Located on the northern edge of the Kikai Caldera and surrounded by three active volcanoes, including the Iojima, this small town is home to a well preserved samurai district with seven beautifully landscaped gardens open to the public. Unlike other historic districts which have had their stones torn down and replaced by power lines this district has managed to retain its beauty thanks to the absence of these intrusions. As with the other villages and towns of the Satsuma Peninsula, Chiran’s samurai were wealthy, making their money growing tea which is why the town is so famous for it’s high quality green tea. With wealth came culture and the village’s samurai hired craftsmen from Kyoto to design their houses and gardens.
The result was a village which looks very much like it did centuries ago and which has become a “Japan Heritage” village. While you cannot enter the residences themselves, seven gardens attached to them are open to the public, all built in the Karesansui (dry garden) style. Five out of the seven feature rocks arranged to represent mountain peaks, whereas one includes a pond and the other features trimmed shrubs shaped into forming a hillock like those in the surrounding area. An admission ticket covers entry to all seven gardens.
After the tour of the samurai district, relax in the traditional interior of a bukeyashiki (samurai residence) tea house and try local sweets including agetenha – a brown sugar confectionary made from mochi rice cakes. Sit back and enjoy a cup of freshly brewed Japanese green tea or matcha (powder green tea) made from the highest quality tea leaves grown in the region.
Afterwards, visit the Chiran Peace Museum for Kamikaze Pilots, which was built on an old military air base to commemorate the sacrifice of these pilots and raise patriotism in Japan. The museum exhibits original and intact planes, including a Mitsubishi Zero fighter. It also has information and photos of the kamikaze pilots as well as paraphernalia such as Imperial Rising Sun Flags and hachimaki headbands bearing wartime maxims.
A trip to the Chiran Samurai District is easy and well worth it, even if you are not an avid history buff. Visiting Chiran during the spring is especially recommended when the town’s many azaleas are in bloom. One ticket covers entry to all the gardens, although entrance to the samurai houses themselves is not included. Buses from the Kagoshima Chuo Station and Yamakataya bus center depart frequently, taking about an hour to reach the district. A train and bus combination is also possible, with a transfer at Hirakawa Station. If you prefer a car, it takes about an hour to drive from the city center of Kagoshima.