Cherry Blossom Mountain

Two years ago sailing into Kagoshima early in the morning I thought, “Today can’t possibly compete with what we’ve already seen.” But then I got out of bed, pulled back the curtains—and there she was. A mile-high smoking volcano, staring right back at me like she had business with us.

Mount Sakurajima wasn’t just part of the landscape. She was the landscape. It felt like she had barged right into our room just to say good morning. At first, I assumed the clouds circling her summit were just that—clouds—until I realized they were rising from the mountain itself. She was steaming and puffing ash like a dragon just waking up.

That’s when I thought, “I don’t care if her name means ‘Cherry Blossom Mountain’—this lady’s packing heat.”

Sakurajima used to sit quietly on her own island. But in 1946, she erupted with such force that the lava flow literally connected her to the mainland. So even though folks still talk about “Sakurajima Island,” she’s technically no island at all anymore—just a fiercely independent chunk of rock with a short fuse.

Later in the day, as we headed toward the Kagoshima Museum, our guide casually mentioned that the local weather report includes a daily “volcano index.” She went on, “Level 1 means the mountain is taking a nap. Level 5? That’s when you grab your go-bag and run. Today she’s sitting at Level 3. There will be some ash fall,” our guide told us, “but if the wind comes from the west, no worries. If it blows in from the southeast, though—get ready to sweep off your porch.”

When we cruised in today, Miss Cherry Blossom was asleep with her head nestled in a pillow of clouds. These photos are from our last visit when she was wide awake in all of her radiant glory and splendor.

Today the storm gods are pushing the fire gods off the field—heavy rain with 20-40 mph gusts. Just as well, since an ancient local tradition here holds that rain is propitious.

Of course, living next to an active volcano, their belief favoring water over fire doesn’t require too much explanation.Lue lisää