Miyazaki (prefecture)
Discover Miyazaki (prefecture)
Miyazaki Prefecture (宮崎県 Miyazaki-ken) is in the southeastern part of the Japanese island of Kyushu with a low population density. Its capital of Miyazaki is centrally located on the coast of the Hyuga Sea. The area is popular with Korean and Taiwanese tourists, with Seoul and Taipei being international destinations from the prefecture's main airport. Miyazaki Prefecture is located a mountainous prefecture with Miyazaki Plain stretching north and northwest of its capital along the coast, Miyakonojo Basin surrounding the city of Miyakonojo and Kobayashi Basin located between Kirishima Mountains and Kyushu Mountains. Southern portion of the prefecture, including the cities of Nichinan and Kushima, is located within the Wanitsuka Mountains. The prefectures borders on open ocean on its east, locally known as Hyuga Sea. The sea is known for its wild waves and strong currents and in many places it's forbidden to enter the water for swimmers and surfers alike. The only city with swimmable beaches is Kushima in the south, along calmer waters of Shibushi Bay.
What to Experience in Miyazaki (prefecture)
Taste of Miyazaki (prefecture)...
The most famous local dish is "chicken nanban", fried chicken with sweet and sour sauce, inspired by Portuguese cuisine. It can be found in many restaurants here and it's even available in convenience stores across the country, albeit in less desirable, microwavable edition. Hyuganatsu is another well-known product of the prefecture, a citrus fruit said to be a variety of yuzu. One can find many hyuganatsu flavored products here, from soft drinks to confectionery to alcohol. Another local citrus fruit is hebesu, albeit lesser known. It's more available in the northern part of the prefecture and quite often one can find hebesu flavored vinegar in souvenir stores. Local company Sun-A produces soft drinks using local ingredients and flavors, including the hyuganatsu (日向夏) citrus fruit. Their orange vending machines are available at several locations, including Miyazaki Station east gate square or the stairs leading from Udo Shrine parking up towards the shrine. Popular craft beers from the prefecture are Hideji (ひでじビール) and Kirishima.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsMiyazaki Airport (KMI), in southern Miyazaki City, is the primary airport in Miyazaki Prefecture. It is a regional airport with frequent flights to Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka. Other destinations served are Nagoya, Okinawa, Seoul and Taipei. Many local products are for sale on the second floor and restaurants on the third floor. The airport has a train station with express trains "Hyuga" and "Nichirin" for Miyazaki city, with termini in Nobeoka, Oita and once a day Hakata in Fukuoka as well. Local trains also serve the station with Nobeoka being the farthest destination. The frequency between 08:00 and 22:00 is 2 trains per hour, with occasionally a third one thrown in. You can board the express trains for normal fare, but only between Miyazaki Airport, Minami Miyazaki and Miyazaki stations....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
To get around, hiring a car is a very good idea as public transport can be rare and not particularly convenient. If you do this, it would be a good idea to briefly study Japanese road signs most but not all of them are also written in English. The prefecture is served by four train lines: Nippo Main Line provides connections between the principal cities of Miyakonojo, Miyazaki, Hyuga and Nobeoka. Nichinan Line runs south from Miyazaki to the cities of Nichinan and Kushima, with terminus in Shibushi, in Kagoshima Prefecture. Miyazaki Airport Line splits from Nichinan Line in Tayoshi and runs for only a 1.4 km to Miyazaki Airport. Ebino Kogen Line provides connection from Miyakonojo to cities of Kobayashi and Ebino under the Kirishima Mountains. If you're not using JR Pass or a regional pass, you'll be required to purchase tickets with cash on most occasions. JR Kyushu's IC card "Sugoca" can only be used in some stations in Miyazaki city and its suburbs.
Language & Talk
Miyazaki-ben, the primary Miyazaki dialect, can differ drastically from standard Japanese depending on the age of the speaker. Younger people mostly speak a variation of standard Japanese but older people can be almost unintelligible even for Japanese speakers. Like much of Japan, English speakers are few and far between but they will still try their hardest to help you if you ask for it. Most tourist information centers have English-speaking staff who can help you. Miyazaki Airport (KMI), in southern Miyazaki City, is the primary airport in Miyazaki Prefecture. It is a regional airport with frequent flights to Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka. Other destinations served are Nagoya, Okinawa, Seoul and Taipei. Many local products are for sale on the second floor and restaurants on the third floor.