Buried torii

The Buried Torii (Kurokami Buried Torii) refers to the torii gate beside Kurokami Junior High School on Sakurajima, Kagoshima Prefecture. During the great Sakurajima eruption of 1914, a massive amount of volcanic ash buried the torii of Haragosha Shrine. The gate was originally 3 meters tall, but in a single day of the eruption it was buried by 2 meters, and today only about 1 meter is visible. In order to preserve the record of the eruption, the torii remains buried as it is. A shrine building still exists behind the torii. About a 3-minute walk from here is the Sakurajima Buried Gatepost, another structure similarly buried by the eruption. Because it’s rare to see such direct traces of an eruption, it’s a recommended sightseeing stop. It’s a bit far to reach on foot, so renting a car makes it quick, and there is also a parking area with related materials. Sakurajima itself is quite large—circling the island is about 36 km—so renting a car to tour the whole island is also a good option. You can also go around by bicycle. Access: about 30 minutes by car from Sakurajima Port.