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Ian Wright gets buried alive in Kagoshima
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Where it's at
Kagoshima lies at the southernmost point of the Kyushu
region, hidden in the shadow of a nearby active volcano, Mt.
Kamindako. Over Kingo Bay, you can see smoke rising
from the volcano's crater. Twinned with Italy's volcanic city
of Naples, its tropical atmosphere and deep clear blue
seas has earned Kagoshima the reputation as "The Oriental
Naples".
Getting hot and bothered
The city is famed for its beach in Ibusuki just south
of the city, where you are supposed to bury your body in the
sand to purify your blood and refresh your soul in the hot,
volcanic sands. The seas below are very hot and the heat makes
the sands like a low heat oven. Many people come to the beach
every day to improve their health, an on land equivalent of
bathing in sulphur springs.
For the priviledge of being buried alive in Ibusuki, expect
to pay around 600 yen ($5 US). You stand upright in a pit
and a beach assistant will shovel sand into you up to the
neck. They will then swirl around the sands to ensure the
temperature is constant and the patient doesn't become "over
cooked". Any novices wanting to dig their own hole should
be warned that the temperatures vary enormously around the
beach and amateurs could be in for an unpleasant suprise.
Other things to see and do
- If bathing in sands brings on fears of claustrophobia, you
can opt for a swim in the nearby hot springs of Kawaijiri-onsen,
overlooking the black sand beaches by the Kamindako volcano.
- There's plenty of nightlife around the seaside town, lots
of bars and of course, karaoke. |
