A Completely New Experience

Kagoshima Chiran Fumoto

This was my second trip to Kagoshima but it was completely different than the first. This is mainly because I’d planned my trip to meet a dear friend who took me to the Chiran Fumoto.

Kagoshima is a unique prefecture because they created a defensive network of fortified villages called Fumoto where the samurai lived. It was believed that the people were the main defense, thus no castles, but villages where the samurai could farm but be called to arms in a time of need.

As a part of her architectura lab, my friend studied these Fumoto and was able to explain how the streets were placed lower than the properties and lined with low walls. This made movement difficult for would-be attackers and each villa entrance could be configured like a castle gate with a defensible junction. The lab has identified about 120 Fumoto in the region and mapped a couple dozen.

Chiran is about an hour south of Kagoshima by bus where along the fortified street several villas have been preserved. Notably, there is a series of seven dry gardens that can be viewed. The first was quite pretty becaused two curved rocks leaned in together to form a heart.

Another interesting aspect to the Chiran Fumoto is that the rocks used in the gardens are volcanic which is more common in Okinawa than the rest of Japan, which usually uses igneous rock. As well, the hedges bordering the gardens are sculpted but openings are left for borrowed scenery, to capture views of distant mountains.

Another garden that I was keen to see was Sengan-en. Located to the north of Kagoshima city, this garden is the former residence of the Shimadzu family who were instrumental in the modernization of Japan. Importantly, the garden looks out on Sakurajima, which is the only volcano I know of that is constantly smoking beside a major urban settlement.

I was fortunate to see some Kyudo practice ahead of an event the following day and also had a wonderful time taking photos of the moss covered stones.

Another highlight of Kagoshima was visiting Reimeikan, the Kagoshima Prefectural history museum. It was a surprisingly comprehensive museum about the history of the region with lots of minature models and documented text organized chornologically. The museum is on the former grounds of Kagoshima castle that has a recreated front gate. Like the Fumoto, Kagoshima castle never had a main keep but was more of an administrative centre so the interior is now museums.

Kagoshima was a lot of fun because I got to meet my friend but also because I saw something I’d never seen before. Because I’ve travelled so extensively in Japan, I see a lot of gardens, temples, shrines and castles. The Fumoto was something completely new to me and I’m really glad I was able to visit it.