Tanegashima

Tanegashima (種子島) is an island in Kagoshima prefecture, south of Kyushu.

Understand

Spaceport, Tanegashima Space Center

Tanegashima has two claims to fame. In 1543, Portuguese explorer Mendes Pinto found his way there and introduced firearms to the Japanese, and for a long time thereafter arquebuses were known as tanegashima in Japanese. These days, though, the main attraction is Tanegashima Space Center, JAXA's main spaceport.

Tourist Information Site

#tanetabi is the local tourist association's multilingual guide site.

Get in

By plane

• 1 New Tanegashima Airport (TNE  ^IATA). Has five flights daily from Kagoshima (30 min) and one flight daily from Osaka-Itami (1 hr 20 min), all on Japan Air Commuter, a JAL subsidiary.  

A taxi to Nishi-no-omote costs about ¥6000.

By ferry

The "Toppy" (トッピー) and "Rocket" (ロケット) Jetfoil ferries (formerly two separate companies) can be taken from Kagoshima; 4-6 of them take 1 hr 35 min, one of them takes 2 hours and stops in Isubuki, and one takes 3 hr 15 min and stops in Yakushima on its way back to Kagoshima. They cost ¥7100 (as of Dec 2016, -50% for kids, small discount for return tickets). Regular ferry as well as jet foil ferry services are cancelled in case of bad weather (waves more than 3 meters high). It is also better to make a reservation at least the day before, some boats can be fully booked.

Timetables are available on this page (Japanese; Kagoshima: 鹿児島, Tanegashima: 種子島). Before your departure, you can see the traffic situation on this other page. The important kanjis are: "通常" (normal traffic) and "条件付" (under condition).

2 Ferry Toppy and Rocket Nishinoomote Terminal, 49-1 Nishimachi, Nishinoomote, ☏ +81 997221224. (updated Apr 2022)

The Princess Wakasa car ferry runs once daily (3.5 hours, ¥3,700 in standard class, -50% for children up to 12 years, small discount for return tickets).

Get around

Due to its size and rural nature, there is not much public transport infrastructure on the island. As such, the easiest way to get around Tanegashima is to bring or rent a car. Contact information for taxi (タクシー) and rental car (レンタカー) companies is here.

• Sun Marine Bus (さんまりんバス). (updated Mar 2024)
• Nakatane community bus. (updated Dec 2016)

See

Tanegashima Space Center

Chikura Caverns

Chikura Caverns

Cape Kadokura

• 1 Space Museum, Tanegashima Space Center (種子島宇宙センター), Mazu, Kukinaga, Minamitane-cho, ☏ +81-997-26-9244. Daily 09:30-17:00, Jul-Aug 09:30-17:30; closed M-Tu after long weekends and Dec 29-Jan 1. Japan's largest spaceport. Free exhibits and guided tours three times daily (reservations required). No entry during launch days, but there are designated viewing points around the perimeter. Free. (updated Apr 2022)
• 2 Chikura Caverns (千座の岩屋). White sand beach with caves that can be entered at low tide. There are picnic tables at the edge of the beach. There are a couple food stands and drink machines. free. (updated Apr 2022)
• 3 Takezaki Observation Stand and Beach (竹崎海岸), Mazu, Kukinaga, Minamitane-cho. Prominent platform with a great view of the launch site; great for launch days. Long, white sand beach with areas for snorkeling close to the east side. Restroom with changing area and place to rinse feet is available beside the free parking area. Covered picnic tables nearby on lawn of space center. free. 
• 4 Cape Kadokura (門倉岬), Nishino, Minamitane. Cape overlooking the rocks and shore where the first firearms entered Japan. Beautiful view. There is a lookout post shaped like an old ship. A small shrine is nearby. Restrooms available beside the free parking area. free. 
• 5 Ebinoe-tenbo Park (恵美之江（えびのえ）展望公園), Japan, 〒891-3702 Kagoshima, Kumage District, Minamitane, Hirayama, 長小田1352-27, ☏ +81 997261111. 24 hours. A beautiful vantage point over cliffs, with a near-perfect view of the TNSC Launch Complex. The park also makes for a great place to see the stars or the morning sun. The linked page lists four officially designated observation sites in all. (updated Apr 2022)

Do

Tanegashima is a well known destination for surfers in Japan.

Go next

• Yakushima, mysterious island of giant cedars