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Dish · Miyazaki
Chikin nanban
Breaded and fried chicken, dipped in a sweet-and-sour vinegar sauce and topped with tartar sauce. A Miyazaki dish, originating in Nobeoka in the 1950s and 1960s.
Province · Kyushu
Miyazaki
The Takachiho Gorge, the Udo shrine on the cliff, Aoshima Island, the Nichinan coast, the horses of Cape Toi and the Kirishima mountains.
In the photo: Takachiho Gorge, in Miyazaki.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
The province
Get to know Miyazaki
Miyazaki lies in southeast Kyushu, facing the Pacific, with a warm sunny climate and palm-lined avenues. It is known for mangoes, Miyazaki beef and charcoal-grilled chicken. Many myths about the origin of Japan, recorded in the country’s earliest chronicles, take place in sites across the prefecture.
In northern Takachiho, the Gokase River runs through a narrow gorge between columnar basalt walls, and the Manai Waterfall drops from the cliff; rowboats are rented to go down to its base. The Amano Iwato shrine sits beside the cave where, according to myth, the sun goddess hid. Each night the Takachiho shrine stages sacred yokagura dances.
On the Nichinan coast, Aoshima Island, with a shrine among palm trees, is surrounded by wave-shaped rocks called the devil’s washboards, which appear at low tide. The Udo shrine sits inside a cliff cave overlooking the sea. At Cape Toi, horses live free, and Obi preserves a castle town with samurai houses.
On the border with Kagoshima, the volcanic Kirishima mountains have crater lakes, trails on the Ebino plateau and hot springs. The city of Miyazaki has surf beaches such as Kisakihama, and Heiwadai Park, with a stone tower.
Flavors of Japan
To try in Miyazaki
When to go
Winter is mild and sunny. Spring and autumn are pleasant for the coast and for Takachiho, where the gorge turns red in November. The kagura dances in Takachiho’s village halls generally take place from November to February. Summer is hot, with surfing on the beaches. June is rainy, and typhoons are more frequent between August and October.
Getting there
Miyazaki Airport (KMI) is about a 10-minute train ride from the city center and has flights from Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka. The Nichirin limited express links Oita to Miyazaki in about 3 hours, and the Kirishima connects Kagoshima-Chuo to Miyazaki in about 2 hours. For Takachiho, buses run from Kumamoto in about 3 hours and from Nobeoka in about 1 hour 20 minutes; a car makes travel easier. Aoshima is about a 30-minute train ride from Miyazaki.
Your questions
Frequently asked questions about Miyazaki
How do I get to Takachiho?
By bus from Kumamoto in about 3 hours, or from coastal Nobeoka in about 1 hour 20 minutes. Many visitors go by car, combining Takachiho with Aso. In town, the gorge and the shrines are within short walking distance.
How do I rent a boat in Takachiho Gorge?
Rowboats depart from a dock inside the gorge and are rented for about half an hour; you can reserve the same day or online. Boat rental is suspended in heavy rain or when the river is high.
What is Takachiho’s yokagura?
It is a performance of sacred dances that tell the region’s myths, held every night at the Takachiho shrine and lasting about an hour. In winter, local villages present the full kagura programs, which can last all night.
When can you see Aoshima’s wave-shaped rocks?
At low tide, when the rocks are exposed around the island. At high tide they are covered by water. The bridge to the island is about a 10-minute walk from Aoshima Station.
Beyond the guide
