Makurazaki is located at the southern tip of the Satsuma Peninsula, and faces the East China Sea to the south.

Each summer many typhoons strike the Japanese main islands land first in the area of Makurazaki.

The village of Tonangata in Kawabe District was established on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system.

Makurazaka has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 14 members.

In terms of national politics, the city is part of the Kagoshima 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

It is famous for its katsuobushi processing plants, which produce the chief flavoring ingredient—dried fish flakes—found in Japanese miso soup.