Kagoshima

Kagoshima is a prefecture that encompasses a vast archipelago stretching from the southern tip of the Kyushu region to the Nansei Islands, including the Satsuma Peninsula, Osumi Peninsula, Tanegashima, Yakushima, and the Amami Islands. The climate is warm, with an annual average temperature of about 19°C on the mainland and about 22°C on Amami Oshima, blending subtropical and temperate climate zones. Volcanic activity is prominent, hosting multiple active volcanoes such as Sakurajima, Kirishima, and Kaimondake, and volcanic ash soil (Shirasu plateau) covers most of both the Satsuma and Osumi peninsulas. While the Shirasu plateau has low water retention, it has excellent drainage, possessing soil characteristics suitable for cultivating root vegetables such as sweet potatoes and burdock root. The production volume of sweet potatoes is about 215,400 tons, ranked 1st in Japan, with a national share of about 30%. The warm climate is also suitable for tea cultivation, and the areas around Minamikyushu City and Makurazaki City are prominent tea-producing regions in Japan. Makurazaki City is known as a major producing region of katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes), supplying a considerable amount of the dried bonito flakes distributed domestically. The livestock sector, including Kagoshima Kurobuta (black pig), Kagoshima Kuroushi (black cattle), and broilers, is also strong, and it is evaluated as the leading agricultural prefecture in the Kyushu region in terms of the comprehensive strength of agriculture, fisheries, and livestock.

Source: MAFF Crop Statistics (Reiwa 5 / 2023), JMA historical weather data

What most plainly represents agriculture in Kagoshima is an agricultural structure that turned the constraint of the Shirasu plateau into a strength. The Shirasu plateau, with its low water retention, is unsuitable for rice farming, but its excellent drainage is suitable for cultivating root vegetables such as sweet potatoes, burdock root, and peanuts, and under these conditions, it has established the position of 1st nationally for sweet potatoes. Furthermore, Kagoshima stands out nationally for having branded items in all fields of agriculture, fisheries, and livestock, including tea, Kurobuta (black pig), Kuroushi (black cattle), broilers, and katsuobushi. The fact that it utilizes the climate differences created by its long north-to-south topography for multiple products, such as subtropical sugarcane and mangoes in the Amami Islands, and Anno imo in Tanegashima, is also a unique characteristic difficult for other prefectures to replicate.