Savor the Sea and Mountain Delights – A Gastronomic Tour of Kagoshima

Text by TRAVELER Luxe April

 

When it comes to Kagoshima cuisine, the first thing that comes to mind is probably black pork. But did you know that Chiran produces the second-largest amount of green tea in Japan? The fresh Chiran tea harvested every May is especially beloved for its color, aroma, and flavor. At Shunsai Chaya Wa, an old traditional house converted into a restaurant, the signature dish is tea-flavored rice cooked with Chiran tea leaves, served alongside a hot pot of tender chicken, mushrooms, burdock, carrots, and other vegetables. Start by tasting the plain version, then mix in the restaurant’s special yuzu pepper sauce and pickles made with tea leaves — this fragrant, mildly spicy dish is the perfect appetizer for the hot summer months.

 

◎ Shunsai Chaya Wa

Address: 93, Kori, Chiran-cho, Minamisatsuma, Kagoshima, Japan

Phone: +81-(0)993-83-1753

 

Chiran’s fine teas aren’t limited to just green tea. The black tea produced and sold by the Satsuma British House gained fame in 2007 when it won the Gold Award in the Tea category at the Great Taste Awards — often referred to as the Oscars of the food world. Grown organically and hand-picked, the yield is small, so you’ll have to come here to enjoy a proper English afternoon tea and savor just how memorable Chiran’s award-winning black tea truly is.

 

◎ Satsuma British House

Address: 13746-4, Kori, Chiran-cho, Minamisatsuma, Kagoshima, Japan

Phone: +81-(0)993-83-3963

Website: www.satsuma-eikokukan.jp

The Fukuyama area along Kagoshima Bay is famous as the home of high-quality black vinegar. With its superior groundwater, premium rice, and fermentation in traditional Satsuma earthenware jars, the resulting vinegar is tangy yet sweet. To share the benefits of vinegar with more people, the long-established Sakamoto Black Vinegar opened the scenic “Tsubo uQ” restaurant three years ago. From pre-meal vinegar dips, cold mountain vegetable salads, scallion-leek steamed chicken, black vinegar and oyster sauce stir-fried pork, to egg drop soup, pickled vegetables, and even desserts — all dishes are healthy Chinese cuisine infused with black vinegar. The master vinegar brewer also shared a tip: mix fruit vinegar with milk at a 1:4 ratio to create a yogurt-like healthy and delicious drink.

 

◎ Sakamoto “Tsubo uQ”

Address: 3075, Fukuyama, Fukuyama-cho, Kirishima, Kagoshima, Japan

Phone: +81-(0)995-54-7700

Website: tsubobatake.jp

For a taste of fresh local ingredients and various types of shochu, head to Kagoshima Yatai Village, where 25 compact yet fully equipped food stalls serve everything from hot pot and Spanish cuisine to sushi, ramen, and skewers. You'll wish you had four stomachs like a cow to try them all.

 

◎ Yatai Village

Address: 6, Chuocho, Kagoshima-shi, Kagoshima, Japan

Phone: +81-(0)99-255-1588

When it comes to souvenirs, the most breathtaking is the dreamlike craftwork known as Satsuma Kiriko, which displays layers of vibrant colors when held up to the light. Equally unique is the Seahorse House at the seahorse farm, where a variety of goods embedded with seahorse specimens are said to bring good luck — especially the “heart” shape formed by male and female seahorses pressed together, believed to be an omen of good relationships.

 

◎ Seahorse House

Address: 5202-2, Beppu, Eiwa-cho, Minamisatsuma, Kagoshima, Japan

Phone: +81-(0)993-38-1883

 

 

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