15min ferry ride to island from Kagoshima ferry terminal. Join the Loop bus (500yen) which departs from the Sakura island ferry terminal and enjoyed a quick snapshot of the island. The round trip takes about 1hr with about 10 mins stops at scenic spots to take pictures.

The ferry boat ride to Sakurajima is wonderful. A real must! However, I highly suggest to drive yourself or bring a friend to go to Sakurajima. The locations of places to visit is far apart so taking the bus and waiting for the bus is such a hassle. The view is really beautiful tho a scary one. It's not always... More

The volcano was spewing ash the day I was there. I didn't notice it right away as it was rather cloudy/overcast and I only noticed it when I saw some "clouds" roiling out of the top of the mountain. If you're interested in geology and/or natural phenomena, this is a must see. I'd never seen anything like it, even during... More

The best view is actually the other side of the island away from the lookouts. Sort of near the buried temple gate. Since there you can directly see the main crater. A rental car is best as it is a big island. The ferry is not that expensive with the car even.

Dont bother going to the base as it is dusty and the wind will blow it in your face. Much better seen from a distance and then if you fly to Yakushima - you go right over the summit. It is a truly great volcano !

We took the JR bus tour, which went on the ferry, and drove around the island, making about 5 stops. The guide had an English book to help us understand what she was saying in Japanese. She was very knowledgeable and even got us to sing a couple of songs. Very fun. The volcano is indeed impressive and full of... More

The ferry ride over was breathtaking. You can catch a bus around the island. It helps to know some Japanese however there are plenty of people that will help with a smile and sign language. As a non Japanese, English speaker the hardest things are reading the buses as they very rarely have English on them except for the number.... More

Me and my son visited Kagoshima during our travels trough Japan. The city was amazing in cherry blossom time. You see the mighty active volcano Sakurajima from a great distance. It is majestic in appearence, cascading volcanic ashes high up above the clouds. Once in Kagoshima a visit to Mt. sakurajima is a must. We took a nice 15 min... More

After visiting Tokyo , Osaka , Kyoto and Kobe it was nice to get to Kagoshima and get close to one of the wonders of Mother Nature : a live volcano ! We took the ferry and after a 20minutes ride we arrived at the bottom of Mt. Sakurajima and took the short tour of the mountain and it was... More