Located in Kagoshima prefecture at the southwestern tip of the island of Kyushu, Kagoshima is the largest southernmost city on the main islands of Japan and is often considered the friendliest Japanese city for visitors.
Kagoshima has a long history as an important commercial port, especially during the medieval period and the Edo period from 1603–1868, is widely regarded as the birthplace of the industrial revolution in Japan. It was officially inaugurated as a city in 1889.