Green tea, so central to Japanese daily life, actually originated in Northern Kyushu! Below, I present a brief guide to three of Kyushu’s main tea producing regions and their particular types of Japanese green tea.

Although I could have chosen many more, in this piece, I profile five gardens from all across Kyushu for a diverse yet uniquely southwestern Japanese botanical experience.

Ishie is believed to be the creature living in Lake Ikeda in Ibusuki City, Kagoshima. It was described as a giant lizard with dark skin in color and humps on its back. It was predicted to be 45 feet long. Many times was captured and published to the society but it could not be proved its truth.

Below are five snack souvenirs available in Kagoshima prefecture that are well worth picking up if you're visiting.

Kagoshima city holds a large number of interesting historical sites, but few of them are as big as Sengan-en, a sprawling Japanese garden and house on the northern edge of the city. It is one of Kagoshima's most popular tourist spots and aside from the attraction within the gardens itself, it commands a wonderful view of Sakurajima, Kagoshima's iconic volcano.

Sakurajima is a must visit if you're in Kagoshima. It’s easily accessible by ferry from the city and the ferry port is close to several attractions such as the Sakurajima Visitors centre which provides a host of great information about the volcano.

For travelers interested in anything beyond planet Earth, Kagoshima prefecture’s JAXA Space Centers are the ideal locations to explore rockets, history, and the charms of the Japanese countryside. Here are some of the best spots to experience Japan’s annual rocket launches and learn about the history of the Japanese space exploration industry.

Kagoshima prefecture is located in the Kyushu region, down south in a lovely, peaceful part of Japan. It brings a strong sense of home and serenity upon arrival at this beautiful scenic spot. It is warmer than most parts of Japan during winter season and is a great travel sightseeing spot with lots of charming scenery. Driving around is highly recommended, as you breathe in the beautiful natural sights that Kagoshima has to offer.

Like almost every other city in Japan, Kagoshima was carpet bombed during World War II, and little remains of its historic buildings. The entry point of modern Kagoshima is Kagoshima station, whose distinction is that it is the southernmost terminal of the Shinkansen line, and the building houses an IMAX theater and a Ferris wheel.

Like most of the sightseeing places in Kagoshima, Tenmonkan can be reached by the tram. There is so much to see, eat and shop that it is always a great place to come back to. Here are five things to do at Tenmonkan, you don't want to miss.

As the lazy days of summer fade away and energy returns, the autumn brings with it wonderful seasonal festivals all across the beautiful country of Japan. Here is a sampling to wet your appetite and get you excited about this fantastic season!

Our 4 day trip to Yakushima island ended up being amazing. Here is what we did.