Kagoshima Summer Vs Winter

Hi All,

At present I'm in the planning stages for my last trip to Japan which will cover Kagoshima Prefecture. I'm currently visiting Kumamoto for 2 weeks over December/Jan with a car which has already been booked. I tend to like visiting prefectures and visiting them in depth so I don't need to visit them again.

There are two times when I can visit Kagoshima. It is not possible for me to visit at other times - period. The times are:

(1) Second of of June / July
(2) December/Jan Holidays.

My plan is to drive around Kagoshima for 2 weeks, which will also include some time on Yakushima. Beaches/swimming are not a thing of interest to me and I can handle heat and cold. Any thoughts on which time you think would be better to visit from someone who has been here would be much appreciated.

For sightseeing, summer has the advantage of longer daylight hours. I tend to prefer winter sightseeing to be places like Kyoto (or Tokyo) where the limited daylight makes less of a difference.

I think summer can be brutal in Yakushima as it rains incessantly. In general, I prefer winter myself for the lack of crowds but the short days does make it tough in some parts.

June and July can be hot, humid, and rainy. Swimming below Ookawa Waterfalls on Yakushima in the summer is great, though. The higher elevations on Yakushima can get a lot of rain in the summer. Take breathable rain gear if you're going to do any hiking which is a main reason to go to the island.

December and January can be cool, but usually not cold unless you go up into Kirishima NP or climb Miyanoura-dake. If you're unlucky enough to get a snowfall down low, it will be gone in a day. I generally like onsen the best in the winter, and Ebino-kogen and the slopes of Kirishima have many to choose from.

If this last summer is any indication of the next, I'd go in the winter. It was so hot that I didn't feel like doing anything outside (but did) and was soaked from sweat after an hour's walk. I was buying CC-lemon by the liter. In January I just wore a light down sweater and unzipped it when it became warm.

For comparable climates, think Georgia coast.

So it's looks like winter. Day length so far south is not such a problem but I do understand this on Honshu