クイーン・エリザベス-8.鹿児島/Queen Elizabeth-8. Kagoshima
It’s 5:52am on May 3rd. The ship was already on the starboard side in the middle of Kagoshima Bay, so we couldn’t see Mt. Kaimondake, but we could see Sakurajima in the distance . Kagoshima Port is on the east side opposite Sakurajima. We arrived at the port at 7:50. Many tour buses are already waiting. Kagoshima’s mascot character "Guribu" is at the port! cute! Arrive at Waterfront Park by free shuttle bus. From here, Tenmonkan and Sakurajima Ferry Terminal are within walking distance. Today, we will go to Sakurajima first! You will have to pay the fare on the Sakurajima side, so it is a strange experience to just walk and board the ship! The Sakurajima Ferry, which operates 24 hours a day and is open all year round, costs 200 yen one way and arrives at Sakurajima in about 15 minutes.It ‘s only a 15 minute boat trip, but you can try the specialty! Yabukin udon! Served quickly and easy to eat! It was delicious udon! By the time we finished eating and cleaned up, we arrived at Sakurajima! Get the “Mifune Seal”, the stamp of the ship that comes and goes quite often ! It is said that there was a gun battery here during the Satsuma-British War. Board the tour bus "Sakurajima Island View" and see the observation deck on the east side of Sakurajima from the bus window . There is a river with no water under the bridge of the International Volcanic and Sabo Center.The soil contains a lot of volcanic ash, so debris flows occur frequently during rainfall. Rivers like this have the role of flowing debris flows to the sea. Arriving at the Yunohira Observatory at an altitude of 373 meters, it is said to be the highest point on Sakurajima that people can access. There is a souvenir shop on the first floor of the observatory . Sakurajima is a composite volcano formed by combining two large volcanoes, Kita-dake and Minami-dake , and at first only Kita-dake existed. Minamidake was born due to an eruption about 4,500 years ago . The Kita-dake crater is currently dormant, and the Minami-dake crater is active and emitting smoke. I thought that thing on the right was a cloud, but it turned out to be volcanic smoke. It seems that amberjack farming is popular in Kinko Bay, which stretches out below.You can see Queen Elizabeth in the distance, but even though it’s sunny, it’s somewhat hazy. Could it be the effect of the volcanic smoke? Returning to Sakurajima Port, the bus tour ended. Walking from the port, we came to the roadside station "Hinoshima Megumikan". There are many products made from volcanic ash, lava, Sakurajima radish, and small mandarin oranges! In particular, I didn’t see many processed products made from Sakurajima daikon radish in Kagoshima city , so it was a good idea to buy them here.For lunch, the udon with Sakurajima komikan kneaded in and the pickled amberjack bowl were delicious! ! The Sakurajima komikan juice was also rich and delicious , and then we headed to the hot springs! Stretch your legs for the first time in a while, take a bath, and relax! After taking a bath, drink cold hot spring water to refresh yourself! It’s a quick boat trip from Sakurajima back to Kagoshima city , but from the port where the breeze feels good, we use a shared bike.As an extension of our sightseeing in Nagasaki, we head to Christian-related places. Aiming for Xavier Park. On the way, we arrived at Xavier Park where we discovered a statue of Tomoatsu Godai, a famous businessman from Kagoshima . The Xavier Church was built in the Meiji period to honor the achievements of Francisco Xavier (center statue), the Jesuit missionary who first brought Christianity to Japan , but it was destroyed during World War II. This gate is said to be part of it. In order to maintain the tradition of visiting the Jigen-ryu Hyōhōsho Museum, an ancient style of swordsmanship from the Satsuma clan , it is said that even now you can only learn at this dojo. I came to Tenmonkan, Kagoshima City’s busiest downtown area. Even within the shopping arcade, this dome stands out. This dome depicts the life of Xavier, with its exotic landscapes, ships, and place names such as the Basque Cross, Malacca, and Kagoshima. Beyond the shopping street, at the stone lantern intersection, Ryoma Sakamoto, a samurai at the end of the Edo period, can be seen. There is a bronze statue showing that he visited Kagoshima with his wife Oryu . This is said to be Japan’s first honeymoon. Before I knew it, it was already past 4 o’clock. Return to the cruise ship by shuttle bus. At the port, a concert is being held by the Little Cherries, a jazz big band made up of elementary and junior high school students from Kagoshima.Have a toast on the balcony while listening to the wonderful music! Perfect weather, great performances, and a spectacular view of Sakurajima! I thought it was a bird, but was it a drone? ? As the sunlight changes, the appearance of Sakurajima also changes.You can clearly see that the smoke is rising from Mt. Minami instead of Mt. Kita.About 160 years ago, the flags of two rival countries lined up. Peace is the best! Although we were delayed for almost an hour, we finally set sail. The mooring rope is slowly being pulled into the ship. Thank you to everyone in Kagoshima who has been waiting for us all this time. Surprisingly, Little Cherries was also waiting for us! ! I’m sorry, it’s evening and I’m probably hungry. However, I was very moved by the wonderful performance! thank you! ! I was moved by the warmth of everyone who waved flags to see me off . With the beautiful sunset sky and Kagoshima cityscape in the background, it was an unforgettable sight for everyone who saw us off . There were a lot of people at the end of the port too! Goodbye, Kagoshima! I’ll come visit again! ! I ordered a salad and a light meal from room service. Kaimondake! However, it was becoming cloudy.The helicopter that had followed us from the port returned to Kagoshima City about 30 minutes after departure.The sky was clear, like the beautiful orange and blue gradation seen in front of the sea in the evening. It seems difficult to see Mt. Kaimondake. Tonight is a red and gold gala night After the evening, we will change into formal attire that incorporates red and gold.Tonight, we were planning to go to the main dining room, but I sprained my foot, so I had no choice but to change to the buffet. Carrot cake, Victoria cake , roast beef, meat pie, tonight’s buffet theme was British cuisine. All of them were delicious, and all my depressed feelings were blown away. The thick-sliced roast beef was as delicious as the authentic British dish! I took a commemorative photo of only the main dining menu. It was a relief that there were some menus in common with the buffet as well . After watching the dance party, I returned to my room early. The ship has already reached the southwest of the Osumi Peninsula. Tomorrow is a full-day sailing day. ! good night.
2024年春、キュナードラインのクイーンエリザベスに乗船！東京発着の日本一周の旅。
Sailed on the Queen Elizabeth by Cunard Line in the spring of 2024! A cruise around Japan departing from and returning to Tokyo.
東京Tokyo – 青森Aomori – 秋田Akita – 釜山(韓国)Busan(South Korea) – 長崎Nagasaki – 鹿児島Kagoshima – 東京Tokyo