5 Things You Can Only Enjoy In Miyazaki Prefecture

Miyazaki Prefecture is located in the southeastern part of the Kyushu Region, so it provides a warm all year long.
Let us introduce you to the small, tropical getaway.

Miyazaki- A Tropical Paradise With Delicious Food

Miyazaki was the first Japanese resort area and many honeymooners visited Miyazaki in the 1960s. It is a tropical paradise within Japan.

Miyazaki is also famous as a prefecture where many of Japan's professional baseball teams hold their spring training camps. The warm climate ensures a seamless training.

This prefecture is also home to an abundance of delicious food. It is home of the world-renowned Miyazaki beef and Miyazaki poultry. It is also famous for its pomiculture, producing the high-grade mangos named taiyo no tamago which can be translated to egg of the sun.

Three Sightseeing Spots in Miyazaki

Although there are many unique sightseeing spots, first-time visitors should try the following three destinations.

1. Miyazaki-jingu Shrine

The Miyazaki-jingu, located in Miyazaki City is dedicated to Jinmu Tenno, the legendary first Emperor of Japan. The ground area of the shrine is large, and it has a serene atmosphere.

A couple of the volunteer guides speak English, so don't be afraid to ask for their assistance.

It's easy to access Miyazaki-jingu from the urban areas, and there is another famous shrine nearby. If you visit Miyazaki city you should definitely stop by to take a look.

2. Udo-jingu Shrine

Nichinan City, located south of Miyazaki City, is the home of Udo-jingu Shrine. It is a shrine built inside a cavern by the ocean. It offers a great view and is also popular for its unique rituals.

It isn't a short distance from Nichinan's urban areas to Udo-jingu, so it may be better to use a bus or a rental car when visiting.

3. Sunmesse Nichinan

Sunmesse Nichinan is a resort-type theme park where visitors can enjoy fine food, great views, bedrock bathing and shopping. It is also famous for its own version of the Moai statues of the Easter Islands.

The large Moai statues placed in the ground are, believe it or not, authorized by the Easter Islands.

It is said that the seven statues each have the power to bring different kinds of good luck, such as business success and good health. Don't forget to touch them and to take photographs.

From Udo-jingu, it takes about five minutes by car to reach Sunmesse Nichinan, so it might be a good idea to see both spots in one visit.

Two Unique Miyazaki Dishes

There are a wide variety of Miyazaki cuisines, but the following two are especially popular local household dishes. Restaurants in Miyazaki offer their own versions, so they taste and look a little different from each other.

1. Chicken Nanban - A Juicy and Flavorful Dish

Chicken Nanban is a deep-fried chicken, seasoned with nanbanzu (*1) and served with sweet tartar sauce. The recipe was created as a way to add flavor to the plain-tasting chicken breasts. The modern recipes include juicy drumsticks which contain more fat and aren't plain tasting at all.

*1: Nanbanzu: Vinegar mixed with Welsh onions and cone pepper.

2. Hiyajiru - A Dish for the Hot Summer

Hiyajiru is cold rice and cucumbers soaked in chilled miso soup. It's easy to make and nourishing as well. An ideal dish for the hot summer days. Farmers in Miyazaki have been eating hiyajiru for many centuries.

Dried fish is a common ingredient to make the soup, but the ingredients and the type of miso differ. You can enjoy hiyajiru in a wide variety of flavors. Sesame and miso strengthen the flavor and the crisp cucumbers add texture. It's easy to eat in the summertime when people tend to lose their appetite.

In Miyazaki, Using a Rental Car is Recommended

If you plan to visit the popular spots such as the mentioned Udo-jingu or Sunmesse Nichinan, using a rental car, instead of the bus or train, is the more efficient way to tour them.

If you still prefer public transport or don't have a drivers license, there is a bus ticket which is valid for a day making it possible to visit various spots in Miyazaki city for a fixed price.

How to Get to Miyazaki

If you plan to visit Miyazaki from overseas, going via Fukuoka is the preferred route. You can fly directly to Fukuoka Airport. If you are already in Japan, you can directly fly to Miyazaki Airport from Tokyo or Kyoto.

For those heading to Miyazaki from Fukuoka, using a bus is recommended. It takes about four and a half hours with the Phoenix Bus, which leaves from the Hakata Bus Terminal.

The one-way ticket costs 4,360 yen. If you are making reservations at least five days in advance, the ticket can be purchased for 3,600 yen. For further information, check the bus company's website. (Japanese only)

In Conclusion

When visiting Kyushu, many travelers tend to go to Hakata, a large entertainment area in Fukuoka Prefecture, or the famous hot springs in Oita Prefecture. But if you want to feel the tropical atmosphere of Kyushu you should visit Miyazaki.

Information

Miyazaki-jingū Shrine
Address: Miyazaki city, Jingū 2-4-1
Business Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Fixed Holidays: -
Wi-Fi: Not Available
Credit Cards: Not Accepted
Language: Japanese
Menus/Pamphlets in Other Languages: English and Chinese
Nearest Stations:
JR/ Miyazaki-jingū Station
Bus/ "Miyazaki-jingū" bus stop
Access:
Ten-minutes walk from the JR Miyazaki-jingū Station.
Five-minutes walk from the "Miyazaki-jingū" bus stop.
Admission: -
Religion: Shinto
Telephone: +81-985-27-4004
Website/Homepage: Miyazaki-jingū (Japanese only)

Udo-jingū Shrine
Address: Miyazaki, Nichinan city, Miyaura 3232
Business Hours:
April to September/ 6:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
October to March/ 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Fixed Holidays: There are no fixed holidays.
Wi-Fi: Not Available
Credit Cards: Not Accepted
Language: Japanese
Menus/Pamphlets in Other Languages: English, Chinese and Korean
Nearest Bus Stop: "Udo-jingū" bus stop
Access: Ten-minutes walk from the "Udo-jingū" bus stop.
Admission: -
Religion: Shinto
Telephone: +81-987-29-1001
Website/Homepage: Udo-jingū (Japanese only)

Sunmesse Nichinan
Address: Miyazaki, Nichinan, Miyaura 2650
Business Hours: 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Fixed Holidays:
The first and third Wednesdays of every month*.
*Sunmesse Nichinan will be open on the national holidays in August.
Wi-Fi: Not Available
Credit Cards: Some cards are accepted
Language: Japanese
Menus/Pamphlets in Other Languages: -
Nearest Bus Stop: "Sunmesse Nichinan" bus stop
Access: Five-minutes walk from the "Sunmesse Nichinan" bus stop.
Admission:
Adults/ 700 yen
Junior High School Students/ 500 yen
Religion: -
Telephone: +81-987-29-1900
Website/Homepage: Sunmesse Nichinan (Japanese only)
All pictures from PIXTA