National Parks of Japan

Kirishima-Kinkowan National Park, with its diverse array of volcanoes and natural bounty enveloped in magnificent history and myth, is comprised of three distinctive areas: the Kirishima area, the Sakurajima- Interior Kinkowan Bay area and the Ibusuki-Sata area.

Overview of Kirishima-Kinkowan National Park

Kirishima-Kinkowan National Park was designated a national park in 1934 and was among the first national parks in Japan. Comprising a row of three giant caldera volcanoes, the Kakuto-Kobayashi caldera, the Aira caldera, and the Ata caldera, this national park is one-of-a-kind in Japan. It consists of the Kirishima area, made up of the compound volcanoes of Kirishima Massif, and the Kinkowan Bay area, boasting scenic views of Japan's coastal calderas which are second to none. The Kinkowan Bay area is further divided into the Sakurajima-Interior Kinkowan Bay area and the Ibusuki-Sata area. The park in its entirety has a 1,700-meter difference in elevation from sea level to the highest summit. Visitors can enjoy a diverse array of geographical features, landscapes and ecosystems.

Three areas of the park

The Kirishima area is situated at the southern flank of the Kakuto-Kobayashi caldera, where over twenty volcanoes and numerous volcanic lakes converge in a volcanic mountain range like none other in Japan. Volcanic activity is still quite lively, with Mt. Shinmoedake erupting in 2011 for the first time in roughly 300 years, and Mt. Iouzan erupting in 2018 after a 250-year interval. The area is shrouded in myth and legend. At the summit of Mt. Takachiho stands "Amenosakahoko", a spear said to have been thrust into the mountain by a god descended to Earth in the Legend of the Sun Goddess' grandson. The Sakurajima-Interior Kinkowan Bay area contains the large depression of the Aira caldera, formed from a massive eruption. Volcanic activity is ongoing today, exemplified by the active Sakurajima volcano. The area offers distinctive views of the harmony between nature and human civilization, including not only dynamic land formations and bountiful hot springs, but also historical and cultural resources connected to the feudal Satsuma Domain. In the Ibusuki-Sata area, visitors can see sub-tropical plants, along with expansive views from bluffs and a diverse array of volcanic land formations. The Ibusuki- Sata area offers a variety of volcanic scenery resulting from the Ata caldera, including Lake Ikeda, Mt. Kaimon and Cape Nagasakibana, and is popular with tourists for its therapeutic hot springs and scenic views.

Kirishima-Kinkowan National Park URL
https://www.env.go.jp/en/nature/nps/park/kirishima/index.html