kagoshima too many places and too little time

good morning

we will be visiting kagoshima Ž­Ž™“‡ but there are too many places worth visiting and too little time
so wondering whether any of the below spots can be eliminated (or rescheduled for second visit)
we are primarily interested in art and architecture (including shrines and jinja �_ŽÐ)
and it is the first time visit for my friends

any feedback and recommendation will be very much appreciated.
thank you in advance ~

day1 by car
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Œ§—ðŽj ”ü�pƒZƒ“ƒ^�[ êt–¾ŠÙ
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‹ß‘㕶ŠwŠÙ�Eƒ�ƒ‹ƒwƒ“ŠÙ�E”ü�pŠÙ
Žs—§”ü�pŠÙ
�Æš �_ŽÐ
Œ§—§”Ž•¨ŠÙ (–{ŠÙ)
�éŽRŒö‰€“W–]‘ä
�Ε§�\ŽO‘Ì
�éŽR�¼‹½—²�·“´ŒA

day2 by car
’†‰›Œö–¯ŠÙ
”Ž•¨ŠÙ•ÊŠÙ Ž­Ž™“‡Œ§•¶‰»ƒZƒ“ƒ^�[
ƒJƒNƒCƒbƒNƒXŒð—¬ƒZƒ“ƒ^�[
�΋´‹L”OŠÙ
‘½‰êŽRŒö‰€
ˆé“V�_�›Œ´�_ŽÐ
‹ŒŽ­Ž™“‡–a�Ñ�Š‹ZŽtŠÙ
�åŠÞ‰€
“V•¶ŠÙƒ~ƒŠƒIƒl�[ƒVƒ‡ƒ“

Why are the locations written in Japanese?

good morning

please forgive my oversight :(
planned itinerary as listed below
thank you for the review and feedback in advance :)

day1 by car
Prefectural Library
Prefectural History and Art Center Reimeikan
Tsurumaru Castle Ruins
Modern Literature Museum, Fairy Tale Museum, and Art Museum
City Art Museum
Terukuni Shrine
Prefectural Museum (Main Building)
Joyama Park Observatory
Thirteen Stone Buddhas
Joyama Saigo Takamori Cave

day2 by car
Central Community Center
Museum Annex Kagoshima Prefectural Cultural Center
Kakuix Exchange Center
Ishibashi Memorial Hall
Tagayama Park
Isotenjin Sugawara Shrine
Former Kagoshima Spinning Mill Engineers' House
Sengakuen Garden
Tenmonkan Millionation

Prefectural Library
Prefectural History and Art Center Reimeikan
Tsurumaru Castle Ruins
Modern Literature Museum, Fairy Tale Museum, and Art Museum
City Art Museum
Terukuni Shrine
Prefectural Museum (Main Building)

These are very close each other. Though the parking lots are free, but sometimes crowded. These parking lots are probably operated by retired public servants who sometimes are ill-mannered. If you don�ft understand their local rules, they might be very rude (as judged by reviews on Google maps.). Sometimes they speak Kagoshima dialect which is hard to understand for non-Kagoshiman (or even young Kagoshiman). So you may better go by tram (or loop bus as shown later).

Joyama Park Observatory
Thirteen Stone Buddhas
Joyama Saigo Takamori Cave

It is Shiroyama, not Joyama. Sometimes �éŽR is called Joyama in other places. There is Shiroyama Hotel Kagoshima which has big parking lot so you don�ft need to worry. The hotel has some nice restaurants overlooking Kagoshima city, Kinko bey and Sakurajima. Le Ciel provides lunch from 4550 yen (week day), window seats secured.

I think the view of Sakurajima from Shiroyama is the best in Kagoshima. Late autumn to winter is the best season to see Sakurajima. The view is the best I the afternoon.

Thirteen Stone Buddhas and Joyama Saigo Takamori Cave are hard to access. You may park at Segodon, a souvenir shop and walk. You may need to buy something, but I don�ft know the rule.

day2 by car
Central Community Center
Museum Annex Kagoshima Prefectural Cultural Center
Kakuix Exchange Center
Ishibashi Memorial Hall

As far as I know these three places are evyoent venues so normally you don�ft need to visit them.

Tagayama Park

This is a small park where you can see Kagoshima city, Kinko bey and Sakurajima. I don�ft think the view is better than from Shiroyama.

Isotenjin Sugawara Shrine
Former Kagoshima Spinning Mill Engineers' House
Sengakuen Garden

Probably you are talking about Sengan-en.

Well, most of the historic buildings were destroyed by ”p•§šÊŽß (An anti-buddhist movement during –¾Ž¡ˆÛ�V (the Meiji Restoration) and the Sengan-en is the rare exception.

Tenmonkan Millionation

This is an illumination event in Kagoshima city. This kind of illumination can be seen everywhere in Japan.

By the way I am a retired person living in the suburb of Kagoshima prefecture so I don�ft know about recent updates for these places.

You may also use hop-on hop-off bus in Kagoshima city and Sakurajima island. The hop-on hop-off bus in Kagoshima city stops at Saigo-Dokutsu.

https://www.kagoshima-yokanavi.jp/en/transportation

https://www.kagoshima-yokanavi.jp/en/transportation/10409

If you have 2 days, a combination pass �gCUTE�h may be useful (1900 yen 2 days, includes all hop-on-hop-off buses in Kagoshima city and Sakurajima, ferry to/from Sakuarjima, tram and local buses in Kagoshma city.

https://www.kagoshima-yokanavi.jp/en/feature/one-day-pass2

good morning and THANK YOU so much for the kind review ƒJƒGƒ‹�æ�¶ :)

we are planning to park at êt–¾ŠÙ’“ŽÔ�ê (behind Ž­Ž™“‡Œ§—§�}�‘ŠÙ)
and walk around nearby
with 125 free spaces hopefully the parking staff will be relatively amiable ><

slightly surprised to learn that the parking lot is manned
especially given the labour shortage in recent years
Ž­Ž™“‡•Ù (ŽF‹÷•ûŒ¾) ?! will definitely stay safe with English then
otherwise will take the bus with CUTE�iƒLƒ…�[ƒg�jas kindly suggested

we are staying at �éŽRƒzƒeƒ‹
so planning to walk to Thirteen Stone Buddhas �Ε§�\ŽO‘Ì
and Joyama Saigo Takamori Cave �éŽR�¼‹½—²�·“´ŒA
may even walk down to the city centre if weather permits

great minds think alike :D
we are planning to try �L“Œ—¿—� ãÅ�‰œK at �éŽRƒzƒeƒ‹
especially IF it snows in the evening

may swap to ƒtƒ‰ƒ“ƒX—¿—� ƒ‹ ƒVƒGƒ‹ if it comes highly recommended :)
despite its ƒhƒŒƒXƒR�[ƒh
sadly there is now a window seat charge of 550‰~ for lunch and 1100‰~ for dinner per person :(
so most likely we will enjoy the �÷“‡ view for free from guest rooms instead

the visit to Museum Annex Kagoshima Prefectural Cultural Center
is intended for dinosaurs viewing
if the collection is negligible will certainly give it a miss

in fact based on your advice
we will focus on �åŠÞ‰€ on day2 and put the rest aside

parking at “V•¶ŠÙ area can be slightly challenging
so we are prepared to move from �éŽRƒzƒeƒ‹ to ƒVƒFƒ‰ƒgƒ“Ž­Ž™“‡
for one night in order to visit “V•¶ŠÙ’Ê‚è
BUT if “V•¶ŠÙƒ~ƒŠƒIƒl�[ƒVƒ‡ƒ“ is only as exciting as •Ÿ‰ªƒCƒ‹ƒ~ƒl�[ƒVƒ‡ƒ“
then we might give it a miss and continue the stay at �éŽRƒzƒeƒ‹
without changing hotels

given the recent active �÷“‡‚ÌŠˆ“®�ó‹µ
and its ‰ÎŒûŽü•ÓŒx•ñ�i•¬‰ÎŒx‰úƒŒƒxƒ‹3)
http://weathernews.jp/s/volcano/spot/sakurajima/
we have abandoned the island visit this time
viewing it from the hotel is good enough :p
(and personally i had been there before)

most importantly can i ask
are ƒXƒ^ƒbƒhƒŒƒXƒ^ƒCƒ„ necessary during mid~late Dec
in Ž­Ž™“‡Žs or even Ž­Ž™“‡Œ§
as it is quite difficult to hire rental car which comes with snow tyres

thank you once again for the kindest advice

Well, it's sad you omit Sakurajima - it's not art but it's also the elephant in the room. Very nice natural scenery and some great views. At least you included Senganen. Aside from the artistic garden, there are also nice restaurants with views as well as shopping which you might like. A secret gem you haven't listed is Amami no Sato, with one of the most amazing gardens you'll ever see.

good morning and thank you ƒPƒ“‚³‚ñ for the kind recommendation

we will be visiting ‰‚”ü‚Ì—¢ Amami no Sato on our way to Žw�h Ibusuki
originally going for the ‘哇’Û Oshima Tsumugi collection
and based on your kind advice
will certainly spend some time at the winter gardens

just visited •—‚̃K�[ƒfƒ“ Wind Garden (•x—Ç–ì Furano)
and �ã–ìƒtƒ@�[ƒ€ Ueno Farm (ˆ®�ì Asahikawa) in –kŠC“¹ Hokkaido this summer
so now we have high hopes for ‰‚”ü•—’뉀�E“¹‚Ì“‡’뉀 also :)

thank you for the great suggestion
we were about to have a lunch stop at �åŠÞ‰€’ƒ—¾ Sengan-en Matcha Café
but now that you mentioned it
seems like ‹½“y—¿—� �÷‰Ø’à Ohkatei offers a beautiful view of
�÷“‡‚Æ‹Ñ�]˜p sakurajima and the bay
so will most likely give it a try (unless all fully booked on the day)

ps
for those who are interested in ‰‚”ü‚Ì—¢ Amami no Sato
there are night garden events during Nov~mid Jan
free entry from 6pm and
night visitors can walkaround with�u‘哇’Û•—�s“•�vOshima Tsumugi lanterns
which are on free loan :D

ps2
a good excuse to include �÷“‡ sakurajima for another visit once it calms down a bit :)
http://weathernews.jp/s/volcano/spot/sakurajima/

with 125 free spaces hopefully the parking staff will be relatively amiable ><

Well, it seems, at first sight. But in this are there are many parking lots which are around 300 yen/hour. Then many people wants to park at free parking lot in Reimeikan or other museums nearby. So Reimeikan and other museums have rather strict rules: you must receive a slip and get a stamp on it at the museum. I don�ft think the staff are welcoming, but they are kind of ’n�–‚Ì”Ô�l. But maybe I am wrong.

slightly surprised to learn that the parking lot is manned
especially given the labour shortage in recent years

This is just my guess so I may be misunderstanding, there is some kind of —˜Œ  (concession) for the business.

But at least it is free. It is somewhat off the center, so you might be OK if you visit early in the morning (9:00) on a weekday. If you have any questions, don�ft ask the parking lot staff, but the staff inside the museum. Some can speak English.

we are staying at �éŽRƒzƒeƒ‹
That�fs nice! Their breakfast buffet is said to be very nice (sadly I haven�ft eat it). Also their onsen seems to be very good.

we are planning to try �L“Œ—¿—� ãÅ�‰œK at �éŽRƒzƒeƒ‹

I visited ãÅ�‰œK several times and was always satisfied, but there are some recent unfavorable reviews, and sadly they are written in Chinese, so the reviewers must be familiar with the cuisine. A bad news is that their website does not show the present chef. In the past, the chef is from Hong Kong.

There are several Japanese restaurants (Kaiseki, Sushi, Tempura, and Teppan-yaki) and all of them receive good reviews.

so most likely we will enjoy the �÷“‡ view for free from guest rooms instead

the visit to Museum Annex Kagoshima Prefectural Cultural Center
is intended for dinosaurs viewing
if the collection is negligible will certainly give it a miss

How did you find this? As far as I searched, it is a real fossil of a dinosaurs, so if you are interested, just go there! It�fs a small exhibition so you don�ft need much time,

I would stay 2 nights in Shiroyama. Their shop is also interesting.

It is quite rare that the road is covered with snow in Kagoshima in December. In the mountainous area, it might be snowy, but in that case you should just avoid going there. Most Kagoshiman has no snow tyre. So when there's snow on the ground, there are slipping accidents everywhere. But we drive very slowly when it snows, the accidents are not so severe :).

good morning and THANK YOU so much for the kind assurance ƒJƒGƒ‹�æ�¶ :)

’n�–‚Ì”Ô�l :p
based on your previous feedback i did take a look at the google reviews of the parking lot also :)
will most certainly obtain a stamp on the given ’“ŽÔ�®—�Œ”
according to some comments it may be a self service stamp at relevant venues
and will report back duly

I would stay 2 nights in Shiroyama
if so we will have breakfast buffet at �éŽRƒzƒeƒ‹ for 2 days then
and most certainly will try dinners given your high recommendation

ƒJƒGƒ‹�æ�¶ is such a fine food connoisseur :D
earlier we were considering et NOU (ƒtƒŒƒ“ƒ`) at “V•¶ŠÙ for dinner
but foreign speaking customers may not be appropriate for
the intimate setup at the restaurant
we would rather not intrude and spoil the atmosphere for other local diners
so most likely will give it a miss

it is a real fossil of a dinosaurs
naively i thought that Museum Annex Kagoshima Prefectural Cultural Center
is a place where all local kids visit for the dinosaurs collection lol

Most Kagoshiman has no snow tyre
we are going from kagoshima to kirishima to ibusuki
hence pondering about snow tyres for frozen road surface in Dec
have been following tenki forecast closely
and it is just a touch under 7C in these areas this week

everyone is so looking forward to –­Œ©�ÎŒ´‘‘
so thank you once again for the kind recommendation

ps
there seems to be a recent change of management (if not ownership) at �éŽRƒzƒeƒ‹
hopefully shops and restaurants remain without too much change
There are several Japanese restaurants (Kaiseki, Sushi, Tempura, and Teppan-yaki) and all of them receive good reviews.