5-Day Summer Vacation Family Trip to Kagoshima, Japan｜Perfect for Traveling with Kids

Why choose Kagoshima? Because I was attracted by a hot spring inn featured in a Japanese magazine, wanted to see volcanoes, try sand baths, and visit Japan’s southernmost train station. There are so many places I want to visit in Kagoshima‼️
This is a 5-day self-driving itinerary; if using public transportation, you’ll need to add 1-2 more days.
Day 1️⃣
9:00 Depart from Fukuoka
12:00 Kirishima Ato no Mori
13:30 Kirishima Onsen Market, Maruo Waterfall
14:30 Check in at Ryokoujin Sansou (reserved private hot spring)
Day 2️⃣
9:15 Kirishima Mythology Park (Sky Train)
11:30 Kirishima Shrine
14:00 Takachiho Farm (the mountain foot bath has a very beautiful view)
15:15 Myoken Ishiharaso (hot spring reservation for the day) check in
Besides the indoor hot springs that require reservations, the outdoor wild hot springs can be used directly (mixed-gender bathing)
Day 3️⃣
10:00 Kagoshima Aquarium (Kyushu’s largest aquarium)
12:30 Sengan-en Garden
14:00 Sakurajima Volcano (we drove the car onto the ferry, which made it easier to get around the island; you can also take the island loop bus)
Stay: Solaria Nishitetsu Hotel Kagoshima (city hotel with rooms overlooking Sakurajima Volcano)
Day 4️⃣
9:15 Shiroyama Park Observatory
10:00 Kagoshima Shirokuma Shaved Ice (highly recommended by school teachers)
11:00 Tenmonkan Shopping Street
12:30 Lunch at Happy Point (a beautiful burger restaurant on the way to Ibusuki)
14:30 Michi-no-Eki Ibusuki (a very beautiful station)
15:30 Check in at Ibusuki Hakusuikan (one of Japan’s top ten hot spring hotels, so far the daughters’ favorite hotel in Kyushu)
Day 5️⃣
9:00 JR Japan’s southernmost station (we were very lucky to see a train passing through a sunflower field; the yellow happiness mailbox is right next to it)
10:00 Nagasakibana Cape
11:00 Ryugu Shrine⛩️
11:30 Ikeda Lake (the place where the lake monster appears🦕)
12:00 Tosenkyo Nagashi Somen (a large flowing somen noodle restaurant with a great atmosphere, definitely worth experiencing)
14:00 Banshobana Natural Park (a spectacular coastal park where you can stroll along coral reefs and see many sea urchins)
15:00 Seahorse Aquarium
15:30 Fukai Shrine
16:00 Return to Fukuoka🔚
This is the detailed itinerary; each day is quite full. Kagoshima is truly an underrated treasure for family trips.
Detailed introductions of attractions and hotels will be updated gradually.