Kagoshima Food Guide: Kurobuta Pork, Satsuma-age & Keihan

Kagoshima Kurobuta (Black Pork)

One of Japan's three great pork brands. The Berkshire breed raised in Kagoshima is prized for its rich marbling and sweetness — outstanding as shabu-shabu or tonkatsu.

Satsuma-age

Deep-fried fish cake known locally as "tsuke-age." Kagoshima's version is slightly sweet and makes a perfect street snack.

Keihan

Amami Oshima's iconic dish — rice topped with chicken, egg strips, pickled papaya and mushrooms, then drenched in light chicken broth.

Kokuto Shochu

A spirit made from Amami's black sugar cane — smooth, mildly sweet and best enjoyed over ice or with water.

Karukan

Kagoshima's elegant wagashi sweet made from mountain yam, rice flour and sugar. Light, fluffy and subtly sweet.

Access

Kagoshima City's Tenmonkan district has many famous restaurants. For keihan and island dishes, visit Amami Oshima.