This month we’re venturing to one of Japan’s most southerly cities Kagoshima. Known as the ‘Naples of the East‘, it’s nestled on Kyūshū island, within the previously named Satsuma region… birthplace to the satsuma Japanese mandarin!
There’s heaps to discover in this city. For the history buffs, a trip to the iconic Tsurumaru Castle is a must, plus a visit to the Reimeikan Museum on its grounds, showcasing everything that you need to know about the history and culture of this beautiful region.
For those looking for a little retail therapy, or are on the hunt for some nightlife, then the Tenmonkan area should be on your hit list- Kagoshima’s shopping mecca and home to the city’s bustling array of bars and pubs.
Kagoshima is a nature-lovers paradise too. From the chance to ascend the summit of Sakurajima, an active volcano that provides a pretty dramatic backdrop for the city or a visit to the perfectly manicured Senganen Gardens, offering unparalleled views across Kinko Bay.
It’s also the perfect base from which to explore the picture-postcard islands that make up the Amami Archipelago, including the paradisical Amami Oshima Island – coined “The Island Closest to Heaven”.
And when it comes to food, the region certainly doesn’t disappoint either.
Famous delicacies include Kurobuta pork, or black pig, with its routes back to Berkshire! Known for its higher level of fat marbling and tender, juicy flavour, Kurobuta is affectionately known as the Wagyu of pork, with dishes such as savoury Tonkatsu (panko fried pork cutlet) and rich Shabu-Shabu (bubbling hot pots) seen all across the city.
It’s also home to the Satsuma-age – a fried fishcake that’s crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, delicious Kagoshima Ramen, made with a rich pork bone broth, Japanese Black wagyu or Kuroushi (which literally means black cow), known for its creamy marbling and butter-soft texture, and the production of katsuobushi – simmered, smoked and fermented skipjack tuna, used as ‘bonito flakes’ in a range of Japanese recipes.
Being right on the coast, Kagoshima is also home to a bounty of seafood, including succulent Kibinago (small white fish), premium quality Hamachi and Blue-fin tuna, plump Kuruma-ebi (tiger prawns) and tender, sweet Scallops.
And for afters, cool down with a Kagoshima-famed Shirokuma, meaning ‘polar bear’ –a frozen dessert made by pouring condensed milk over shaved ice and topping it with colourful fruit and other ingredients.
Drinks-wise it’s all about Satsuma Shochu, a traditional distilled spirit made from sweet potatoes. Plus, it’s where House of Suntory Haku vodka is distilled, hence we’re featuring it in this month’s Passport to Japan cocktail – the Dessert Island Disc.
Kagoshima
Kagoshima food specials
Kagoshima certainly has its fair share of local delicacies, and our kitchen teams have loved creating their version of many of these dishes to serve throughout September.
The area’s prized Kurobuta pork, or black pig features in all but one of our restaurants, with Cambridge, Cheltenham and Solihull showcasing this popular ‘wagyu of pork’ ingredient in a classic Tonkatsu – panko-fried pork cutlet, and Clifton creating a Kagoshima Ramen featuring seared pork belly in a rich chicken and pork bone broth.
Cambridge and Battersea also pay homage to the delicious ‘black cow’ Wagyu or Kuroushi from the area, known for its creamy marbling and butter-soft texture. Cambridge serve theirs panko-fried with homemade tonkatsu sauce and house pickles, whilst Battersea presents a traditional Wagyu Sukiyaki, featuring a mushroom medley of shiitake, enoki and shimeji, tofu, spring onion and Chinese cabbage in a rich, sweet & soy-based broth.
Blessed by some of the finest waters around Japan, Kagoshima also boasts a range of mouth-watering seafood specialities. Some of the best Hamachi (yellowtail) is sustainably farmed here, and Clifton’s Hamachi Don Buri seasoned rice bowl, topped with hamachi sashimi, spring onion, mooli, ginger, sesame and coriander is the perfect way to sample the rich, slightly sweet and buttery flavour of this fish. In addition, hamachi appears on the sushi platter presented in Solihull and Battersea, as does blue fin tuna, which also excels in these waters.
The smaller Skipjack tuna, or Katsuo is one of the most prized fish from Kagoshima, and one of their biggest exports in the form of Katsuobushi – the umami-rich ingredient of dried bonito flakes, used as seasoning the length and breadth of Japan. Cambridge is serving a delicious Katsuo No Tataki – 8 slices of yuzu soy marinated katsuo, accompanied with daikon and grated ginger, bonito flakes & chives.
Another simple, but highly prized ingredient from Kagoshima is the sweet potato, not least because it is the main ingredient distilled to create the popular Japanese spirit Shochu. You’ll find sweet potato on the menu in Cheltenham, as they present their take on one of Japan’s biggest home comfort dishes, Potesara or Japanese potato salad, featuring white, purple and sweet potatoes mixed with vegetables, ham and Kenko Japanese mayo. Plus Battersea is presenting a ‘sweet’ sweet potato special, also an increasingly popular option throughout the area. Their Glazed Satsuma-imo (sweet potato) with yuzu mango cream makes the perfect treat to end your meal at KIBOU. As does Cheltenham’s Mikan ice cream – a homemade mandarin ice cream featuring the ‘Satsuma Province’ namesake sweet and seedless citrus fruit, served alongside a swirl of zesty mandarin sauce.
Just a few of the Kagoshima-inspired dishes we have on the menu throughout September. To view them all, please hit the link below.
Win a Feast of Japan for you and 5 friends worth up to £300!
Pick up your Passport to Japan in the restaurant, and get it stamped each time you visit us for a chance to win a Japanese feast for you and up to 5 friends worth up to £300.
To Enter: Simply ask a member of the team to stamp a physical passport (you’ll find them on each table), or connect to our free WiFi when you’re in the restaurant to claim your digital passport stamp.
Please note, you must be in the restaurant to gain a passport stamp.
For more info and details of terms & conditions, please click the link below.
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