Today we take the ferry back to Kagoshima, but first we have a few hours to see some more sights from the rental car before we have to turn it back in and catch the ferry boat.

This high bridge, above the nearest town where we lodged, appears to be a backup route as the main island road bridge appears very vulnerable to a disastrous typhoon or tsunami.

At the ferry boat terminal, a humorous poster informs tourists not to feed the monkeys - at the bottom are "devious monkey", "angry monkey", "my tummy hurts monkey", and finally "lazy monkey".

Now back in Kagoshima, this is the only picture you get, the hotel provides free ramen and mushroom soup after 930pm.

Today we head up into the interior mountains again with our rental car to find more hiking.

We'll plan to do the whole loop, with hopefully easier going than yesterday, but with multiple water crossings.

Here's the entry station where we pay a small fee to enter.

The first stream crossing...

That's a rocky stream; and that's one way to deal with a tree falling across the trail.

We continue up the trail passing this shorter loop option.

Lot's of previous cedar logging action had gone down here...

Living cedars continue on reaching for the sky...

Another stream crossing...

Grand old cedars...

Ahhhhh, a tree fell in the forest and took out the trail - a new trail section was cut to the left.

The third stream crossing...

The fourth stream crossing...    How is this smallish tree limb causing that huge trunk to react to it???

The final and fifth stream crossing...

The sika deer (Cervus nippon), also known as the Northern spotted deer or the Japanese deer, is a species of deer native to much of East Asia and introduced to other parts of the world.  Previously found from northern Vietnam in the south to the Russian Far East in the north it is now uncommon except in Japan, where the species is overabundant.

Back to our car, we head back down the mountain getting some nice views.

Now down near the coast, we tour a Shōchū distillery.

And buy a bottle to take along with us.

We continue along the coast to catch various sights.

A banyan tree is a fig that develops accessory trunks from roots that drop out of branches aloft, allowing the tree to spread outwards indefinitely.  What looks like a grove is just one tree.

Back at the "ranch" - this is a curious group of little cottages found on booking.com .

Today we drive up into the mountains for some hiking.

"Yakushima is renowned for its lush vegetation.  Most of the island has at one time or another been logged (dating back at least 400 years), but has been extensively replanted and reseeded since logging ended in the late 1960s, at which time a conservation regime was established.  In addition to this secondary forest, there are some remaining areas of primary forest, never logged, composed mainly of a variety of Cryptomeria japonica, or Japanese cedar, known as yakusugi, the best known single example of which is named the Jōmon Sugi (2300 years old)." 

We study the map at the entrance - the trails are well marked, but rugged in places (rock hopping, root scrambling, stream crossing).

Big cedars abound, and cedar stumps as well - some new trees sprouted from seeds dropped onto the stumps.

Here's another old stump, maybe a 2,000 year old tree cut 300 years ago.

The trail goes right under this living cedar.

"The Yakushima macaque (Macaca fuscata yakui) is a subspecies of Japanese macaque indigenous to Yakushima Island."

Here the trail started becoming really rugged and you had to step carefully to find a good foot placement.

The end of this trail gives a good viewpoint of some of the interior of the island.

A big old fallen stump...

Coming back down the trail "threading the loop" again...and finding another stump with a fairly large cedar growing on top with really complex intertwined roots reaching down around the stump.

Yet another stump, big enough to take shelter inside.

Tiny flora, and big flora (at least it was, now it's another stump).

We rate this hike a big thumbs up.

Dinner is found along a river...

Gerri is buying our ferry tickets for our voyage of just under 4 hours from Kagoshima to Yakushima Island.

...leaving on a diesel boat, don't know when I'll be back again...

The ferry provided this very useful brochure that would guide us around the island.

Hooray, the weather is fantastic for a longish ferry ride.

Other "aquatic life" is out and about.

We approach Yakushima Island...

...and getting closer yet.

Just like that, we're now in another rental car, heading to some sights.

This beach almost reminds us of home...except for the baby mountains...

...even an excavator is out enjoying the white sand and blue waters.

Can't decide to select out any of these photos of green, blue, and taupe.

The interior of the island is a rocky mountainous zone.

Our sporty Mazda we'll enjoy for few days, now parked at the spot to see the grand lighthouse.

To me, this looks like a humungous turtle head resting up upon the rocky shoreline.  For you Japanese Monster movie buffs, no this is not the lair of Gamera, but where Mothra came to supersize herself with the help of the eternal forest.

Here's a nice way to travel the miles, scooters fitted for the long haul, now at the local supermarket with us stocking up on snacks.

A dinner of flying fish is served, complete with instructions for us foreigners on how to eat it.

Our lodging on the island, a half-timbered English cottage.

Today we leave our awesome lodging and the national park, and need to return the rental car back to Kagoshima.  It's a short 1 hour drive back, so there's plenty of time to use a car to take in sights which would've been not easy or impossible to do by public transportation.

First up is Maruo Falls, just outside of town.

Our rental sits at the ready (the one on the right)...

A random sighting of a Japanese orbital rocket seen along the way (Japan's launch base is just south of us, on the island next to the one we'll ferry across to tomorrow)...

We're now driving down into the extreme southwest corner of this island of Kyushu - onto the peninsula of Satsuma.

There's what they call "Little Mount Fuji".

Gerri says we should eat here - a uniquely curious thing is going on...

...that starts with a hike down into the holler...

....and ends with rice noodles being put into some sort of washing machine looking thingie.

Here's a real stamp steel sheet beauty of an automobile.

And now we finish the day with a tour of Japan's national memorial museum to World War II's kamikaze mission.

The airbase at Chiran, Minamikyūshū, on the Satsuma Peninsula served as the departure point for hundreds of Special Attack or kamikaze sorties launched in the final months of World War II - especially the Battle for Okinawa.  A peace museum dedicated to the pilots, the Chiran Peace Museum for Kamikaze Pilots now marks the site.

"Kamikaze, officially Shinpū Tokubetsu Kōgekitai ("Divine Wind Special Attack Unit"), were a part of the Japanese Special Attack Units of military aviators who flew suicide attacks against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of World War II, intending to destroy warships more effectively than with conventional air attacks. About 3,800 kamikaze pilots died during the war, and more than 7,000 allied naval personnel were killed by kamikaze attacks.  Kamikaze aircraft were essentially pilot-guided explosive missiles, purpose-built or converted from conventional aircraft. Pilots would attempt to crash their aircraft into enemy ships in what was called a "body attack" (tai-atari) in aircraft loaded with bombs, torpedoes, and/or other explosives. About 20% of kamikaze attacks were successful.  The Japanese considered the goal of damaging or sinking large numbers of Allied ships to be a just reason for suicide attacks; kamikaze was more accurate than conventional attacks, and often caused more damage.  Some kamikazes were still able to hit their targets even after their aircraft had been crippled by anti-aircraft guns.

The attacks began in October 1944, at a time when the war was looking increasingly bleak for the Japanese. They had lost several important battles, many of their best pilots had been killed, their aircraft were becoming outdated, and they had lost command of the air. Japan was losing pilots faster than it could train their replacements, and the nation's industrial capacity was dramatically diminishing relative to that of the Allies. These factors, along with Japan's unwillingness to surrender, led to the use of kamikaze tactics as Allied forces advanced towards the Japanese home islands.
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The tradition of death instead of defeat, capture, and shame was deeply entrenched in Japanese military culture; one of the primary values in the samurai life and the Bushido code was loyalty and honor until death.  In addition to kamikazes, the Japanese military also used or made plans for non-aerial Japanese Special Attack Units, including those involving Kairyu (submarines), Kaiten (human torpedoes), Shinyo (speedboats), and Fukuryu  (divers)."

Historians say this effort was foolhardy from its conception, and would never have resulted in a turn of tide in the war, even without the atomic bombings.  These many young men were convinced to join this effort, presumably without the full knowledge that their leadership possessed about the ultimate futility of this campaign.

An aircraft on display outside the museum and typical of those used in kamikaze attacks.

No photos were permitted within the majority of the museum - there were photos posted of just about every member who flew to their deaths, and a large collection of mementos donated by their families.

These next two photos are from a train station poster promoting the museum (we snapped photos right off the poster):

Re-created pilot's quarters used during the last few days before their missions.

On departure from the museum grounds, young boys are seen heading home from their school activities.

Tim gets to start the day with one of his favorite breakfasts...

Upon arrival at the park headquarters we find a human-sized Hot-Wheels mini-van...vrooom vrooom!

Our hike possibilities for the day withs lots of volcanic crater lakes:

And we're off!

Lots of newer informational postings abound...

We see a volcanic steam vent nearby...

From an observation deck we're not getting the view it suggests is out there in the low clouds.

A raccoon-dog-man posing with some portraits of his forest friends...

The low clouds are now raining rain down upon us...

We're at the first crater lake, taking it all in from a picnic shelter.

We're hoping to hike around these hills and onto the next lake...

Ah, it's only water right...we consider pressing on, and then do so, until the trail starts to get sloppy muddy wet.

Oh well, let's save our shoes for drier days and just sit a bit more and take in the scenery, then it's back to the car.

It's a bit of a salvaged day finishing at the park headquarter's information center with cool displays.

Back to our house - not a bad place to hang out during the rest of the rainy day.

This is a living room we'll not see much of in this entire trip - a very homey lodging.

And the capper - a hot spring fed onsen (hot bathing facility) comes with the house!  Takes about 45 minutes to fill with free water from subterranean volcanically heated sources.

Waking up in Kagoshima - ah, still no erupting.  We now walk a few blocks to get a rental car for a drive about an hour to the East-Northeast.  There's no public transportation over that way and we want to check out Kirishima National Park.

Before we check into our AirBnB, we do our first hike - up to Onami Pond and maybe onto Mt. Karakunidake.  From the lower left on the hike map we'll round the pond and decide to head to the peak, or continue on clockwise around the pond and back.

The hike starts out with a gentle up on nicely placed pavers, and continues more steeply onto baby boulder steps.

Of course Gerri arrives first and takes in the sight of the lake (pond).

We continued off to the left with the peak above us.

Hmmm, this has been enough workout already and we're anxious to shop for home food and hit the lodging.  Therefore, we just keep rounding the pond, after having our lunch.

From higher up on the ridge above the lake-pond, we get nice views.

There's a fumarole over yonder - the Earth's tea kettle is sending up steam.

A peak-a-boo view and a massive Earthworm, size 8 women's.

Here's our peak picture, with the nice leaden color skies.

A traditional-style Japanese home all to ourselves.  Too bad we're only here two nights, it was very homey.

Cue the ominous music...

"Sakurajima ("Cherry Blossom Island"), 4 km across the bay from Kagoshima, is an active stratovolcano, formerly an island and now a peninsula.  The lava flows of the 1914 eruption connected it with the Ōsumi Peninsula.  It is the most active volcano in Japan.  

On September 13, 2016, a team of experts from Bristol University and the Sakurajima Volcano Research Centre in Japan suggested that the volcano could have a major eruption within 30 years; since then two significant eruptions have occurred.  The summit has three peaks, Kita-dake (northern peak), Naka-dake (central peak) and Minami-dake (southern peak) which is active now.

Sakurajima has a population of a few thousand residents, formerly incorporated as Sakurajima town, with a number of schools, shrines, support services and shops on the island.  Sakurajima Ferry runs 24/7 to service the town."

The peaks are shrouded in clouds once again.

Volcano Cat, Lava Kitty, or the Ghost of Eruptions Past...

This is as close as we'll get to the top, courtesy of the bus - yes, it's very active indeed.

Nearby to the torii gate is a hardened shelter for refuge, should the next bad eruption get us now.

Time to go home...

We leave Sakurajima in our wake...

It's happy hour for someone...

If this sucker is still going to erupt before we move on, we'll have a view of it from our hotel room, and some Shochu to toast to our good luck, or bad, depending on how we feel about rocks getting flung our way.

As the volcano snores out some vapors, a hydrofoil whizzes by...

Look at my jammies!

Heading back to the train/bus station to catch our special touring bus.  Gerri is doing some last minute planning.

Kagoshima - where Japan entered the modern World - at the station is a memorial attesting to how it happened.

The city provides these neat little buses looping around the city tourist spots.

Home and gardens of the Shimazu clan

Built in 1658 as one of the residences of the Shimazu clan that ruled over this area, with views of striking features with the active Sakurajima volcano and Kagoshima Bay framed in the background.

We get our first views of the interior of a traditional Japanese residence with the simple but elegant features.

Prominent nail fasteners are covered in "buttons" of various shapes and characters.

Looking out of the house over part of the gardens to the cloud topped volcano...

Back outside we got a glimpse of an falcon flying high over the bluffs - the written characters on the rocks make it look like a waterfall on first glance.

Pathways and waterways...

Shrines and "where do those steps lead?"...

It's a mushroom, no maybe a gnome shelter, ...

Cat Shrine:

Ishibashi Park
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We hop the tourist bus to the next stop - Ishibashi Park.  At the end of the Edo period (late 19th century), local lord Shimazu Shigehide built five bridges, collectively called the Gosekkyō ("five stone bridges") across the Kōtsuki River. Two of them collapsed in floods in 1993. The remaining three were moved to a new location and restored. Ishibashi Park consists of these three bridges and a museum.

The museum has a diorama showing how you build a stone bridge in the 19th century.

Kagoshima Castle was destroyed in a fire in 1874 and not rebuilt, and is now only ruins with only the castle's moats and stone walls remaining.  Otemon Gate was reconstructed in 2018.  Reimeikan, Kagoshima Prefectural Center for Historical Material is located on the site.   Built in 1983, the museum exhibits materials relating to the history and culture of Kagoshima Prefecture.

Oops, lunch is served, we have to get by with ice cream until dinner.

We hop the bus again to the high observation point and meet a fellow traveler from Hong Kong who used her camera to take our photo - the clouds over the volcano have mostly lifted above it to give a great view.

Time to take the final bus hop home...

We proceeded to head out to find food and saki with our new Hong Kong friend - she'd just finished up an assignment in Tokyo and was headed home, taking in a bit of travel along the way.

Before Saki, let's try some Japanese whisky and gin...

As is usual with the bullet train, there are lots of tunnels - a real snoozer for Tim.

Here we pop out at the station in Kagoshima.

At the "famous" conveyor belt sushi restaurant, before it opens, Tim hating on the wait.

We have to try the specialty plate of locally caught seafoods, actually we had two.

Our tally, they count the plates and tell us the damage - we're not alone, many others around have the same mountain of dishes.

Each plate motif has a different price, with the highest to the right.

The streets of Kagoshima - you're supposed to say Kha-gosh-shuh-ma.