Japan Guide
Kyūshū
Sengan-en
When their base at Tsurumaru-jō was destroyed during the Satsuma Rebellion, the Shimazu lords set up residence in their lovely garden-villa Iso Tei-en, now known as Sengan-en, 3km east of the city centre. Though the villa itself is a beautiful building, the main points of interest are the garden, with its views of Sakurajima, unfortunately now interrupted by the main road and train tracks, and the neighbouring history museum. The easiest way to reach Sengan-en is to take the City View tourist bus or a regular bus from Kagoshima Central Station or Tenmonkan (every 30min; 15–20min; ¥180); check the destination when you get on, as a few buses skip Sengan-en.
The entrance to Sengan-en lies through a raft of souvenir shops and restaurants, selling everything from Satsuma glass to imo (sweet potato) ice cream. Inside, it's worth joining a tour of the villa (an English leaflet is provided) as much for the fine interior decoration, including ornamental nail heads, painted screens and carved transoms, as for the views of the volcano. Apart from its stunning backdrop, the garden is also noted for its collection of stone lanterns – the first gas lanterns in Japan – and an Okinawa-style Bōgaku-rō pavilion, presented by the king of the Ryūkyū Islands. The cliffs behind are etched with an eleven-metre-tall kanji saying "thousand-fathom crag"; it takes about thirty minutes to walk up beside the stream for even more dramatic panoramas of the bay. Opening time: Daily 8.30am–5.30pmPrice: ¥1000, or ¥1500 including entry to the residence 
www.senganen.jp