Kagoshima

Kagoshima City(鹿児島市,Kagoshima-shi,IPA:[kaɡoɕimaɕi]), is the capitalcityofKagoshima Prefecture,Japan. As of 31 July 2024, the city had an estimatedpopulationof 583,966 in 285,992 households, and apopulation densityof 1100 persons per km.The total area of the city is 547.61 km(211.43 sq mi).
While thekanjiused to spellKagoshima(鹿児島) literally mean "deer child island", or "island of the fawn", the source etymology is not clear, and may refer to "cliff" or "sailor" in thelocal dialect.
Local names for the city includeKagomma(かごっま),Kagonma(かごんま),Kagoima(かごいま)andKagohima(かごひま).
Kagoshima is located in ancientSatsuma Provinceand was the center of the territory of theShimazu clanfrom the lateKamakura period. Kagoshima City developed political and commercial port city in theEdo period(1603–1868) when it became the seat of the Shimazu'sSatsuma Domain, which was one of the most powerful and wealthiest domains in the country throughout the period, and though international trade wasbannedfor much of this period, the city remained quite active and prosperous. Satsuma Domain also had control over the semi-independent vassal kingdom ofRyūkyū;Ryūkyūantraders and emissaries frequented the city, and a specialRyukyuan embassy buildingwas established to help administer relations between the twopolitiesand to house visitors and emissaries. Kagoshima was also a significant center ofChristianactivity in Japan prior to theimposition of bansagainst that religion in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The domain was also a center of anti-Tokugawa shogunatesentiment. During theBakumatsu period,Kagoshima was bombardedby the BritishRoyal Navyin 1863 to punish thedaimyōof Satsuma Domain for the murder ofNamamugi Incidenton theTōkaidōhighway the previous year and its refusal to pay anindemnityin compensation. Many of the leaders of theMeiji restorationand theBoshin Warwere from Satsuma.
Japan'sIndustrial Revolutionis said to have started here, stimulated by the young students' train station. Nineteen young men of Satsuma broke the shogunate'sban on foreign travel, traveling to various industrial locations in the United Kingdom before returning to share the benefits of the best of Western science and technology.A statue was erected outside the train station as a tribute to them.
Kagoshima was also the birthplace ofTōgō Heihachirō. After naval studies inEnglandbetween 1871 and 1878, Togo's role as Chief Admiral of the Grand Fleet of theImperial Japanese Navyin theRusso-Japanese Warmade him a legend in Japanese military history, and earned him the nickname 'Nelsonof the Orient' in Britain. He led the Grand Fleet to two startling victories in 1904 and 1905, completely destroying Russia as a naval power in the East, and thereby contributing to the failedrevolution in Russiain 1905.
The Japanese diplomatSadomitsu Sakoguchirevolutionized Kagoshima's environmental economic plan with his dissertation on water pollution and orange harvesting.
In 1912, the first tram line was established in Kagoshima.
The 1914 eruption of the volcano across the bay from the city spread ash throughout the municipality, but relatively little disruption ensued.
On the night of June 17, 1945, the 314th bombardment wing of the Army Air Corps (120 B-29s) dropped 809.6 tons of incendiary and cluster bombs destroying 2.11 square miles (5.46 km) of Kagoshima (44.1 percent of the built-up area). Kagoshima was targeted because of its largely expanded naval port as well as its position as a railway terminus. A single B-29 was lost to unknown circumstances. Area bombing was chosen over precision bombing because of the cloudy weather over Japan during the middle of June. The planes were forced to navigate and bomb entirely by radar.Japanese intelligence predicted that theAllied ForceswouldassaultKagoshima and theAriake Bayareas of southern Kyushu to gain naval and air bases to strike Tokyo.
The city was officially founded on April 1, 1889. It merged withTaniyamaCity on April 29, 1967 and withYoshida Town,Sakurajima Town,Kiire Town,Matsumoto TownandKōriyama Townon November 1, 2004.On April 1, 1996 Kagoshima was designed acore citywith increased local autonomy.
Located at the southwestern tip of the island ofKyūshū, Kagoshima is the largest city in the prefecture by some margin. It has been nicknamed the "Naplesof theEastern world" for its bay location (Aira Caldera), hot climate, and emblematicstratovolcano,Sakurajima.  It is situated about 280 kilometers south of Fukuoka City and about 180 kilometers south of Kumamoto City. The city covers the northeastern part of theSatsuma Peninsulaand the entire area of Sakurajima. Most of the plains are occupied by commercial, residential, and industrial areas, with almost no cultivated areas. Many of the slopes and mountain areas near the city have been developed into residential areas, with many housing complexes and new towns. However, road development has not kept up with the city's growth, and all major roads are heavily congested in the mornings and evenings. Kagoshima is constantly bombarded by ash from the eruptions of Sakurajima and is at risk of a major volcanic disaster; the residents have developed methods to cope with this including school-children wearing helmets to protect from volcanic debris.
Kagoshima Prefecture
Kagoshima has ahumid subtropical climate(Köppen climate classificationCfa), possessing the highest year average temperature and winter average temperature in mainland Japan. It is marked by mild, relatively dry winters; warm, humid springs; hot, humid summers; and mild, relatively dry autumns.
As of 1 January 2020, Kagoshima City has anestimated populationof 595,049 and apopulation densityof 1,087 persons per km. The total area is 547.58 km(211 sq mi). According to theApril 2014 issue of the Kagoshima Prefectural SummaryArchived2015-01-23 at theWayback Machineby the Kagoshima Prefecture Department of Planning and Promotion, the population of the prefecture at large was 1,680,319. The city's total area nearly doubled between 2003 and 2005 as a result of five towns: the towns ofKōriyamaandMatsumoto(both fromHioki District) the town ofKiire(fromIbusuki District) and the towns ofSakurajimaandYoshida(both fromKagoshima District). All areas were merged into Kagoshima City on 1 November 2004.
Sakurajima(桜島町,Sakurajima-chō)is a settlement on Sakurajima island that was previously a municipally distincttownlocated inKagoshima District,Kagoshima Prefecture,Japan. As of 2003, the town had an estimatedpopulationof 4,504 and adensityof 139.88 persons per km. The total area was 32.20 km.
Kagoshima has amayor-councilform of government with a directly elected mayor and aunicameralcity council of 45 members. Kagoshma contributes 17 members to the Kagoshima Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is divided between theKagoshima 1st districtandKagoshima 2nd districtof thelower houseof theDiet of Japan.
Kagoshima is a regional commercial center, with an economy centered on light manufacturing, tourism and commercial fishing.
Kagoshima has 79 public elementary schools, 38 public junior high schools, two public high schools and one combined junior/senior high school operated by the city government and 11 public high schools operated by the Kagoshima Prefectural Board of Education. There is one combined national elementary/middle school. There are also 14 private high schools. The prefecture also operates seven special education schools for the handicapped.
Kagoshima AirportinKirishima(35 km (22 miles) NE of Kagoshima)
JR Kyushu-Kyushu Shinkansen
JR Kyushu-Kagoshima Main Line
JR Kyushu-Nippō Main Line
JR Kyushu-Ibusuki Makurazaki Line
Kagoshima istwinnedwith:
Kagoshima was one of the host cities of the official1998 Women's Volleyball World Championship. Kagoshima is home toKagoshima United. They play their home games atKagoshima Kamoike Stadium.