On a six-day journey designed for Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo, venture from the bright lights of the Japanese capital to the volcano-crowned seaside city of Kagoshima, gaining a unique perspective on Japan’s Edo period warrior nobles, the samurai. Located at the southern tip of the island of Kyushu, Kagoshima played a significant role in shaping the cultural landscape of Japan.
Despite its remote location, the region served as a gateway to the world, with culture transmitted via trade routes from Asia and beyond. With a quarter of the population comprising of samurai, its unique culture and societal structure for educating the warrior class was established by the powerful Shimazu clan over seven centuries. Known for their discipline and martial prowess, the Satsuma samurai were also highly skilled in the arts, creating a local culture with practical skills for society's defense and development.