Hiking Kirishima mounains

Hi,
I am taking a visit to Kagoshima and thought of doing a hike in the Kirishima area, possibly around Ebino Kogen.

There was a rental car agency near Kokubu station so I would take a train there (40 mins I think), get out the car (opens 8 AM) and get to Ebino (90 mins or so).

I expect to go somewhere around mid-late March. What can I expect of the weather up there and on the roads? I saw pictures of a snow covered mountain top.

Would I need any special gear getting up on the top?

And I know the area around Mt Kirishima is closed off for now unfortunately.

I am taking a visit to Kagoshima and thought of doing a hike in the Kirishima area, possibly around Ebino Kogen.

There are several short hikes around the crater ponds just above the building complex at Ebino Kogen or down to the largest crater lake, Onami. These are nice if it's foggy or rainy, but rain chaps help due to the wet low growth bamboo along the trails. This is also the start of the trail to head up Karakuni-dake. The trail goes up the right side of the old crater, and from the summit you can look down on the recent eruption area of Shinmoe-dake, off to Takachiho-no-mine, and south to Sakurajima.

You could also drive up to the eastern side of the park to the parking lot at the start of the trail to Takachiho-no-mine. This trail also goes past the old foundations of the original Kirishima Jingu. There's a shelter at the top beside the large sword mounted in concrete representing the creation of the Japanese islands.

In the middle is a trail down to Senrigataki, the highest falls in the park, but I stopped going there when they put the big water pipes and hydro control station in the foreground of the falls.

I expect to go somewhere around mid-late March. What can I expect of the weather up there and on the roads? I saw pictures of a snow covered mountain top.

Snow is rare there and you shouldn't have any in March. I've hike there in January and most of the park was just brown. You can have fog and rain though. I once hiked up Takachiho in March and it rained all the way. It was a cold rain but all I needed was my Gore-Tex parka.

Would I need any special gear getting up on the top?

Most of the trails around the park are just hiking. Rain gear and a walking stick would be all you might need.

And I know the area around Mt Kirishima is closed off for now unfortunately.

"Mt. Kirishima" refers to the whole mountain complex of 18 "peaks" from Karakuni-dake to Takachiho-no-mine. The only off limits area is around Shinamoe-dake because of the 2011 eruption and present state of the volcano. This just cuts the "end to end" trail between the peaks and a couple of spur trails.

Blog description:
http://www.tomwilson.com/2015/09/my-kagoshima-kirishima-volcanic-group...

Map of open trails:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4629.html

Thank you vety much. Nice reading your blog as well.
I saw a picture of shoe cleaning place at the information area. Is it really muddy up there?

Cant say I have any typical hiking boots since they take up much space in the luggage..