Kagoshima Road Trip – Art, Waterfalls & Ruins

What?
Kirishima Onsen (霧島温泉) is a small resort town at the foot of the Kirishima Mountain Range (霧島山). Apart from its onsen to soak in, there is also an onsen waterfall — the Maruo Waterfall (丸尾滝). The Kirishima Open-Air Museum (霧島アートの森) is a short drive away and focuses on art that blends in with its surroundings. The Sogi Falls (曽木の滝) and the Sogi Power Plant ruins (曽木発電所遺構) are linked to each other, as the roaring water once served as the source for electricity generation. The falls likely still look as they always have, while the power plant now remains only as ruins — though still quite enigmatic.
Where?
Kirishima Onsen and the Open-Air Museum are located in the eastern part of Kagoshima Prefecture (鹿児島県), while the Sogi Falls and ruins lie farther to the north. Kirishima Onsen is fairly easy to reach by bus from either Kagoshima Airport or Kirishima-Jingū Station (霧島神宮駅). Take a bus in the direction of Kirishima Onsen and alight at the Maruo Onsen bus stop. The Sogi attractions are only accessible by car.
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What to do on a rainy day?
Earlier this year in Saga, I opted for complete relaxation in a spa with a massage. Today, however, I chose to go for a drive to explore a few spots that would otherwise not have caught my attention.

The first stop was the Maruo Waterfall in Kirishima Onsen, where I had spent the night before. This waterfall is extremely easy to access from the onsen town – no need for a car even. It’s special in that it’s a waterfall of onsen water, so in addition to the steam rising from it, the water has that enchanting emerald blue-green color. If you’re in town, definitely check it out.

And then it was time for the actual drive.
It wasn’t until the last moment that I decided to visit the Kirishima Open Air Museum. I had wanted to go, but since it’s an open-air museum… well, you know, the rain and all. Still, I figured not many people would visit in such sad weather, so I saw it as an opportunity. And rightfully so.

The museum isn’t that big, especially compared to the Utsukushigahara Open Air Museum. But where that one left me puzzled, the installations here at Kirishima seem chosen with much greater care. Most of them fit beautifully into their natural surroundings. Take, for example, the fun “mirrors” by Choi Jeong Hwa (You Are the Art). They’re placed in an open field where, in good weather, I can imagine kids running and playing. It’s exactly where they should be. By contrast, Antony Gormley’s mystic stick figures (Insiders) are a short walk away, tucked into a thick patch of trees where they blend seamlessly with their environment.

Equally impressive should probably be Dani Karavan’s tunnel (In the Beginning), though it doesn’t fare well under clouds, as the mountainous backdrop is an integral part of the piece.

After taking a quick look at the small indoor collection, I sat down with a coffee, gazing through the huge window of the museum’s art-like main building. Compared to when I arrived, there were now a few dozen more people wandering the grounds, all seemingly having a good time. And I completely understood; I was very happy I’d made the drive.

I was in no hurry.
Next, I wanted to visit the Sogi Waterfalls, but I decided to split the drive and make a brief stop in Yusui. This very small town doesn’t have much to offer, but it does make a bit of a fuss about its pretty man-made lake next to the local train station. The Mt. Kirishima Foothill Spring Water Pond — or Maruike Pond, as it’s better known locally — is a clear patch of water with a lovely color. Locals were filling up their tanks with spring water while I took a leisurely stroll. Truth be told, though, there’s absolutely no reason to go out of your way to see it.

Onsen water gushing down.

Yayoi Kusama is everywhere!

It's all about visibility.

It's all about invisibility.

So, my next destination was the Sogi Waterfalls. The rain had called it a day, and as I stepped out of my car, I thought it was the perfect time for some waterfall viewing: rain just stopped, cloudy skies, few people around. And let me start by saying that the falls really are impressive in such conditions. The water roared down across the rocky terrain. It looked more like a wild water attraction at a theme park than a natural waterfall, but impressive nonetheless.

That made it all the sadder that the locals have found a way to almost ruin the spot. A few years ago, I visited the Tojinbo cliffs in Fukui Prefecture, which I’ll always remember for their huge, ugly viewing tower and the constant noise it emitted. The people here in Kagoshima haven’t built a tower — luckily — but they have built a huge park. That in itself isn’t bad; it’s spacious, kid-friendly, has a small shrine, and connects to the nearby hydroelectric power plant ruins. There are two observation decks, though the upper one feels completely unnecessary — still, nothing unforgivable.

There’s also a row of eateries and shops along the edge of the park. Not what I would have done, but since they don’t interfere with the waterfall view, I can accept it. The real problem is the noise. Just like at Tojinbo, they’ve attached big speakers all around the park, blasting the loudest, most annoying music imaginable for such a magnificent natural spot. Please, please, remove these speakers — or at least turn down the volume.

I walked away a bit, following the trail past the power plant ruins, hoping — against better judgment — that it might lead to the actual building remains, my second goal in Sogi.
“Against better judgment,” because while it was technically possible to follow the path all the way to the ruins (I saw a small group doing so), it seemingly required a reservation. So instead, I got back in my car, drove about four minutes to a viewing platform on the other side of the river, and admired… the ruins. Or rather, the ruins of the ruins.

Something immediately looked off. A huge steel platform was visible behind them.
The nearby signboard confirmed what I suspected: the entire front wall of the building was gone. Not far behind me, a small group with a guide arrived at the viewing platform, and I eavesdropped on the explanation.

Every year, the ruins are flooded, leaving only the very top of the roof visible. This year, when the water receded, people discovered that the entire front brick wall had collapsed. They found the bricks downstream and plan to rebuild the wall — hence the giant steel platform that will be used for the restoration work in the coming years.

It was a pity, of course, but not entirely unexpected. These are ruins, after all; exposed not only to the elements but also to man-made flooding. So, while I did curse a little under my breath, I had to accept that I was simply too late to see the ruins at their best (how’s that for irony). The remaining parts still looked beautiful, as did the few deer I spotted while looping my way back to the car.

I still had a few hours left, so I drove all the way to Izumi (出水) and its crane observation site, fully aware that it would be closed. The seasonal facility was set to open the next day, but I hoped I might get a sneak peek while preparations were underway. As it turned out, I couldn’t — and the weather was still too warm for any cranes to have arrived yet. Well, I kind of expected that, so no biggie.

From Izumi, I drove back to Kagoshima Airport to pick up my friend, and from there we went straight to the hotel. While not everything had been perfect, I had no regrets about my trip and enjoyed the drive thoroughly.