Private Tour
Port Pick-Up: Kagoshima Private Tour Licensed Guide ＆ Vehicle
Overview
Available languages
8 hours
Mobile ticket
This tour is designed for the travellers who visit Kagoshima by cruise ship. We will pick you up at Marine Port Kagoshima or hotels near the port. This value-packed trip with a government-licensed and experienced English-speaking tour guide is a fantastic and efficient way to explore Kagoshima!
Note*1: Please select your must-see spots from a list in the tour information to create your customized itinerary.
Note*2: The National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter certification is issued by the Japanese government requires a good knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture and history.
Additional Info
Specialized infant seats are available
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
Wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
You cannot make multiple bookings for this tour.
There are only a limited number of car seats and booster seats. Rear-facing car seats are not available. You must contact us directly if you need them.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Private vehicle
Licensed Local English Speaking Guide
Customizable Tour of your choice of 4-5 sites from 'What to expect' list
Entrance fees, Lunch, and Other personal expenses
Ferry fares to Sakurajima
You cannot combine multiple tour groups.
Guide Entry fees are only covered for sights listed under What to Expect.
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
What To Expect
Sengan-en
Senganen Garden (仙巌園), also known as Isoteien (磯庭園), is a Japanese style landscape garden along the coast north of downtown Kagoshima. One of the garden's most striking features is its use of Sakurajima and Kagoshima Bay as borrowed scenery. The garden also includes small ponds, streams, shrines and a bamboo grove. Senganen was constructed in 1658 by the wealthy Shimazu Clan, one of the most powerful feudal clans during the Edo Period (1603-1867). The Shimazu ruled the Satsuma domain (present day Kagoshima) for almost 700 years until the end of the feudal age in 1868. They continued to be influential into the modern era as some of the earliest adopters of Western science and technology.
Reimeikan
The Reimeikan Museum (黎明館) is dedicated to local history and culture. On three spacious floors it presents a wide variety of exhibits that cover the span of Kagoshima's history from ancient to modern times. There are a few interesting models, such as a large diorama of downtown Kagoshima at the beginning of the Showa Period (1926-1989) and a small scale model of a village from the middle ages. The museum was built on the former site of the local castle, known as Kagoshima or Tsurumaru Castle, and is surrounded by parts of the former moat and stone walls. The museum and castle ruins are located at the base of Mount Shiroyama, which literally means "castle mountain" in Japanese. Within the vicinity of the museum there are a few other museums and cultural attractions. One of the most popular is a statue of the local hero Saigo Takamori, a leader from the Meiji Restoration of the late 1860s. Saigo is believed to have died in combat on Shiroyama mountain.
Options
Van (Up to 7 pax)
Van (Up to 7 pax)
Pickup included
Minivan (Up to 4 pax）
Minivan (Up to 4 pax）
Pickup included
Microbus (group of 8-15 only)
Microbus (group of 8-15 only)
Pickup included
Reviews
21 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
A Fabulous Day in Kagoshima
Debby5678,
Nov 12, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Tachi was a wonderful guide in Kagoshima. His warm, friendly, and incredibly upbeat personality made our day of sight seeing both meaningful and memorable. He also had great pre tour communication planning our day and organizing our group lunch. We all also appreciated his thoughtful attention to details. We highly recommend this tour.
Our tour guide, Shinju,...
Dina C,
Nov 11, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Our tour guide, Shinju, was absolutely wonderful. Very knowledgeable and so kind. I recommend him to anyone taking this tour. He contacted me from the moment we booked and stayed in touch until pick up.
Wonderful!!!
Raymond C,
Oct 18, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Shinju was a very knowledgeable and professional guide. He made our Kagoshima visit quite memorable.
Personalized and Private Tour With Perfect English Speaking Guide. Highly Recommend!
Q9909RQkathryns,
Oct 1, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had the best time with Hoshi! She made the day everything we wanted it to be, and then some! The ferry over to the volcano was quick and scenic. The ferry had loads of the great vending machines that I came to love all over Japan. The views from the mountain were incredible and not to be missed. We mentioned that we hadn't had Wagyu on our vacation, so she made arrangements for us to have lunch at a wonderful spot that specialized in Wagyu. It was the best meal of our entire 3 week vacation all around Japan. I mentioned that I loved Le Creuset and that Japan had special pieces and colors of it, and she took us to a place in the city that sold it. We had other special one of a kind experiences that she cultivated for us. All in all, it was a wonderfully memorable day and one that I would highly recommend for anyone to book!
All around a great experience
F191XGiness,
Sep 19, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Welcome at the port of Kagoshima is already a highlight. Our cruise ship was warmly welcomed by dear people from Kagoshima. Our tour took us to Sakurajima Volcano , Sengan-en & tour of a Samurai house . And for lunch, we had an extremely delicious ramen soup. Our tour guide Shinju is extremely competent, for which we are very grateful.
Private, flexible, and professional tour guide for this shore excursion
Christina I,
Jul 24, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Mr Shinju reached out to me as soon as I booked and together we crafted a beautiful itinerary based on my family's interests. As the hours grew shorter to our meeting, our needs and the weather changed. Mr Shinju graciously and happily adjusted the itinerary to match my mobility-limited mother and 7yo son. Both he and the driver were professional, courteous and knowledgeable - they are both at the top of their professions. I am glad that we got paired with them and would highly recommend them to anyone that is visiting Kagoshima.
Excellent Shore Excursion with English Speaking Guide!
Kathryn S,
Jul 8, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00What a wonderful day! Hoshie was waiting for us just as you came out of immigration getting off the cruise ship. She was very warm and welcoming and her English was excellent! The van was waiting just outside the building. I needed an ATM and the driver took us right there. We loved all of our activities! Hoshie recommended an excellent restaurant to enjoy Wagyu beef. It was the best meal of our entire 3 week trip. Before we returned to the ship, we wanted to shop for a particular item and Hoshie and our driver made it happen. We got back to the ship with time to spare. The van was comfortable and the air conditioning was very good. The driver kept the van running to ensure the van stayed cool despite the 90+ degree heat and high humidity outside. We thoroughly enjoyed our day in Kagoshima and would highly recommend Hoshie!
Great day in Kagoshima!
Louann710,
May 8, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Tachi was very responsive during the planning of our excursion. He tailored our day to what we wanted to do. The morning of the tour he was waiting for us! He is such a nice man! Very funny wonderful personality. Our driver was very nice as well, and the van was very roomy! We visted the Yunohira observatory and the geo park at Sakurajima. The volcano was smoking, it was a clear day so we had great views. We also saw the Saigo Takamori Statue and had a Quick Look at the Kagoshima Castle ruins. He arranged a private room for us at lunch for a Wagu Beef experience. Delicious !! We also saw where Satsuma glass was made! Really beautiful! We then went to SENGAN-EN gardens and spent time there walking around and visited the House of the Lord. A very nice way to end the day! We were back on board the ship in plenty of time.
Nice Tour
claudiawenzel w,
Apr 15, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00The guide is very nice! The volcano impressive and the food amazing. We took a ferry to go to the island, that was fun. The driver was amazing, he took such a good care of my elderly brother in law, helping him arround.
Delightful private tour of Kagoshima
dar0898,
Mar 18, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was one of the best guided tours we have ever taken. Shinju did an excellent job preparing a perfect day in Kagoshima. He emailed questions to us weeks before our arrival, so he could craft the perfect day of sightseeing for our family. We were picked up at the port right next to our cruise ship. He had a sin with our name to make it easy to find him. We had a very clean van and a professional driver plus Shinju our guide. We visited the local Aquarium which features many local varieties of sea life. Highlights include the whale shark, dolphins and seals. We also visited Sengan-En garden and residence. This is a beautiful garden and historical residence originally built in the 17th century. This area has beautiful views of volcano SakuraJima across the bay. We also got an opportunity to dress in traditional Samurai armor and have our portraits taken by a professional photographer. We then enjoyed a wonderful Shabu-Shabu lunch prepared at the garden restaurant while enjoying views of the volcano. This day was only possible because of the preparation of our guide Shinju Ishii. He was very friendly, spoke excellent English and taught us many details about the local history and culture. Highly recommend this private guided tour if your are visiting Kagoshima.
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Operated by Japan Guide Agency