Palace of the Dragon King Shrine: Ryugu Jinja

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The Palace of the Dragon King Shrine, aka Ryugu Jinja, is located on Cape Nagasaki-bana in southern Kagoshima where it is said Oto-Hime (Princess of the Dragon Palace) is enshrined and is considered the birthplace of nationwide legends concerning the Palace of the Dragon King. It’s slightly different from other shrines with its custom of writing wishes on seashells. The shrine is especially popular with the ladies coming to write their wishes of love on seashells to put in the holy turtle urn of the shrine. In front of the Nagasaki-bana Lighthouse at Ryugu Jinja you can get fantastic views of Mt. Kaimon across the sea and on clear days even see the island of Yakushima.

Loggerhead Turtle Hatching Ground

Every year between May and August on the sandy beach on the left side of Nagasaki-bana right near the coast of Ryugu Jinja, baby loggerhead turtles hatch and hurry to the sea. Watching these babes in flight for the waves is a sight beyond words. On the promenade leading from Ryugu Jinja to the lighthouse you can also see a stone statue of Urashima Taro riding upon a turtle (The legendary figure who returned home from Ryugu Castle under the sea to find that his home had changed completely over the many years he had been absent.)

Scenic Views of Mt. Kaimon

Mt. Kaimon is 924 m tall rising up from the southernmost tip of the Satsuma Peninsula in Kagoshima. The beautiful mountain takes the shape of a perfect cone and is also commonly called the Mt. Fuji of Satsuma. One of the best places from which to see this majestic mountain is without a doubt, Ryugu Jinja.

Address

1578-8 Yamagawaoka Chiyogamizu, Ibusuki-shi, Kagoshima

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Contact No.

Access

From the JR Yamakawa Train Station, take a Kagoshima Kotsu Bus headed towards Kaimon for 15 minutes and get off at the Nagasaki-bana bus stop from which it is a 3-min walk.