Kagoshima’s symbolic Sakurajima is a volcanic island, which floats in the sea only 4km from South Kyushu’s hub city, Kagoshima. It is one of the world’s greatest active volcanoes at 1,117 meters tall and 50km round. The volcano, which appeared on the south rim of Aira Caldera, is a stratovolcano consisting of two peaks, the North Peak and the South Peak, and has been repeating major eruptions.
There is an observatory with a view of the summit midway up the mountain where you can feel the power of the active volcano spewing smoke up close.