Relaxing in a Japanese Hot Spring | 24 Hours in Kagoshima

I spent a morning learning the key techniques of Jigen-ryu swordsmanship under Arimura sensei. It's all about concentrating on training forwards, not backwards, and ensuring your blade is two fist-widths away when you finish a cut. This basic practice alone takes about six months to perfect. The hardest part for me was plucking up the courage to do the unnerving scream that accompanies the attack, which is crucial to putting everything behind the first cut. We also practiced 'suriashi' foot movement, sliding across the ground to feel for obstacles and maintain balance for striking. My arms and hands were completely screwed after trying to do even a fraction of the 11,000 daily strikes masters perform. It's clear why it takes years to perfect, but it was an incredible experience.

After my intense swordsmanship training, I rewarded myself by escaping to this public bathhouse. It felt like stepping back into the 1950s with its retro decor. I visited around 1 PM, so I had the whole place to myself, which was a rare treat. Kagoshima is essentially one big hot spring, with over 2,000 sources, so this bathhouse uses natural, mineral-rich hot spring water, not just heated tap water. It's incredibly soothing and a perfect way to unwind. If you're shy about public bathing, Kagoshima also offers unique sand baths where you're buried alive in geothermally heated volcanic sand.

I rarely eat wagyu beef, but since Kagoshima's wagyu won the Japanese Wagyu Olympics, I had to try it. Teppanyaki is my favorite dining experience in Japan; it's an art form watching the chef cook theatrically right before you. The wait is torture because it's so close, but when it's beautifully laid out, it's entirely worth it. The Kagoshima beef is incredibly good, melting in your mouth. It was a perfect way to end my trip, even with my arm shaking from the earlier sword fighting.