For yourself or for friends. 6 select shops where you can find stylish Kagoshima souvenirs
Choosing souvenirs is one of the joys of traveling. Kagoshima has a wealth of unique souvenirs, ranging from popular local items to unusual finds, such as authentic sweet potato shochu, unique items featuring the local "Kagonma-ben" (Kagoshima dialect) that can only be bought locally, and carefully crafted products where you can see the face of the maker. In this article, we will introduce 6 recommended select shops in Kagoshima City and Kirishima City where you can find stylish Kagoshima souvenirs.
1Hinatayama Muku Shokudo Bussankan
Carefully selected "delicious" items from Kagoshima and Kirishima
A product shop located within "Hinata-yama Saigo-don Village," a tourist spot in the Hinata-yama Onsen area said to have been loved by Saigo Takamori. It features a carefully selected range of products from Kagoshima and Kirishima. We recommend local Kagoshima gourmet items such as "Gane," a sweet potato kakiage (fritter) that is a local Kagoshima dish, and "Chabushi," an instant miso soup made by mixing miso, bonito flakes, and green tea. Gane is so popular that it sometimes sells out by the morning.
You can also buy the special seasonings used in the attached restaurant and popular menu items like frozen fried chicken, allowing you to enjoy the taste of Kagoshima at home.
Compare teas from seven tea plantations representing Kirishima
Kirishima is known as one of the leading tea-producing regions in the prefecture. We highly recommend the "Gensen Kirishima Tea Tasting Set," which allows you to enjoy 8 types of tea (sencha, black tea, and matcha) carefully selected from 7 tea plantations. You can compare the different flavors, each with its own unique characteristics, such as differences in aroma, sweetness, and astringency. It is also a product certified as a "Gensen Kirishima" item under the Kirishima Gastronomy brand as one of the "good things of Kirishima."
Since each tea can also be purchased in single-serving bags, it would make a delightful souvenir if combined with baked goods that go well with tea.
Local
Supporter
Be sure to check out the handmade side dishes from Hinatayama Muku Shokudo, which can only be bought at this shop. Also, there is a footbath in front of the shop, making it a recommended spot to take a break and soothe a little travel fatigue.
- Hinatayama Muku Shokudo Bussankan
-
1487-1 Hayato-cho Uchi, Kirishima City, Kagoshima Prefecture (Inside Hinatayama Saigo-don Village) MAP
Approx. 5-minute walk from JR Hinatayama Station
9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Year-end and New Year holidays
0995-56-8615
Free
2gallery shop & café Mono.
Be enchanted by heartfelt works in a gallery tucked away in the deep mountains
Surrounded by the rich nature of Kirishima, this cozy art gallery spans about 12 tsubo (approx. 40 square meters). With the desire that "people pick up items they will grow attached to as they use them as tools," the owner selects works that convey the creator's sentiments.
You will surely have an exciting time if you encounter items that will remain as memories of your trip, such as unique pottery and wooden products that add a subtle touch to daily life, hand-blown glass works by artists from Kagoshima, or bridal jewelry by y.h.a accessories using materials like gold, silver, and natural stones.
Tableware made with Sakurajima volcanic ash, unique to Kagoshima
The works of potter Hijioka from Aira City, Kagoshima Prefecture, are created with the goal of achieving a "multinational atmosphere that is neither Japanese nor Western," using an original glaze blended from kohiki (slipware) and Sakurajima volcanic ash. These handmade vessels, completed through delicate processes using Kagoshima's natural materials, exude a powerful presence not only on the dining table but also as interior decor.
By seeing them in person and touching them gently, you will be able to choose pieces that will accompany you in your daily life even after your trip. Please take your time to find your favorites in the calm atmosphere of the shop.
Local
Supporter
If you ask the owner about a piece that catches your eye, they will kindly introduce you to the creator's dedication and behind-the-scenes stories. On clear days, you can also see Sakurajima and Kinko Bay from the shop's windows.
- gallery shop & café Mono.
-
- 2108-128 Mochimatsu, Makizono-cho, Kirishima City, Kagoshima Prefecture MAP
- Approx. 13 minutes by car from JR Kirishima-Jingu Station
- Mon-Fri 11:00-18:00
Sat, Sun, and Holidays 10:00-18:00 - Irregular holidays (please check the official Instagram)
- 090-3922-1756
- Free
3Manzen Liquor Store
A wide selection of carefully chosen alcoholic beverages from across the country, starting with Kagoshima shochu
This liquor store is operated by Manzen Shuzo, the brewery behind premium Kagoshima shochu brands like "Manzen" and "Manazuru." They do not stock their own products in the store (with some limited-time exceptions), as the owner's wish is to "create a shop that serves as an opportunity to learn about the depth of shochu, delicious ways to drink it, and the charm of alcohol." The shop focuses on selling unique shochu and sake carefully selected by the owner, who visits local breweries in person.
Staff knowledgeable about alcohol will kindly teach you how to drink it, so even those trying shochu for the first time can feel at ease. They also hold irregular events to share the appeal of shochu with younger generations.
An up-and-coming authentic Kagoshima shochu characterized by its fruity flavor
The owner recommends the authentic shochu "Koba." It is a carefully crafted shochu made by young brewers at the Koba Distillery, which boasts a history dating back to its founding in 1912 (the first year of the Taisho era), and uses "Kogane Sengan" sweet potatoes from Kagoshima.
"Koba Yellow Koji" is a yellow koji shochu that incorporates techniques using lactic acid bacteria typically used in wine making. It has a banana-like aroma that spreads in the mouth and a sweet flavor that is easy to drink even for those new to shochu. "Koba Black Koji" is characterized by the sweet aroma and taste of sweet potatoes, with a crisp aftertaste. Neither shochu is sold online, making them limited-edition items that can only be purchased locally.
Local
Supporter
You can choose shochu to your liking, whether sweet or dry. Next to the shochu, the staff's recommended ways to drink it are written down, so be sure to take notes. It is a friendly liquor store that will make you want to visit again once you have been there.
- Manzen Liquor Store
-
- 1-24-27 Kokubu-Chuo, Kirishima City, Kagoshima Prefecture MAP
- Approx. 15 minutes walk from JR Kokubu Station
- 9:00-18:00
*9:00-17:00 if the last day of the month is a holiday - Sunday
- 0995-45-0112
- Free
4Kagomania
Captivated by the Kagoshima dialect and humorous designs
Located near Kagoshima-Chuo Station, this is a specialty shop for original Kagoshima goods. They express Kagoshima's culture, historical figures, and dialect through surreal designs, and create and sell these items with the hope that "young people and visitors from both inside and outside the country will learn more about the charms of Kagoshima."
The focus of the approximately 30 types of goods available only at this shop, including T-shirts, accessories, and miscellaneous items, is that they should "make you chuckle when you pick them up." Each product also comes with an explanation of the Kagoshima dialect. It is recommended for those who want to send a souvenir full of humor.
The highly popular KAGOMANIA T-shirts, available in 23 different designs
A popular souvenir is the "KAGOMANIA T-shirt." Designs featuring bold illustrations related to Kagoshima in the center of the T-shirt are popular, with the adorable "Saigo-don T-shirt" being the best-seller. The owner, who originally ran an imported goods store, once drew Saigo-san on a T-shirt and sold it, which received a great response and became the catalyst for the birth of Kagomania.
Currently, the owner strives to "create a shop that customers can enjoy whenever they visit," and releases new products every two months.
Local
Supporter
With their surreal nature that makes you want to comment on every single item, choosing souvenirs is sure to be a lively experience. You might even find items featuring the Kagoshima dialect that you encountered during your trip.
5Kawaichi Kokubu
Selling delicious Kagoshima specialty products that the whole family can eat with peace of mind
A Kirishima specialty shop that processes vegetables grown on its own farm to create safe and secure products. With the philosophy of "wanting to sell products that we, as the creators, can truly say are delicious," they carefully select local specialties and seasonings from within the prefecture. Their popular "dried sweet potato" uses aged Beni Haruka from Kagoshima Prefecture. It is perfect for a light snack, and its moderately chewy texture and the sweetness and flavor of the potato that increase with every bite are addictive.
Also recommended is the "Ice-Temperature Summer Bread" developed by a local bakery. It can be eaten like ice cream and comes in a wide variety of flavors, including red bean butter, cheesecake, and matcha cream.
Salted banana chips made using "Nishiki no Shio" salt from Kinko Bay
Perfect for souvenirs are the "Salt Banana Chips." These are the shop's own product, developed using bananas fried in coconut oil and "Nishiki Salt" from Kinko Bay, which the owner originally loved.
In addition to Salt Banana, other flavors include "Cacao & Salt Banana," which is a collaboration with a local chocolate factory and features an appealing sweet and salty taste, and "Hot Chili," which has a delicious, lingering spiciness from chili powder. Small bag sizes are also available, making them perfect for snacking while traveling in Kagoshima.
Local
Supporter
In addition to sweets, we also recommend the "yuzu kosho" (yuzu chili paste) and "Sakurajima dried daikon radish," which can be used in cooking. You can buy delicious, unique Kagoshima souvenirs at affordable prices.
- Kawaichi Kokubu
-
- 587-1 Himegi, Hayato-cho, Kirishima City, Kagoshima Prefecture MAP
- Approx. 13-minute walk from JR Hinatayama Station
- 8:30–18:00
- Sunday
- 0995-43-2209
- Free
MAP
- Nearby Hoshino Resorts facilities
Local supporter in charge of this article
- Mai TerauchiA Satsuma girl who loves and is loved by shochu
KAI Kirishima
Kirishima Onsen, Kagoshima Prefecture
A hot spring inn where you can view Sakurajima from all guest rooms and enjoy the magnificent scenery of vast grasslands from the open-air bath in the large public bathhouse.
Access About 15 minutes by taxi from JR Kirishima-Jingu Station
- Accommodation rate example
- Per person per night From ¥19,000