… and its beautiful Sakurajimo volcano. Kagoshima is famous in Japan for being the home of the last samurai, and the site of its bloody civil war. Our tour guide told us that the cleanliness in Japan is because school children are taught from the earliest grades to clean up after themselves. Schools have no janitors; instead the teachers and students clean the school in time set aside for those tasks. Likewise, many office buildings have no janitors, and the professional staff cleans after business hours. Our tour bus took a ferry to Sakurajimo Island; although the ride lasts just 15 minutes, most people on the boat take the opportunity to eat a quick cup of udon noodle soup. The island is famous for its fish farms.
The island grows immense daikon radishes, which sell for $20 or more. I found the sign in the ladies room to be an eye-opener!
We went back to the city to see its famous gardens and historical museum, and to eat a traditional Japanese lunch in a restaurant overlooking the volcano.
We saw first-hand how the immaculate and beautiful grounds are maintained – three pruners worked on a single clump of topiaries!
There was even a cherry tree or two blooming prematurely!
Our last stop was at a brewery making shochu, much like sake, from sweet potatoes.
Another fascinating day in Japan!
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