Attraction of Kirishima as a Geopark taught by a famous guide

Straddling Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures, Mt. Kirishima is a series of more than 20 volcanoes. Since several hundred thousand years ago, the volcano has repeatedly erupted. Even today, the volcano continues to be active, with the 2011 eruption of Shinmoe-dake (Mt. Shinmoe) still fresh in our memories.

The Mt. Kirishima area has been designated as a Japan Geopark. A Geopark is an area where sites and landscapes of earth science significance are managed based on a comprehensive approach that includes protection, education, and sustainable development. It can be described as a spectacular natural park where people can learn about the Earth's past through its geology and landforms, and work toward its future.

Mr. Masashi Takada is a certified guide in Kirishima Geopark. He is also a certified guide of the Sakurajima-Kinko Bay Geopark and a representative of "Sakurajima Geo369," which conducts guiding activities in the Geopark. He is a leading figure in the Kagoshima guiding world and is supported by many travelers, but he was born in Shiga Prefecture.

When I was 25 years old, I moved to Kagoshima when I started working. At that time, Sakurajima was very active, and I was shocked to see the sky blackened by volcanic ash. It's hard to describe, but I still remember the feeling as if the sky and the earth were shaking. When I was a student, I was in the mountaineering club and loved mountains, so I felt the existence of volcanoes while walking around Mt. Sakurajima and Mt. Kirishima.

After I retired from work at the age of 60, I wanted to learn more about volcanoes and Kagoshima, which coexists with volcanoes. I worked as a mountaineering guide for Mt. Kirishima, participated in the Japan Geopark National Convention, and gained experience while working specifically to become a certified guide for the Sakurajima-Kinko Bay Geopark in 2016 and the Kirishima Geopark in 2022."

Mr. Takada has always loved mountains, having belonged to his high school mountaineering club. What is your impression of the mountains of Kirishima and what attracts you to them?

The most attractive thing about Mount Kirishima is that it is an active volcano. Depending on the level of eruptive activity, restrictions may be placed on access to the mountain, but that is only because it is an active volcano. You can't get the experience of climbing a mountain like this anywhere else.

He also told us about the natural environment unique to an active volcano, before saying, "It's strange for me to say this, since I am also a guide on Sakurajima.

Mt. Kirishima has a richer and more diverse natural environment than Sakurajima. In many ways, you can experience the diversity of the natural environment that only a volcano can offer. For example, the vegetation. Do you know the terms "forest limit" and "tall tree limit"? They are boundaries where tall trees cannot grow and forests cannot be formed due to various natural environmental factors such as temperature and humidity. In high mountains such as the Japanese Alps, once you reach a certain altitude, trees disappear and the landscape becomes all rocks. Mt. Kirishima is an active volcano, so the altitude of this forest limit is low.
Mt. Kirishima is 1,700 meters high even at its highest peak, Mt. Karakuni, so it is an easy mountain compared to the Japanese Alps, a mountain range of 3,000-meter-high peaks. Nevertheless, the fact that it feels like an alpine mountain is a major attraction. Also, the large colonies of Miyama-kirishima (Prunus miyama var. densiflora) that crawl like flowers on the ground also make you feel like you are in an alpine environment.

Miyama-kirishima is the representative plant of Kirishima. It is also found in the volcanic zones of Aso, Kusumi, Unzen, and other Kyushu volcanoes, but the large colony of Miyama-kirishima in Kirishima is the most famous of all. They are widely distributed on the southwestern slopes of Takachiho Peak, Nakadake, Shinmoedake, and the Ebino Plateau, and usually bloom from early May to mid-June with beautiful pink flowers. Incidentally, Miyama-kirishima is a plant adapted to volcanic soil and prefers a sunny environment. The plant's ability to survive in a harsh environment is also unique to volcanoes.

Furthermore, Mr. Takada believes that the interesting aspects of history and culture also characterize the charm of Mt.Kirishima.

When the gods looked into the world below from the heavenly floating bridge in the upper world, they saw what looked like an island in the misty sea. The gods took out a spear and marked the island. This is said to be the origin of the name Kirishima. At that time, the gods dropped the spear upside down, and it pierced the peak of the mountain in a spectacular manner. It is said that the heavenly reverse spearhead that still remains on the summit of Takachiho is the one from that time.
One day, in response to a divine decree by Amaterasu Omikami, his grandson Niniginomikoto descended from the heavens to earth with seven deities and their guide, Sarutahikonomikoto, holding the three sacred weapons in his hands. It is said that the founding myth of Japan and its history began at Takachiho Peak, which marks the first step of "descent of the grandchildren" from the heavenly realm to the earth.
(From "The Myth of the Descent of the Gods", Kirishima City website)

Kirishima is the stage of the descent of the grandchildren myth. As Kirishima is the first mountain in Japan, it has been regarded as a fundamental place, a magical and unexplored region. It is up to individuals to believe or not believe in these myths and folklore. However, since this is also a part of the historical and cultural heritage nurtured by the people who lived here, we recommend that you take the trouble to enjoy the history and culture, including myths and folklore. Of course, you can touch the proof that the place was the setting of myths, such as the heavenly reverse spearhead that pierces the peak of Takachiho Peak or the original shrine of Kirishima Shrine that stands beside the mountain trail, but you can also think about the history and culture of the place while expanding your own image of the place. In today's society, where productivity is considered equal to good, I think it is an important element of travel to delve into myths, legends, and folklore with an interest in them.

Kirishima, and to enjoy the myths and folklore, without measuring them by a scale of belief or disbelief. Mr. Takada's stance is also reflected in his guiding. Using his own panels, he unravels the myths and folklore related to the mountains of Kirishima, and his unique guide, which takes more than 1.5 times the usual time to slowly tour the mountains, has been very well received by travelers.

As a certified Geopark guide, Mr. Takada continues to convey the charm of local history and culture, including myths and folklore, as well as the enjoyment of climbing Mt. Kirishima, an active volcano.
He hopes to continue to invite travelers who love mountains and nature to visit Kirishima, while pursuing a sustainable and responsible travel style.

Some mountains, such as Takachiho peak, which was formed 7,000 years ago, and Mt. Io-zan, which erupted during the Edo period (1603-1868), are young mountains in the long history of Mt. Kirishima, which is hundreds of thousands of years old. Such mountains are still infertile and will become richer over the years. In order for this to happen, it is important for those of us who are involved with Mt. Kirishima today to think and act responsibly and connect it to the future."

How can we integrate the relative importance of nature conservation and tourism? This may be an eternal challenge that cannot be solved in a simple way. However, compared to the past, the morale of climbers and tourists is higher, and I feel that the level of awareness and interest in the natural environment is also increasing. There are more people who understand how to enjoy Geoparks based on the essence of geo. My goal is to increase the number of such people even more. I believe this will lead to a bright future for sustainable and responsible tourism in Kirishima. I hope that you will keep this in mind when you visit Kirishima, and think about what you can bring to the nature of your destination, rather than what the destination can bring to you. Please keep this in mind when you visit the mountains of Kirishima.

Mr. Takada's talk showed the appeal of Kirishima as a geopark and his passion for sustainable and responsive Kirishima tourism. From here, we would like to introduce two spots that you should definitely stop by if you visit Kirishima.

The first is Barrel Valley Praha&Gen, a koji and food theme park located near Kagoshima Airport, with its roots in the Genichiro Kawachi Koji Shop, which was founded in 1931 in Kagoshima City.
Genichiro Kawachi, the founder of the company, is the man whose koji research has laid the foundation of modern shochu culture. His achievements and spirit are still carried on in Kirishima.

On the expansive grounds, there is a shochu brewery and a beer brewery, where authentic shochu made with natural water, a blessing of Kirishima, and beer brewed in the Czech Republic are produced. The production process is open to the public, and visitors can observe the time-consuming and meticulous process. Of course, you can also buy them at the store, so they make great souvenirs.

And at the restaurant "Koji-Gura GEN," which is located next to the restaurant, the lineup includes pork, fish, vegetables, eggs, and other dishes made from ingredients raised with koji, which is the restaurant's specialty. Of particular note are the pork dishes made with pork raised on feed containing 800,000 crushed eggs made with koji. The pork, which is called "egg-fed pork," is characterized by its rich flavor with no odor and moderate marbling.

The initiative to turn crushed eggs that could be eaten but are thrown away into high value-added feed using koji production technology to produce high quality pork is truly sustainable. The inventor is Masahiro Yamamoto, the third generation of a long-established koji maker and the current chairman of the company. As a doctor of agriculture, he is a leading koji researcher who pursues the functionality of koji.

He has attracted attention from various fields for his efforts to make food sustainable, including feed made by drying shochu waste liquid with koji fermentation heat, feed made from okara (bean curd) with lactic acid bacteria and koji to prevent it from spoiling, and soba noodles grown with compost made from pig manure that has eaten koji.

The second restaurant is Kurozu-no-Sato Kakuida located in Fukuyama Town, Kirishima City. Fukuyama Town, located at the southern tip of Kirishima City and northeast of Kinko Bay, has been famous for black vinegar since the Edo period. The traditional technique of brewing black vinegar in pot fields lined with pots outdoors is still being passed down today.

Kurozu no Sato Kakuida, located in such a place, is a popular spot known as Japan's first black vinegar restaurant. While carefully preserving the manufacturing method of black vinegar brewing that has continued for over 200 years, you can experience the black vinegar culture that has evolved according to the times through the food at the restaurant.

All of the dishes on the menu use their own brand of organic black vinegar "Kakuida". Many of the creative dishes that include plenty of organic vegetables from their own farm are delicious and healthy as well as delicious to look at. The black vinegar lunch course is recommended with a choice of main dish from a wide variety of meat, fish, and pasta dishes. The main dish is black vinegar-accented pork, and black vinegar is also used in appetizers, salads, small bowls, soups, and desserts.

Before or after dinner, you can take a tour of the pot fields. The staff will give you a free guided tour of the pot fields, where brewing is actually taking place, not for sightseeing. The sight of some 20,000 pots lined up against the magnificent backdrop of Sakurajima and Kinko Bay is breathtaking. You are guaranteed to get some great photos.