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The city centers on a neighborhood called Kanmachi (上町), the location of which makes it an important strategic point for connecting [[Satsuma province|Satsuma]] and [[Osumi province|Ôsumi provinces]], and for governing both. When the Shimazu were based at Shimizu castle, many of their retainers maintained mansions in this area, forming the core from which the castle-town expanded. The Kanmachi neighborhood then began to develop into its current form once the Shimazu relocated to Uchi castle.<ref name=kanmachi/>

The city centers on a neighborhood called Kanmachi (上町), the location of which makes it an important strategic point for connecting [[Satsuma province|Satsuma]] and [[Osumi province|Ôsumi provinces]], and for governing both. When the Shimazu were based at Shimizu castle, many of their retainers maintained mansions in this area, forming the core from which the castle-town expanded. The Kanmachi neighborhood then began to develop into its current form once the Shimazu relocated to Uchi castle.<ref name=kanmachi/>

The region first appeared on European maps as "Cangoxina."<ref>Gallery labels, [[Shokoshuseikan|Shôkoshûseikan]], Kagoshima.</ref> Once Tsurumaru (Kagoshima) castle was built, the city began to grow all the moreso. During the [[Edo period]], the population of the city was around 58,000.<ref>Robert Hellyer, ''Defining Engagement'', Harvard University Press (2009), 28.</ref> Samurai comprised a significant proportion of the city's population, perhaps as much as 90% at times, and lived chiefly in three sections of the city: six neighborhoods of Kanmachi (上町), twelve in Shimomachi (下町), and four in Nishidamachi (西田町). Roughly 5,000 [[Chonin|commoner townsmen]] also lived in the castle town, but as the domain government exercised strong control over the local economy, a very significant portion of merchants and the like operating in the city were either low-ranking samurai or ''[[goyo shonin|goyô shônin]]'' (merchants in the service of the lord/domain).<ref name="reimei">Gallery labels, Reimeikan Museum of History & Culture, Kagoshima.</ref><ref>Plaques on-site at [[Kagoshima castle]].</ref>

The region first appeared on European maps as "Cangoxina."<ref>Gallery labels, [[Shokoshuseikan|Shôkoshûseikan]], Kagoshima.</ref> Once Tsurumaru (Kagoshima) castle was built, the city began to grow all the moreso. In the 1550s, the city's population was around 4,000;<ref>Plaques at Gionnosu Park.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/15253350795/sizes/k/]</ref> by the mid-[[Edo period]], it had grown to around 58,000.<ref>Robert Hellyer, ''Defining Engagement'', Harvard University Press (2009), 28.</ref> Samurai comprised a significant proportion of the city's population, perhaps as much as 90% at times, and lived chiefly in three sections of the city: six neighborhoods of Kanmachi (上町), twelve in Shimomachi (下町), and four in Nishidamachi (西田町). Roughly 5,000 [[Chonin|commoner townsmen]] also lived in the castle town, but as the domain government exercised strong control over the local economy, a very significant portion of merchants and the like operating in the city were either low-ranking samurai or ''[[goyo shonin|goyô shônin]]'' (merchants in the service of the lord/domain).<ref name="reimei">Gallery labels, Reimeikan Museum of History & Culture, Kagoshima.</ref><ref>Plaques on-site at [[Kagoshima castle]].</ref>

Kagoshima was also home to the [[Ryukyu-kan|Ryûkyû-kan]], a branch office of the [[government of the Ryukyu Kingdom]], and Ryukyuan officials are said to have wandered the city freely, at least at certain times; indeed, the people of the city are said to have been quite accustomed to Ryukyuan personal and cultural presence, and most Edo period depictions of the city or its port show Ryukyuan ships in the harbor. Contact with Ryûkyû meant some considerable influence from Ryukyuan culinary culture, for example, and the predominance of sweet potatoes and pork in local cuisine stems from this Ryukyuan influence. However, for the [[Shimazu clan]] at least, if not for the common people of the city, Ryukyuan influence also meant the introduction of elements of elite Chinese culture. In contrast to [[Nagasaki]], where the Chinese influence was that of commoner merchants from southern China, Kagoshima enjoyed, indirectly via Ryûkyû, elite cultural influences from the Beijing Imperial Court itself. Chefs at the Ryûkyû-kan, for example, prepared food such as would be prepared in the Ryukyuan royal court, or the Chinese Imperial court.<ref>"Kagoshima wo aruku" 鹿児島を歩く, ''Momoto'' モモト 14 (April 2013), n.p.</ref>

Kagoshima was also home to the [[Ryukyu-kan|Ryûkyû-kan]], a branch office of the [[government of the Ryukyu Kingdom]], and Ryukyuan officials are said to have wandered the city freely, at least at certain times; indeed, the people of the city are said to have been quite accustomed to Ryukyuan personal and cultural presence, and most Edo period depictions of the city or its port show Ryukyuan ships in the harbor. Contact with Ryûkyû meant some considerable influence from Ryukyuan culinary culture, for example, and the predominance of sweet potatoes and pork in local cuisine stems from this Ryukyuan influence. However, for the [[Shimazu clan]] at least, if not for the common people of the city, Ryukyuan influence also meant the introduction of elements of elite Chinese culture. In contrast to [[Nagasaki]], where the Chinese influence was that of commoner merchants from southern China, Kagoshima enjoyed, indirectly via Ryûkyû, elite cultural influences from the Beijing Imperial Court itself. Chefs at the Ryûkyû-kan, for example, prepared food such as would be prepared in the Ryukyuan royal court, or the Chinese Imperial court.<ref>"Kagoshima wo aruku" 鹿児島を歩く, ''Momoto'' モモト 14 (April 2013), n.p.</ref>

One of the chief central commercial districts of the city, today known as Tenmonkan, can be said to trace its history as such back to [[1615]], when [[Shimazu Iehisa]] designated forty-eight merchants, including fishmongers, salt sellers, and the like, to establish a market. Known originally as Nayashû (納屋衆), the market later came to be known as Nayanbaa (納屋馬場), and from the [[Meiji period]] up through 1935, when a new "Central Market" (''chûô ichiba'') was established, Nayanbaa remained the chief fish market for the city's residents. Today, Naya-dôri remains one of the major avenues in the broader Tenmonkan district, filled with shops, restaurants, and the like. The district takes its name from the [[Tenmonkan]], an astronomical observatory and research center originally begun as the Meijikan by [[Shimazu Shigehide]] in [[1779]]. At that time, the district was one of samurai residences, surrounded by high stone walls; reception halls known as the Hanaoka yashiki and Otsukiya were also located within the district.<ref>Signs and plaques on-site in Tenmonkan & Naya-dôri areas.</ref> During the Taishô period, Tenmonkan became the center of Taishô urban culture in Kagoshima, with cafés, jazz bars, and cinemas.<ref name=reimei/>

One of the chief central commercial districts of the city, today known as Tenmonkan, can be said to trace its history as such back to [[1615]], when [[Shimazu Iehisa]] designated forty-eight merchants, including fishmongers, salt sellers, and the like, to establish a market. Known originally as Nayashû (納屋衆), the market later came to be known as Nayanbaa (納屋馬場), and from the [[Meiji period]] up through 1935, when a new "Central Market" (''chûô ichiba'') was established, Nayanbaa remained the chief fish market for the city's residents. Today, Naya-dôri remains one of the major avenues in the broader Tenmonkan district, filled with shops, restaurants, and the like. The district takes its name from the [[Tenmonkan]], an astronomical observatory and research center originally begun as the Meijikan by [[Shimazu Shigehide]] in [[1779]]. At that time, the district was one of samurai residences, surrounded by high stone walls; reception halls known as the Hanaoka yashiki and Otsukiya were also located within the district.<ref>Signs and plaques on-site in Tenmonkan & Naya-dôri areas.</ref> During the Taishô period, Tenmonkan became the center of Taishô urban culture in Kagoshima, with cafés, jazz bars, and cinemas.<ref name=reimei/>

One of the city's main ports was at the mouth of the Inari-gawa (Inari River), in or near Kanmachi. However, beginning in [[1840]], sand and soil was dredged from the bottom of the Inari in order to build up an artificial area of land which came to be known as Gionnosu; numerous coastal defense batteries were installed there in the 1850s-1860s.<ref name=kanmachi/>

One of the city's main ports was at the mouth of the Inari-gawa (Inari River), in or near Kanmachi. However, beginning in [[1840]], sand and soil was dredged from the bottom of the Inari in order to build up an artificial area of land which came to be known as Gionnosu; numerous coastal defense batteries were installed there in the 1850s-1860s.<ref name=kanmachi/>

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