When you hear Miyazaki, the first thing that comes to your mind may be Ghibli director Hayao Miyazaki. That's correct, but Miyazaki is actually the name of a prefecture in Kyushu, Japan, located in the south. You may not know it, but this place is full of attractions such as delicious food, mythology, and beautiful natural scenery. This time, I would like to introduce you to Miyazaki.
Aoshima's enchanting island and its captivating beauty.
Discover the ancient artistry of Haniwa figures at Haniwa-en.
Local food of Miyazaki
The biggest attraction of Miyazaki is its food. With vast plains, mountains, and the Pacific Ocean, Miyazaki offers a bounty of delicious ingredients. Miyazaki's wagyu beef is especially recommended, having won first place in the competition to decide the best beef in Japan. Miyazaki Wagyu beef is characterized by its high-quality meat and moderate marbling. There are also countless other delicious Miyazaki foods, such as charcoal-grilled chicken, Chicken Namban (fried chicken marinated in sweet vinegar and original tartar sauce), bonito, eel, Nikumaki-onigiri (meat-wrapped rice balls), Karamen (spicy noodles), and mango. This prefecture is also one of the few places in Japan where you can enjoy chicken sashimi, thinly sliced raw chicken, a rarity compared to seafood sashimi.
Delicious Miyazaki mangoes, a sweet tropical treat
Savor the exquisite taste of Miyazaki Wagyu beef.
Fresh seared bonito sashimi, a local delicacy.
Must visit places
You should enjoy nature when you come to Miyazaki. Takachiho-Kyo Gorge is one of Miyazaki's most famous tourist destinations. You can see the waterfalls on both sides of the gorge and cross between them by boat. In Takachiho, the area in the north of Miyazaki Prefecture, you can also enjoy Takachiho Shrine which is famous for given you good luck inmatchmaking or harmonious marriage and kagura ceremonial dance dedicated to Shinto gods
Scenic beauty at Takachiho Gorge.
Explore the mystical Amanoyasugawara.
Experience the traditional Kagura dance.
In addition, there are Cape Toi-misaki where wild horses live, Udo Shrine where it is said that your wish will come true if you throw a ball called "Undama" into the hole under the cliff, and Aoshima and Nichinan Kaigan Coast where you can see the beautiful Pacific Ocean.
Visit Toi Misaki Cape and its wild horses.
Udo Shrine, a place of wishes and serenity.
Throw the "Undama" into the hole under the cliff!
Mythology and Anime pilgrimage
Miyazaki is a setting of Japanese mythology, and there are many stories, spots, and shrines related to it. Takachiho Shrine and Udo Shrine, which I introduced earlier, are one of them. If you visit the shrines in Miyazaki after knowing even a little about Japanese mythology, you may be able to notice that each shrine has a different personality.
Statues depicting Japanese mythology.
Have you seen Makoto Shinkai's latest work, 'Suzume,' released in 2023? Nichinan, a city in Miyazaki, served as one of the inspirations for the movie's setting! It's the town where the high school of the heroine in the movie's opening scene is located. Interestingly, I'm from this town, so when I first saw the movie, I was pleasantly surprised. That's because I've been familiar with the trains, townscapes, and dialects depicted in the movie since I was a child. Director Makoto commented, 'This work was inspired by Japanese mythology, and I chose Miyazaki Prefecture as the setting because this is where the mythology begins.' If you're a fan of Makoto Shinkai or this movie, I highly recommend visiting Nichinan, Miyazaki. You'll fall in love with this city.
Have these charms of Miyazaki inspired you? It's just a 1 hour and 40-minute flight from Tokyo and about 1 hour from Osaka airport, so please consider visiting Miyazaki and enjoying all it has to offer.