Mount Kaimon [開聞岳]
Mount Kaimon and JR Line
Mount Kaimon in spring
Photo: Kyushu Tourism Promotion Organization
Mount Kaimon ("Kaimondake" in Japanese) is an active volcano located about 15 km west-southwest of Ibusuki Onsen.
It has a near-complete cone shape.
The shape looks like Mount Fuji, so it is sometimes called "Satsuma-Fuji".
The alititude is 924 meters.
The western, southern and southeastern foots face the East China Sea directly.
The last great eruption occured in 885, and it has been calm since that.
A little emissions of light volcanic gas had occured on the top for a few weeks in 2000, but there is no volcanic activity now.
View of Lake Ikeda from the top of Mt. Kaimon
Mt. Kaimon from Lake Ikeda in spring
Photo: Kyushu Tourism Promotion Organization
A climbing trail to the top is set up.
The entrance is at the northern foot, and the trail runs in spirals on the cone mountainside.
We can reach the top within three hours.
There is Lake Ikeda (池田湖) which is a caldera lake to the north of Mount Kaimon.
And there is no other mountain around Mount Kaimon.
So, we can see the wide Pacific Ocean, Lake Ikeda and the low hills without obstruction.
Nagasakibana (長崎鼻)
Nagasakibana
Photo: Kyushu Tourism Promotion Organization
Mt. Kaimon from Nagasakibana
Photo: Kyushu Tourism Promotion Organization
There is Cape Nagasakibana about 6 km east-southeast of Mount Kaimon.
It is the southernmost point of Satsuma Peninsula including Kagoshima city.
Mount Kaimon is seen beautifully, and you may see Yakushima island located about 90 km south of the cape when it is fine.
There is a small Ryûgû Shrine (龍宮神社) near the tip of the cape.
Ryugu Shrine in Nagasakibana
Worship hall of Ryugu Shrine
Photo: Kagoshima Prefectural Visitors Bureau
There is a legend.
Urashima Taro was a fisherman.
One day, he helped a turtle bullied by some children near the coast.
The turtle offered to invite to Castle Ryûgû in the sea in return for his help.
Urashima Taro accepted the proposal with pleasure, and went to the castle on the back of the turtle.
In gorgeous Castle Ryûgû on the bottom of the sea, Princess Otohime entertained him tremendously.
He stayed there for a long time.
At last, he reminded his home.
So, he told Princess Otohime that he had to return to his home.
Princess Otohime was really disappointed, but she gave him a box as a souvenir.
Then, he returned back to the coast on the back of the turtle.
He opened the box of the souvenir on the coast.
White smoke appeared from the box, then it changed him to a very old man.
700 years had been passed since the visit to Castle Ryûgû.
Ryûgû Shrine enshrines Princess Otohime as the guardian god of the sea.
And it is known as a god of match-making.
In addition, the coast around the cape is the spawning ground of turtles.
How to get here
By JR Ibusuki-Makurazaki Line, from Kagoshima-Chuo to Ibusuki station, about 55 minutes by rapid train, about 1 hour and 25 minutes by local train.
By route bus, from Ibusuki station, 35 minutes to Nagasakibana, 48 minutes to Kaimon-tozanguchi (Start point of climbing path to Mount Kaimon), 1 hour and 4 minutes to Lake Ikeda.
