KAGOSHIMA JAPAN

Kagoshima is often compared with Naples, Italy, due to a similarly mild climate, palm tree-lined streets, relatively hot tempered inhabitants, and Sakurajima, Kagoshima's Vesuvius. Close by sits the small preserved town of Chiran. Within the town there is a preserved samurai district with houses and gardens that date back about 250 years. Chiran's isolated location has allowed the district to keep much of its historical character intact.