Chiran ー
知覧
Beauty and sadness:
Chiran is a town on the Satusma Peninsula to the southwest of Kagoshima.It is called Little Kyoto with historic inheritances of the Edo period and beautiful tea fields.In addition, it was the base of kamikaze special attack unit whose most planes took off from here and committed suicidal attack toward the end of World War II, which has made a negative inheritance to the town.
Access and Getting Around
Because Chiran is a town next to Ibusuki Onsen, tourists can enjoy sightseeing of the scenic Satsuma Peninsula if they stay at one of the two towns for 1 day as a set. There is a rental-bicycle shop in the opposite side of the city hall.
By bus
1 hour 15 minutes from Kagoshimachuo Station with 8 buses per day;
1 hour 5 minutes from Ibusuki Station with 5 buses per day.
By car
1 hour from Kagoshima Chuo Station.
Features
Peace Museum for Kamikaze Pilots
-Historic Sites
Frankly, it is difficult to introduce the facility.Toward the end of World War Two, a kind of suicide attack that planes taking bombs attacked the enemy’s warshipsand hit a certain warship was conducted by the Japanese Air Forces.All the documents about the attack were kept in the museum.The pilots taking part in the attack were almost young people as the twenties.There are a lot of documents abou...
Hotarukan or Tomita Dining Hall
-Historic Sites -Food
It was a small dining hall next to the flying ground of the Special Attack Unit in World War II.It was a dining hall for the young kamikazes who would die in the attack and a woman called Torihamawho took care of the young kamikazes until the end of the war.The belongings and photos of them are displayed here.Just next to it was Tomiya Ryokan (inn) built to offer staying facilities to the family m...
-Historic Sites
The area of samurai residences with the hedges and stone walls of the Edo period remains unchanged.The characteristic is its gardens with the beautiful stone walls.At present, seven gardens which make a splendid view with the beautiful hedges are remained....
-Culture -Recreational Facilities
The waterwheel works are the mechanism puppet plays that perform the power of a waterwheel.It is a precious folk entertainment performed here only in Japan.Suishakarakuri is held at Toyotama Himejinja Shrine on July 9 and 10 every year .It is worth seeing....
-Festivals
Seven fan-shaped Neputa with heroic pictures of samurai of 5 meters highand 4 meters in combat painted on their surfaces draw flutes, hit drums while passing through the night streets.The festival was originally famous in Hirosaki City in Aomori Prefecture and then began to be held in Chiranaccording to the children who attended the community party.Now it is a communication that the northern festi...
-Specific Nature
Chiran is famous as a production area of Japanese tea, and there are a few hills on which tea plantation,the scenery of the Satsuma Peninsula and Mount Kaimondake are seen panoramically...
-Sea View
Bandokorobana Nature Park is a pool-formed shore and a beauty spot on the reef zonewhere Mt.Kaimondake is seen over the sea It is on the shoreline to the south of Chiran City....
-Sea View
Sebira Park is located on the hill along the coastlineand is a superb view spot where tourists can see the most beautiful view of Mt.Kaimondake.As it is on the road, tourists may stop by for short break.It is on the shoreline between Bandokorobana Nature Park and Mt.Kaimondake....
-Shrines
Though a small shrine, it is said that a wish comes true if the prayer can pray without dropping the cover of the pot.It is the unique shrine where some athletes seem to come to pray....
Accommodation around Chiran
