modules with high bifaciality offer significant advantages in energy yield efficiency for ground-mounted power stations.” More articles from Patrick Jowett Please be mindful of our community standards and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" By submitting this form you agree to pv magazine using your data for the purposes of publishing your comment Your personal data will only be disclosed or otherwise transmitted to third parties for the purposes of spam filtering or if this is necessary for technical maintenance of the website Any other transfer to third parties will not take place unless this is justified on the basis of applicable data protection regulations or if pv magazine is legally obliged to do so You may revoke this consent at any time with effect for the future in which case your personal data will be deleted immediately your data will be deleted if pv magazine has processed your request or the purpose of data storage is fulfilled Further information on data privacy can be found in our Data Protection Policy Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" This website uses cookies to anonymously count visitor numbers. View our privacy policy. × The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this Close Kagoshima — Liquor experts from abroad visited shochu breweries in Ichikikushikino Kagoshima — Liquor experts from abroad visited shochu distilleries in Ichikikushikino including restaurant owners and certified liquor specialists participated in the visit which was arranged by the National Tax Agency together with the prefectural government The tour was organized to promote the traditions and appeal of authentic Kagoshima shochu with the goal of expanding exports which is known for its Satsuma Tanabata sweet potato shochu They listened to a representative explain the aging process of the shochu and sampled both unfiltered and aged varieties to compare their differences The experts also visited the production facility to learn about the techniques used to create rich The participants also visited Shiraishi Shuzo Co. explained how he chooses sweet potatoes for brewing The group experienced the aroma of fermenting mash stored in traditional earthenware jars and stirred it themselves who runs a company in Taiwan that imports Japanese alcohol “The taste varies depending on the type of sweet potato and each distillery has its own unique approach a seasoned typhoon-chaser and video producer based in Japan has built a career of venturing into the eye of nature's most ferocious storms positioning himself at the center of the action As Typhoon Shanshan bore down on Japan last week braving the elements to get a firsthand experience of the storm's fury.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); The Japan Times spoke with him to gain insight into what it was like to be in the heart of Shanshan, referred to as Typhoon No. 10 by the Meteorological Agency as it unleashed its power on the Kyushu region What made Typhoon Shanshan stand out as worth chasing My threshold for chasing a storm is usually when it reaches hurricane or typhoon force — sustained wind speeds of at least 65 knots That’s when a storm is intense enough to potentially cause serious impacts upon landfall weaker storms can still have major impacts there was unanimous agreement among all the major weather models — the ECMWF (European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts) from Europe the GFS (Global Forecast System) from the U.S. They all predicted that Shanshan would become a strong typhoon With that level of consensus in the forecast I had a strong suspicion it was going to be a high-impact storm there wasn’t really anything different in my preparations I kind of approach all storms in the same way The most important thing is you have to be flexible and fluid in your movements when it looked like Shanshan was going to hit Wakayama Prefecture or Shikoku I planned to drive from Tokyo in my own car So that’s what I did — I headed down to Wakayama on Sunday to base myself there and see what would happen But then everything started shifting westward I have seen that kind of thing happen before Shanshan was unique from a personal perspective — it threw me off in terms of where I was locating myself Most storms I chase are more straightforward — I either drive to the area and figuring out locations to film where the storm would come ashore It turned into a more unorthodox chase than usual How would you describe the conditions on the ground as the storm approached But that was about 12 to 15 hours before landfall the weather progressively got worse and worse the sustained winds on the coast steadily picked up and by the time we were along the coast in Kyushu the weather had started to get quite dangerous The winds were strong enough to knock over trees and start doing damage Things really got intense when the inner eye wall — the strongest area of wind and rain that surrounds the storm’s center — crossed over the town where we were stationed That’s when you get the classic typhoon conditions: howling winds and visibility so poor you sometimes can’t see across the street That’s always the spot I try to get into because it’s where the most severe weather is taking place What was the most challenging aspect of chasing Typhoon Shanshan The terrain in southern Kyushu can be really challenging and many of the roads go through forests and over hills it often involves a lot of last-minute relocations in bad weather and you have to make those decisions with careful deliberation and those risks increase when you’re dealing with terrain where flooding can happen easily or when you’re driving through forests where trees are falling down Those are the kinds of places I like to avoid if possible One challenge that often presents itself is that in many small towns and villages in Japan where storms hit there’s often a lack of weather equipment or weather stations We carry portable weather instruments such as barometers to measure the central pressure of the storm Getting the most accurate measurement means being in the center of the eye of the storm Makurazaki (in Kagoshima Prefecture) has a fully functioning JMA (Meteorological Agency) weather station which took some pressure off us regarding accurate measurements While we still did a lot of weather readings with our devices having that government facility provided additional data and reassurance Another challenge with Shanshan was trying to read exactly where the eye wall was going to hit the coast The forecast had the storm missing the southern part of Kyushu but then curving up and crashing south of Nagasaki something quite unique to southern Kyushu happened — the storm started interacting with the mountainous island of Yakushima and I believe that interaction helped drag the storm east closer to the coast of southern Kagoshima instead of letting it drift further west This was an unforeseen influence that brought the storm closer to the coast Did you encounter any unexpected phenomena during the chase The interaction between Shanshan and Yakushima definitely fits into the category of unexpected phenomena There was also some interesting weather going on in Kagoshima city itself It almost seemed like the Sakurajima volcano across the bay was enhancing the wind as it came across There was noticeable turbulence and added disturbance in the vicinity of the volcano with strange vortexes and sudden powerful gusts of wind that seemed isolated to the area immediately downwind of the volcano There was a lot of weird and unexpected weather going on in that area What kind of interactions did you have with locals during the storm we very much just kept our heads down and focused on what we needed to do so we didn’t have much interaction with local people and then heading back out to Makurazaki later in the night I always have a motto: either make yourself useful during the storm You just get on with the job at hand without getting in anyone’s way But there was one interaction that stood out I had a quick chat with a fisherman in the port who was watching with concern as his ship was being battered by strong winds in the inner bands of the typhoon and gave him an approximate timing of when the storm was really going to kick off people are typically just minding their own business we often have a lot more interaction with locals during storms How do you prioritize safety during a storm chase I cut corners in that respect and had close calls that could have been prevented Chasing a typhoon is a continual exercise in risk assessment we’re always assessing how we could possibly get killed or injured and trying to negate as many dangerous factors as possible are we going to be safe from waves or storm surge flooding Are we going to be safe from landslides or flash floods Are we going to be near a river that could burst its banks Are we going to be by a building that could blow apart or throw debris at us It’s always a case of considering those factors and I was confident we found a solid building to take shelter behind We knew what the wind direction was going to be This was one of those chases where everything went to plan We put a lot of effort into planning it properly the better you get at trying to foresee what could go wrong and mitigating those risks Kagoshima Prefecture is one of the nation’s major production areas of shochu This is the seventh and final installment in a series introducing the charm of the distilled spirit and the people involved in its creation By Yusuke Kadooka / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer Kagoshima — “Cheers!” A group of residents toasted at a year-end party at a restaurant in Ichiki-Kushikino holding a glass of shochu rather than beer Shochu plays a key role in promoting the city that is home to eight distilleries the city became the first local government to establish an ordinance that promotes making a toast with authentic shochu Ichiki-Kushikino is in an area in the prefecture where shochu production is thriving and the city aims to further popularize and spread the traditional spirit among the public people traditionally toast with shochu at parties “The residents’ desire to pass on shochu culture to future generations is incorporated into the ordinance,” said Takashi Nagasaki To mark the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the ordinance the city started offering a course in fiscal 2023 for local high school students to experience shochu production The initiative aims to help young people become familiar with the local industry and encourages them to become its successors Course participants tour a shochu distillery and try their hand at harvesting sweet potatoes Fifteen students took part in the inaugural course with four of them joining local shochu distilleries joined the distillery Shiraishi Shuzo in spring last year after graduating from the prefectural Ichiki Agricultural & Horticultural High School Shiraishi Shuzo is a small shochu distillery run by four family members and three employees Hattori had a chance to work at the distillery for one week during his school’s work experience program He said he was surprised to see how huge its sweet potato field was The room used to mix koji mold with steamed rice was so hot that he realized how hard it was to produce shochu he made up his mind to work in the industry and so I thought this must be the place for me,” Hattori said said he was not looking for any employees at that time but he decided to hire Hattori due to his desire to work there Shiraishi was also happy with how Hattori had worked during the work experience program Shiraishi Shuzo grows pesticide-free sweet potatoes and although still small in scale has started exporting its products to France “We want as many people as possible to get to know the allure of sweet potato shochu,” Shiraishi said I feel like I’m taking a role in making shochu because of the small number of workers I’d like to master each job one by one and become an essential employee.” The city held the program for high school students to experience shochu production again this fiscal year a first-year student of Kamimura Gakuen High School as he harvested sweet potatoes as part of the program held in November Young people are allowed to enjoy shochu only after they turn 20 Many of them decide their future path in life and leave the city before that Ichiki-Kushikino’s initiative to give young people an opportunity to experience shochu production also aims to help nurture their local pride