Satsuma Peninsula

The Satsuma Peninsula forms the southwestern tip of Kyushu and offers diverse attractions along its dramatic coastline. The scenic coast features the Bonotsu area, once Japan's main port for trade with China and Southeast Asia. Cape Nagasakibana at the southern tip provides views of offshore islands and, on clear days, Yakushima. The west coast's Fukiagehama beach stretches for 47 kilometers, one of the longest in Japan. Inland, the charming town of Chiran preserves a samurai district and houses the deeply moving Chiran Peace Museum dedicated to kamikaze pilots. The Ibusuki area at the peninsula's southeastern base is famous for natural sand baths where visitors are buried in volcanically heated sand on the beach.