Explore: Kagoshima
General Info
Description:
Kagoshima is the capital city of Kagoshima Prefecture, located at the SW tip of the island of Kyushu. It is a modern city on the western shore of Kagoshima Wan with the imposing volcano, Sakurajima, lying on the eastern shore of the bay.
The town of Uchinoura (amongst others) was merged into Kagoshima, and the Uchinoura Space Center is is named after the town as it was built before the merger.
Entrance Notes and Cautions:
The Sakurajima volcano frequently erupts, spreading ash and disrupting transportation (airport and trains). The volcano is always active so even when it’s not erupting the town is often still covered in a thin layer of ash, depending on the weather and wind, making it impossible to hang out laundry or keep the deck clean.
Position:
31° 28.85’N, 130° 32.60’E (yacht berths)
Clearance
Yachts are asked to tie up at Taniyama, which is a suburb of Kagoshima proper, about five miles to the south of the center. Officials will travel from downtown to meet you there. See docking details below.
Last update: June 2019
Docking
Kagoshima:
It’s a full day from the mouth of the bay to the city and there are limited mooring options.
Kagoshima Marine Services in Taniyama usually has room for 2-3 visitor boats up to about 40ft. They are very friendly and helpful to foreign cruisers and do good repair work, but they can only haul out smaller/lighter boats.
Mooring is bow or stern-to the wall (tide is 2 to 3m), using buoys, mooring lines and foam fenders that are already in place. Each mooring slot has its own tiny raft on which you pull yourself to the nearest ladder in the harbor wall.
Uchinoura:
Tucked into the end of a well-protected bay near the southeastern tip of Kyushu is the fishing port of Uchinoura, best known for being the location of one of Japan’s two main rocket-launching stations.
Guided tours (in Japanese only) are available at the launch station.
Approaching Uchinoura, be sure to avoid the extensive aquaculture areas. Also, note that major construction changed the size and location of the breakwaters at the entrance a few years ago, so what you see may be different from what is indicated on your charts if they are not up-to-date.
Moorage can be found at the northern end of the fishing port. There is room along the wall for three visiting boats. (31°16.7368’N, 131°4.7516’E)
There is a onsen hot-spring bath, a convenience store, a commercial district with a good supermarket and a few local eateries around the area.
For further details, photos and harbor plans, see Konpira Consulting’s website.
Last updated: July 2022
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