Rainy Day in Kagoshima: Best Indoor Spots & Activities

Museum of the Meiji Restoration (Ishin Furusato-kan)

From the end of the Edo period into the Meiji era — the revolutionary energy of the movement that changed Japan from its very foundations still lives on here in Kagoshima.

Standing in "Kajiya-cho," the neighborhood that produced two great heroes, Saigo Takamori and Okubo Toshimichi, the Ishin Furusato-kan is not simply a history museum. Life-sized robots perform as the figures of the age, and a powerful video theater lets you experience the behind-the-scenes story of the Meiji Restoration — it is an immersive museum that makes you feel as though you have slipped back in time to the Bakumatsu period. Listening quietly to the voices of the great figures who lived through that turbulent age while the sound of rain echoes outside the windows — that kind of special time may be a luxury only a rainy day can offer.

The recommended time of day and best season is the morning right after opening. There are fewer tour groups, so you can savor the exhibits at your own pace. Autumn through winter is especially recommended, as the school-excursion season quiets down and you can look around with plenty of room to spare.

As a local way to enjoy it, be sure to make use of the free guided tours given by the museum staff (please confirm availability). You may get to hear the behind-the-scenes stories of the Restoration told with pride by the people of Kagoshima — things you would never notice just by reading the panels. The surrounding Kajiya-cho area is also dotted with sites such as the monument marking Saigo Takamori's birthplace, so walking a little farther during a break in the rain is worthwhile too.

Access: About 3 minutes on foot from the "Kajiya-cho" stop on the Kagoshima City Tram. It is also about 10 minutes on foot from Kagoshima-chuo Station, so access is excellent.

Traveler's Tip | Allow about 60 to 90 minutes. Renting the audio guide (for a fee) deepens your understanding considerably. When it is crowded, numbered tickets may be required for the video theater, so don't forget to check as soon as you enter.

Kagoshima City Aquarium (Kagoshima Suizokukan / Io World)

Enormous creatures swim quietly against a backdrop of the blue sea of Kinko Bay — Kagoshima City Aquarium "Io World" is one of Kyushu's largest aquariums, standing right on Kagoshima Bay (Kinko Bay).

The single greatest highlight is without question the Kuroshio Large Tank, where a whale shark glides serenely through the water. The moment that massive body, more than 8 meters long, drifts slowly toward you on the other side of the glass is breathtaking. Sit down on the bench set in front of the tank and simply watch it swim, and you will lose all track of time. Rainy days do tend to draw people who are avoiding outdoor sightseeing spots, but the spacious interior is designed with room to spare, and locals say that the crowds actually spread out more on rainy days, so you can enjoy it at a leisurely pace.

The recommended time of day is right after opening in the morning, or after 4:00 p.m. in the late afternoon. The latter overlaps with the hours when the setting sun streams in, so you can also catch the moment when the tanks are bathed in dramatic light.

As insider information, the pier area outside the building has an open-air pool where you can observe fish landed by local fishermen up close, and you can sometimes watch dolphins swimming freely for free (this varies with the weather and conditions). Stop by while you take shelter from the rain.

Access: About 5 minutes on foot from the "Suizokukan-guchi" stop on the Kagoshima City Tram. It is also about 15 minutes by bus from Kagoshima-chuo Station.

Traveler's Tip | Allow about 2 to 3 hours. The public dolphin training sessions and feeding times are set for specific hours, so checking the schedule on the official website before you visit will make your trip more rewarding. The whale shark goods at the museum shop are extremely popular as souvenirs, so save them as a treat for the way out.

Ibusuki Onsen (Sunamushi Onsen Sand Baths)

Search all of Japan and you will find this nowhere else.

Ibusuki's sunamushi sand bath is the ultimate relaxation experience, unmatched anywhere in the world: your whole body is buried in sand warmed by natural geothermal heat. You put on a yukata and lie down on the sand, and the staff carefully pile warm sand over you. The weight and heat that gradually envelop your entire body spread through you like being cradled by the earth itself — a sensation words cannot fully convey. It induces far more sweating than an ordinary bath, and in just 10 to 15 minutes you are warmed from your core. It is said to be tremendously effective for sensitivity to cold and for recovering from fatigue, making it the finest possible choice for soothing the weariness of travel.

And the welcome news is that there are covered facilities so you can enjoy it with peace of mind even on a rainy day. Warming yourself quietly while the sound of the waves on the beach mingles with the sound of the rain has a charm all its own, quite different from a sunny day.

The best season is autumn through winter. In summer the sand can become too hot, so a comparatively comfortable season is recommended for first-timers. The recommended time of day is right after opening in the morning or during the quieter late-afternoon hours. If you go in around sunset, you can enjoy the further luxury of gazing at the beautiful evening scenery while your body is still warm.

As a local way to enjoy it, rinse off the sand in the large public bath inside the hot spring facility afterward to feel refreshed. Then the classic golden route is to have lunch with Ibusuki's famous "Tosenkyo somen-nagashi" (flowing somen noodles) or a set meal made with local fresh fish.

Access: About 15 minutes on foot, or about 5 minutes by taxi, from "Ibusuki Station" on the JR Ibusuki-Makurazaki Line to the "Saraku" sand bath facility. From Kagoshima-chuo Station it is about 50 minutes on the limited express "Ibusuki no Tamatebako," so access is comfortable as well.

Traveler's Tip | The sand bath experience can involve a wait when it is busy. Some facilities accept advance reservations, especially on weekends and holidays, so checking the official website will put your mind at ease. Bring a bath towel and a change of clothes, or rent them on site. Sand can get into your clothing, so take care with your valuables as well.

Kagoshima City Museum of Art (Kagoshima Shiritsu Bijutsukan)

The light of Europe is pouring down on a southern island.

The centerpiece of the Kagoshima City Museum of Art's collection is its group of works by Impressionist masters such as Renoir, Monet, and Cezanne. Their paintings, known for soft color and the expression of light, shine all the more beautifully in the stillness of a rainy day. Unlike crowded sightseeing spots, a museum is a place where time somehow flows more slowly. With the sound of raindrops tapping the windows as background music, the luxury of facing a masterpiece one on one will stay in your heart long afterward as a memory of your Kagoshima journey.

What's more, the display of art and craft works connected to the Shimazu family of Satsuma is well worth seeing. Encountering Satsuma's craft culture, which nurtured its own distinctive sense of beauty through works such as Satsuma Kiriko cut glass and Satsuma-yaki ceramics, will deepen your understanding of the land called Kagoshima considerably. Western painting and Japanese crafts — being able to enjoy both worlds of beauty at once is the particular appeal of this museum.

The best season is when special exhibitions are held. Several times a year, exhibitions of famous artists from Japan and abroad are staged, offering a special experience different from the regular permanent collection. Check the exhibition information on the official website before you visit. The recommended time of day is a weekday morning. The galleries can feel almost entirely yours, letting you concentrate on the works.

As insider information, the museum's entrance hall and courtyard can be used free of charge. They also work as a place to rest on a rainy day, so dropping in casually while sightseeing nearby is recommended.

Access: About 3 minutes on foot from the "Asahi-dori" stop on the Kagoshima City Tram. It is about 10 minutes by tram from Kagoshima-chuo Station.

Traveler's Tip | Allow about 60 minutes for the permanent exhibition alone, or about 2 hours including a special exhibition. If audio guides are available for rent, make use of them. Taking a break at the museum cafe to linger over the afterglow is also well worth it.

Reimeikan (Prefectural Center of History and Art)

"Everything" about Kagoshima is packed into this one building.

Rising imposingly on the former site of Tsurumaru Castle, the Reimeikan is Kagoshima's largest comprehensive museum, where you can take in everything from Jomon-period artifacts to the culture of the Satsuma domain and the course of modern Kagoshima in one visit. Ancient earthenware and ornaments, the arms and armor of the Satsuma domain, the personal effects of the Restoration patriots — as you walk through galleries where exhibits spanning the ages are laid out in good order, you come to feel keenly just how rich and complex the history etched into this land has been.

Visiting here on a rainy day, you feel as though the extraneous noise fades away and you can engage seriously with history. Trace the exhibits slowly and carefully, and by the time your trip ends you should have picked up enough knowledge to call yourself a Kagoshima expert.

As a local way to enjoy it, the stone walls of Tsurumaru Castle and the Goromon Gate that spread out beyond the building are also must-sees. Restored in 2020, the Goromon is one of Japan's largest castle gates. On a clear day you would want to stroll around the grounds, but even in the rain you can feel its overwhelming scale up close from beneath an umbrella. Visiting it together with the Reimeikan should bring the history of Satsuma back to life in three dimensions.

The best season is any time of year, but spring and autumn, when special exhibitions are held, are particularly recommended. Exhibitions that spotlight the region's cultural properties and artworks bring fresh discoveries even to travelers from outside the prefecture.

Access: About 5 minutes on foot from the "Shiyakusho-mae" stop on the Kagoshima City Tram. It is also about 10 minutes by bus from Kagoshima-chuo Station.

Traveler's Tip | Allow about 90 minutes to 2 hours. The building is large, so it is efficient to first pick up the permanent exhibition map on the first floor and narrow down the areas you want to see. Admission is reasonably priced, and you can enjoy the Reimeikan together with the Tsurumaru Castle ruins, so visiting it at the start of your Kagoshima sightseeing will make the rest of your trip all the richer.

Access Information

For spots within Kagoshima City, the Kagoshima City Tram (streetcar) is the most convenient way to get around. The Ishin Furusato-kan, Kagoshima City Aquarium, Kagoshima City Museum of Art, and Reimeikan are all located within a 5-minute walk of a tram stop, and if you buy a one-day pass (600 yen) you can travel among them without worrying about transport costs.

To Ibusuki Onsen (the sunamushi sand baths), it is about 50 minutes from Kagoshima-chuo Station on the JR Ibusuki-Makurazaki Line (using the limited express "Ibusuki no Tamatebako"). It is close enough to enjoy fully as a day trip, but since you have come this far, staying overnight and savoring the hot spring once more after dinner is the connoisseur's way to enjoy Ibusuki.

Kagoshima on a rainy day is so well supplied with indoor spots that the density of your sightseeing actually goes up. Tour the city's museums and art museums in the morning, then soak in a sand bath at Ibusuki to wash away the fatigue of your journey.