The dusty city – Kagoshima city

Kagoshima, a vibrant city nestled at the southern tip of Japan’s Kyushu Island, offers a unique blend of everyday life and nature’s grandeur. Living in the shadow of Sakurajima, one of the most active volcanoes in Japan, means that while daily routines may seem mundane such as commuting to work, shopping for groceries, or enjoying a quiet coffee at a local café. There’s an ever-present reminder of the breathtaking and unpredictable force of nature that looms over us. This magnificent volcano not only shapes the landscape, but also colors daily experiences, from the occasional ashfall that dusts cars to the stunning sunsets that reflect its silhouette. Join me as I explore what it's like to navigate life in Kagoshima, where the ordinary meets the extraordinary in the most captivating ways.

My journey to Kagoshima was blessed with perfect sunshine and a gentle breeze. I had chosen a hotel that offered a stunning view of Sakurajima and the ocean separating it from Kagoshima City. Admittedly, before coming to Kagoshima, I didn’t do much research. I knew that Sakurajima was an active volcano, but I was not prepared for just how active it really was.

Over the Christmas period, I flew back to the UK, and on the day of my departure, I heard that Sakurajima had experienced a small eruption. Many of my colleagues have shown me images of the evacuation shelters that are scattered around the areas near Sakurajima. However, all of this slipped my mind when I decided to finally visit the last two outstanding prefectures in Kyushu: Miyazaki and Kagoshima.

My time in Miyazaki was eventful, and I certainly got close to nature during that part of the trip. While visiting the beautiful Aoshima Shrine and island, it started pouring, and I was drenched to the bone.

Upon arriving in Kagoshima, nothing stood out to me at first. It was late in the evening and dark by the time I reached my hotel. The only notable comment I made was to my travel buddy: "Hey, there are so many clouds; I can't see the volcano." I found it a bit unsettling to think that behind those clouds lay an active volcano. It didn't occur to me at the time that the clouds I saw were unusual. That night was clear, and my hotel had a small balcony overlooking the ocean. The stars were bright and visible in the night sky.

The next day was dedicated to exploring Sakurajima. My plan was simple: catch a ferry and see as much as I could. After enduring a downpour in Miyazaki, I took the opportunity to hang my wet clothes out on the balcony, hoping they would dry quickly in the summer heat of Japan. Once that was taken care of, I headed to the ferry terminal and boarded the next ferry to Sakurajima. The ferry runs all night and offers a very reasonable fare for the fifteen-minute journey. It costs only about twenty yen more than the bus ride to the terminal.

As a child, I watched many horror films, perhaps earlier than I should have, but none of them scared me. I often found myself picking apart the movies, identifying holes in continuity or logic. The only films that genuinely frightened me were natural disaster movies. I remember being terrified for weeks after watching "Twister," constantly worrying that a tornado would strike at night and destroy everything I knew, even though the UK rarely experiences anything beyond a dusty tornado or a small waterspout. Interestingly, the UK has one of the highest tornado densities in the world, but this is largely due to its size and the frequency of smaller tornadoes. In that sense, my childhood fear was irrational.

Another film that left a lasting impression on me was "Dante's Peak," along with several other volcano-themed movies. For me, the scariest things were those that felt real and believable. While the chances of encountering a masked murderer are low, they are never zero. However, the likelihood of experiencing a natural disaster, especially with climate change becoming increasingly evident, is quite high. Now that I live in the Ring of Fire, home to earthquakes and active volcanoes, that percentage has certainly increased. It would seem my childhood fear took place when I submitted my application to move here.

Upon reaching Sakurajima, the beautiful weather continued, and the island's port was bustling. I quickly found two convenience stores, both of which were still using their old logo colors, but they were certainly fun to explore. Sakurajima relies on the ferry for supplies to be brought over. So, some of the snacks and things available in the stores were slightly behind the current convenience store offerings. The visitor center was informative, and it was there that I began to understand Sakurajima's character. They provided running totals of year-to-date eruptions and earthquakes, and the wind direction was being monitored live, tracking her every move. For anyone fascinated by geology, this is the place to visit. It didn’t occur to me that as I noted the wind direction that day, which covered Kagoshima City, it would have significant implications later that day.

For visitors to the island, there are buses that cover the main areas in loops, ensuring that you can see many highlights. The observatory was where the puzzle pieces began to fall into place. It offered a fantastic view of the active crater side, and it was here that we finally realized the clouds, which seemed to perpetually cover the island, were coming from Sakurajima!

Readers of my blog might not be aware, but I was diagnosed with cough-variant asthma after spending a month in Japan. I had been struggling to breathe and experiencing frequent coughing fits. Thankfully, with the help of a doctor and some medications, including an inhaler, my condition is now manageable. Interestingly, my friend and I noted that I hadn’t coughed at all since arriving on the island, where the next puzzle piece clicked into place.

After our conversation about my breathing, we both noticed that our eyes felt somewhat dry. We eventually moved away from the observation deck to wait for the bus. While we waited, a taxi driver, who must have seen me wiping my eyes or scratching my arm, started to offer advice. Unfortunately, my Japanese isn’t very strong, but I gathered he was suggesting that we wash our eyes if they were hurting.

Then, as we stared at the information board, the last piece of the puzzle finally clicked into place. I noticed something had collected at the base of the board, obstructing the bottom line. When I went to brush it away, I eventually realized that the substance was ash.

It suddenly dawned on me just how active Sakurajima really is. I finally noticed black ash collecting in the cracks and along the edges of the roads. The evacuation shelters became more visible as we walked along the ring road that skirts the island. While walking, I thought I heard a low popping sound, but I shrugged it off. After seeing the buried torii gate and learning how quickly conditions on the island can change, the picture became clearer. My friend had told me that the people in Kagoshima and on the island have a unique relationship with the volcano; they wake up each day and say good morning to her. Sakurajima's likeness appears everywhere—from shop and restaurant names to mascots. A dedicated section of the weather forecast monitors ash fall for the day and advises residents on whether it is safe to do laundry or for those with respiratory conditions to go outside. Life with the volcano reflects respect but may seem odd or even mad to an outsider.

It might seem strange that people willingly choose to live on the island or in the city overlooking one of the most active volcanoes, but they do. The residents grow large turnips and harvest good oranges; for them, Sakurajima is a way of life. People have learned to live with the near daily ash showers as just another part of their lives.

Upon returning to the harbor, the source of the low popping sound became clear. A thick cloud of ash was blowing from Sakurajima towards Kagoshima. The harbor was filled with people seeking refuge under parasols and wearing masks. The ash began to stick to our skin. I bought a drink from a convenience store and walked for about five minutes to the harbor, where the top was not coated in ash.

As we sat on the ferry traveling away, Sakurajima was nowhere to be seen, hidden under the dense ash cloud. Even upon arriving back in Kagoshima city, the ash continued to fall, carried by the wind that I had seen being monitored earlier.

When I arrived at my hotel room, I experienced a common occurrence for residents of Kagoshima: my dry clothes were coated in a layer of ash. My work colleagues later informed me that the daily weather report in Kagoshima includes information about ash fall, advising residents whether it was a good day to hang out washing or if it was safe for those with breathing conditions to be outdoors.

The experience was surreal and somewhat intriguing to me. As crazy as it may sound, I truly enjoyed it and highly recommend a trip to Kagoshima city. This experience is certainly one I will not forget.