Kagoshima

Kagoshima 鹿児島市
Core city
Kagoshima City
From top, left to right: Senga-en Garden, Saigō Takamori statue, Kagoshima Aquarium, Ohara Festival, Tenmonkan, Hirakawa Zoological Park
Flag Seal
Nickname:  "City of Ishin"
Location of Kagoshima in Kagoshima Prefecture
Kagoshima   Show map of Japan Kagoshima Kagoshima (Asia) Show map of Asia
Coordinates: 31°36′N 130°33′E / 31.600°N 130.550°E / 31.600; 130.550
Country	Japan
Region	Kyushu
Prefecture	Kagoshima Prefecture
First official recorded	1053 AD
City Settled	April 1, 1889
Government
• Mayor	Takao Shimozuru
Area
• Total	547.58 km2 (211.42 sq mi)
Population  (January 1, 2020)
• Total	595,049
• Density	1,100/km2 (2,800/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
– Tree	Camphor
– Flower	Kyōchikutō
Phone number	099-224-1111
Address	11-1 Yamashita-machi, Kagoshima-shi, Kagoshima-ken 892-8677
Website	www.city.kagoshima.lg.jp

Kagoshima (Japanese: 鹿児島, IPA: [kaɡoɕima]), officially Kagoshima City (鹿児島市, Kagoshima-shi, IPA: [kaɡoɕimaɕi]), is the capital city of Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. Located at the southwestern tip of the island of Kyūshū, Kagoshima is the largest city in the prefecture by some margin. It has been nicknamed the "Naples of the Eastern world" for its bay location (Aira Caldera), hot climate, and emblematic stratovolcano, Sakurajima. The city was officially founded on April 1, 1889. It merged with Taniyama City on April 29, 1967 and with Yoshida Town, Sakurajima Town, Kiire Town, Matsumoto Town and Kōriyama Town on November 1, 2004.^[1]

Kagoshima is constantly bombarded by ash from the eruptions of Sakurajima and is at risk of a major volcanic disaster; the residents have developed methods to cope with this including school-children wearing helmets to protect from volcanic debris.

The city is historically important as the capital of the powerful Satsuma Domain from 1602 to 1871.