Sengan-en — Attraction in Kagoshima

When you get to Kagoshima Chuo station, take the east exit towards Sakurajima. And go to the 4th bus stop, get on the kagoshima city view bus, and you can get a one day pass on board for 600 yen. I didn't get the one day pass, so it was 230 yen one way for adult. Stop at Sengan - en Mae bus stop.

When I got here, I bought the triple inclusive ticket, which include the museum, the garden and house entry fees for 1600 yen. You can see Sakurajima and Kinko bay from the house, nice and clear on days like today. There are 2 restaurants that I visited within the garden. One specialises on Kagoshima's specialty savoury foods the black pork and black wagyu. I recommend the braised black pork rice box set (黒豚角煮丼) from Oukatei (桜花亭) located on level 2F of the restaurant building, priced at 2200 yen. After you have lunch, you can come downstairs and enjoy the famous shirokuma shaved ice at saryou (茶寮). Or you can try their seasonal specials like the chrysanthemum cake with green tea set for 1400 yen. Only available during the month of November. The view of Sakurajima from Sengan-en was definitely worth the trip, and it was worth getting...

We visited Sengan-en during our trip to Kagoshima, and it turned out to be one of the most memorable stops. The view of Sakurajima volcano from the garden was stunning — picture-perfect and incredibly peaceful. Walking through the grounds felt like stepping back in time, with carefully landscaped paths, koi ponds, shrines, and even a bamboo grove.

What made it even more special was the history behind it — the old Shimadzu residence was open for visitors, giving us a glimpse into the lives of feudal lords in southern Japan. We didn’t try the kimono or samurai dressing experience, but we saw others doing it and it looked fun!

Inside the gift shop, we came across 伴手礼🎁(omiyage) made from Kagoshima’s famous purple sweet potato — beautifully packaged and perfect for bringing home to share with friends and family. Definitely recommend picking up a box or two.

We also took a short break at the on-site café, enjoying a cup of matcha with a traditional sweet while taking in the serene surroundings.

Whether you’re into culture, nature, or just looking for a unique and scenic spot in Kagoshima, Sengan-en...

There is an admission fee to enter, which I saw as a means to generate funds to maintain the beautiful grounds.

This is an excellent place for green bathing. On a clear day, Sakurajima seems almost at arms length.

Seeing how well the grounds are maintained, the price of admission seems fair.

There are many gift shops, some selling what seem (IMHO) to be very over-priced glassware, woodwork and other supposedly high end tchotchkes, which has origins in Kagoshima. The exorbitant pricing of these items passed off as artwork ruined the experience, for me, somewhat.

The history museum by the entrance was interesting, but felt like a set up after having visited the gift shops.

Ultimately, it felt like Sengan-en has a cover charge to visit their gift shops and their restaurants. I initially debated on paying the additional fee to visit the house, but was glad I didn’t.

We enjoyed the desserts from the matcha cafe, which also serve meals. Excellent and delicious in petite portions.

Kagoshima has many amazing green spaces, that doesn’t come with cover charge or high...