Located in the southwestern part of mainland Japan, the prefecture is in the southern part of the Kyushu region. It is divided into eight regions: Kagoshima, Nansatsu, Hokusatsu, Aira/Isa, Osumi, Kumage, and Oshima. Because Kagoshima Prefecture stretches approximately 600 kilometers from north to south, the climate differs greatly from north to south, and the fact that there are three different climates within the same prefecture - "temperate," "subtropical," and "cool temperate" - is a rarity in the world. Also, Kagoshima City has the coldest climate among the seven prefectures in Kyushu, with relatively heavy snowfall. Conversely, the Amami region is warm enough to belong to the southern Japan climate. You should not miss the "Kanpachi zuke-don" (bowl of rice topped with pickled Kanpachi), which is made with plenty of Kanoya kanpachi, Kagoshima's brand-name fish, and the "Kuroge Wagyu Beef Bamboo Shoot Bowl" made with Kagoshima's specialty "Kuroge Wagyu" and "bamboo shoots. Kagoshima's must-see tourist attractions include "Jomon Cedar," the thickest cedar in Japan; "Sakurajima," a world-famous active volcano that is still active; Yakusugi cedars, which are over 1,000 years old; and "Shiratani Unsuikyo," famous as the model for the setting of Studio Ghibli's film, "Princess Mononoke.