Thank you driver for getting me here....

Kagoshima is famous for having three things: 1. An active volcano, 2. The worlds smallest satsuma (as verified by the Guinness Book of Records) & 3. The worlds heaviest radishes.
Our mission to see all three was, sadly incomplete. As we arrived in town the clouds had moved in, as had the rain so we abandoned our usual walk about familiarisation tour of the town & opted instead to explore it on a local bus.We were the only ones on it for most of the 1 hr journey & I think the driver took pity on us, as he plied Mr L with mints & cigarettes (which he declined) & as we got off he refused to take our money. How v kind of him. We headed back to the hotel for another layer of clothing before going out to eat. We found a place nearby that did the most amazing/delicious Japanese curry (beef-me, chicken Mr L) , rice, pickles, salad & a cheeky scoop of ice cream to wash it down – all for under £5 each.. 
Our hotel was slightly larger than the last few but with exactly the same layout – small double bed (actually it's a large single) up against one wall, a desk with small fridge under it, tv, chair &  some coat hangers. The bathrooms are all pretty much  the same - a tiny bath you can just about sit in with shower overhead, sink & a loo, with just about enough space for you to close the door without it touching your knees, but plenty of gadgets for you to wash/dry your bits if so inclined. When we had a FaceTime call with G-R recently we moved the phone around so she could see our room. She was fascinated & quite amused by the bathroom. So Now when we ring her first request is  “show me your toilet” ! We duly oblige.

The following day we were hoping the clouds would lift enough for us to see Sakurajima volcano. As we peeped out of the curtain it didn't look very hopeful but we decided to head out anyway. We caught the ferry across to Sakurajima – a 15 min trip & then, for reasons too dull to explain, instead of getting  the tourist bus to the observatory viewing point, we ended up  travelling around on 3 local buses touring the other side of the island, eventually ending  up  back at the ferry terminal 1 ½ hrs later without having seen the volcano. Eventually we got on the right bus & finally got to see the volcano, well enough of it as the clouds would allow. It wasn't erupting, but there was plenty of volcanic ash around as evidence of its activity & that was good enough for me. One part of our mission was complete.  Well one out of three isn't bad, as Meatloaf didn't say. Back in the town we finished our afternoon off with a stroll around the Japanese Gardens – at full speed as it was about to close. 
Our next stop was Fukuoka however, we still had our Japan Rail passes & so decided to divert to Nagasaki to spend the day there before going on to Fukuoka. If you look at the map that's quite a journey, but the trains are fast & we felt we had to. It was ridiculously hot when we arrived & checked our bags into a locker at the station. We got the tram to the memorial park & enjoyed the beautiful sculptures dedicated to peace from many different countries. Like Hiroshima there were many school groups visiting the park & paying tributes to those who lost their lives. The images in the  museum were very graphic & moving and some of the displays made it feel very real, but having already been to Hiroshima we had read a lot of the same information. The memorial hall was however an excellent dedication space, architecturally & spiritually. As many of those who initially survived the A-bomb subsequently perished due to lack of water, water features heavily in the design. As you entered the hall it had a really calming, contemplative feel to it and I was v pleased we had gone there to experience it
Before we knew it, it was time to get back on the train and off to Fukuoka. Our next stop – Seoul, South Korea.