Francis Xavier reached Japan on 27 July 1549, with Anjiro and three other Jesuits, but he was not permitted to enter any port his ship arrived at until 15 August, when he went ashore at Kagoshima, the principal port of the province of Satsuma on the island of Kyūshū.

Kagoshima was the center of the territory of the Shimazu clan of samurai for many centuries.

Kagoshima was also a significant center of Christian activity in Japan prior to the imposition of bans against that religion in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

Kagoshima was bombarded by the British Royal Navy in 1863 to punish the daimyō of Satsuma for the murder of Charles Lennox Richardson on the Tōkaidō highway the previous year and its refusal to pay an indemnity in compensation.

Kagoshima was the birthplace and scene of the last stand of Saigō Takamori, a legendary figure in Meiji Japan in 1877 at the end of the Satsuma Rebellion.

Kagoshima was also the birthplace of Tōgō Heihachirō.

was an old province of Japan that is now the western half of Kagoshima Prefecture on the island of Kyūshū.

During the Sengoku Period, Satsuma was a fief of the Shimazu daimyo, who ruled much of southern Kyūshū from their castle at Kagoshima city.

Tōgō was born on 27 January 1848 ( by the Western calendar ) in the Kajiya-chō ( 加治屋町 ） district of the city of Kagoshima in Satsuma domain ( modern-day Kagoshima prefecture ), in feudal Japan, the third of four sons of Tōgō Sanetomo ( 1805-1867 ), a samurai serving the Shimazu daimyo, and Hori Masuko ( 1812-1901 ).

Tōgō's first experience at war was at the age of 15 during the Bombardment of Kagoshima ( August 1863 ), in which Kagoshima was shelled by the Royal Navy to punish the Satsuma daimyo for the death of Charles Lennox Richardson on the Tōkaidō highway the previous year ( the Namamugi Incident ), and the Japanese refusal to pay an indemnity in compensation.

Kuroda was born to a samurai-class family serving the Shimazu daimyo of Kagoshima, Satsuma domain in Kyūshū.

Matsukata was born into a samurai family in Kagoshima, Satsuma province ( present-day Kagoshima Prefecture ).

Matsukata was highly regarded by Ōkubo Toshimichi and Saigō Takamori, who used him as their liaison between Kyoto and the domain government in Kagoshima.

Yamamoto was born in Kagoshima in Satsuma Province ( now Kagoshima Prefecture ) as the son of samurai who served the Shimazu clan.

Ōkubo was born in Kagoshima, Satsuma Province, ( present-day Kagoshima Prefecture ) to Ōkubo Juemon a low-ranking retainer of Satsuma daimyō Shimazu Nariakira.

Ōyama was born in Kagoshima to a samurai family of the Satsuma han domain.

It was mounted on Fort Tenpozan at Kagoshima.

Today, Kagoshima is home to a distinctive dialect of Japanese, differing from the usual Kyūshū dialects with its pronunciations of the yotsugana.

The following is a list of Kagoshima Prefecture's cities, and its administrative districts with their constituent towns and villages:

The people of the island speak with a Kyoto accent even now, rather than a Kyūshū or Kagoshima accent, despite its proximity to Kyūshū.

Despite the bombardment of Kagoshima, the Satsuma domain had become closer to the British and was pursuing the modernization of its army and navy with their support.

Kajiki is well known, in Kagoshima prefecture and even some places outside of Kagoshima, for its Kajiki manju.

When Mizobe existed, Japan Air Commuter had its headquarters in the Kagoshima Airport Building Annex in Mizobe.

" Tokushima in Shikoku is very famous for its " Awa Odori ," or " fool's dance ," and in the far south, one can hear the " Ohara Bushi " of Kagoshima.

When the telephone system was devised, Okinawa was still under U. S. occupation, so when it was returned to Japan in 1972, its telephone numbers were squeezed between Miyazaki ( 98x ) and Kagoshima ( 99x ) and begin with 988, 989, and 980.

HALCA was launched in February 1997 from Kagoshima Space Center, and made its final VSOP observations in October 2003, far exceeding its 3 year predicted lifespan, before the loss of attitude control.

In the 1990s JAC had its headquarters in the Kagoshima Airport Building Annex in Mizobe, Aira District, Kagoshima Prefecture.

Christianity had an impact on Japan, largely through the efforts of the Jesuits, led first by the Navarrese Saint Francis Xavier ( 1506 – 1552 ), who arrived in Kagoshima in southern Kyūshū in 1549.

The territory is largely contiguous with today's Kagoshima prefecture, and parts of Miyazaki prefecture.

On November 1, 2004 Yoshida, along with the towns of Kōriyama and Matsumoto, both from Hioki District, the town of Kiire, from Ibusuki District, and the town of Sakurajima, also from Kagoshima District, was merged into the expanded city of Kagoshima and no longer exists as an independent municipality.

On November 1, 2004 Sakurajima, along with the towns of Kōriyama and Matsumoto, both from Hioki District, the town of Kiire, from Ibusuki District, and the town of Yoshida, also from Kagoshima District, was merged into the expanded city of Kagoshima and no longer exists as an independent municipality.

On November 1, 2004 Kiire, along with the towns of Kōriyama and Matsumoto, both from Hioki District, and the towns of Sakurajima and Yoshida, both from Kagoshima District, was merged into the expanded city of Kagoshima and no longer exists as an independent municipality.

* On November 1, 2004 the town of Kiire merged with the expanded city of Kagoshima.

On November 1, 2004 Matsumoto, along with the town of Kōriyama, also from Hioki District, the town of Kiire, from Ibusuki District, and the towns of Sakurajima and Yoshida, both from Kagoshima District, was merged into the expanded city of Kagoshima and no longer exists as an independent municipality.

* November 1, 2004-Matsumoto, along with the towns of Kōriyama, both from Hioki District, and the towns of Sakurajima and Yoshida, both from Kagoshima District, Kiire, both from Ibusuki District, was merged into the expanded city of Kagoshima and no longer exists as an independent municipality.

On November 1, 2004 Kōriyama, along with the town of Matsumoto, also from Hioki District, the town of Kiire, from Ibusuki District, and the towns of Sakurajima and Yoshida, both from Kagoshima District, was merged into the expanded city of Kagoshima and no longer exists as an independent municipality.

* November 1, 2004 the towns of Kōriyama and Matsumoto merged into the expanded city of Kagoshima.

This region played a key role in the Meiji Restoration ( Saigo Takamori ), and the city of Kagoshima was an important naval base during Japan's 20th century wars and the home of admiral Tōgō Heihachirō.

The squadron retaliated, and the naval bombardment of Kagoshima ensued.

The British demanded reparations and responded by bombarding the port of Kagoshima in 1863.

Image: Uke Island Uke-Amuro port Kagoshima, JAPAN. jpg | Uke Island