Miyazaki
Discover Miyazaki
Miyazaki is a tourism and resort area in southern Kyushu. It is not to be confused with the legendary Japanese animator and filmmaker, Hayao Miyazaki. 31.872433131.4397931 Miyazaki Airport (宮崎空港 Miyazaki Kūkō KMI ) (3.2 km south southeast of Miyazaki). JAL, ANA and the discount carrier Solaseed (formerly Skynet) have regular flights from Tokyo Haneda Airport, Osaka Itami Airport and other locations throughout Japan. There are flights to Seoul and Taipei through Asiana and Tigerair respectively. Airline pricing is highly variable, but the cheapest option to Miyazaki is usually the Solaseed "Visit Japan" fare for travelers with a “Temporary Visitor” visa (the same requirement as the JR Pass) which is good for just about any single flight on the airline. This is essentially a standby ticket though, so you may have trouble during peak demand periods. Peak demand in Japan is around New Year's, Golden Week (end of April/start of May), and Obon in August, and of course, Friday and Sunday evenings are always busier than weekdays. (updated Jul 2019)
What to Experience in Miyazaki
Taste of Miyazaki...
Miyazaki is famous for its "Chicken Nanban" dish. The basic dish consists of fried chicken topped with tartar sauce. It is typically coupled with salad or spaghetti. The other famous food in the city (and prefecture) is mangoes. When in season, you can purchase whole mangoes at markets, but there are also restaurants that serve mango parfaits and desserts for you to try. "Kurokirishima" is a famous Miyazaki shochu. Miyazaki produces lots of kinds of shochu, so for people who like Japanese shochu, Miyazaki is a good place to visit. However, some of them are expensive, so you can not buy them so easily. In the town of Aya, which is around 20 km from Miyazaki City proper, there is a complex called the Aya Shusen-no-mori. There is a winery, beer brewery and shochu distillery all on-site. The beer made here is German-style, and of a high standard. The Shusen-no-mori brewery makes a Bock, a Koelsch, an Altbier and a blueberry-flavoured lager. The beer is far superior to the macro-brewed Japanese lagers such as Asahi Super Dry or Kirin Lager. The wine from the Shusen-no-mori winery, on the other hand, leaves something to be desired. The best hotels in Miyazaki City are the Kanko Hotel, in the city centre by the river, and the Sheraton, in the Seagaia complex surrounded by a golf course around 8 km north-east of the city centre. The prices of these luxury hotels are comparable to those of five-star hotel chains in any large Western country.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple Options31.872433131.4397931 Miyazaki Airport (宮崎空港 Miyazaki Kūkō KMI ) (3.2 km south southeast of Miyazaki). JAL, ANA and the discount carrier Solaseed (formerly Skynet) have regular flights from Tokyo Haneda Airport, Osaka Itami Airport and other locations throughout Japan. There are flights to Seoul and Taipei through Asiana and Tigerair respectively. Airline pricing is highly variable, but the cheapest option to Miyazaki is usually the Solaseed "Visit Japan" fare for travelers with a “Temporary Visitor” visa (the same requirement as the JR Pass) which is good for just about any single flight on the airline. This is essentially a standby ticket though, so you may have trouble during peak demand periods. Peak demand in Japan is around New Year's, Golden Week (end of April/start of May), and Obon in August, and of course, Friday and Sunday evenings are always busier than weekdays....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
The attractions in Miyazaki are rather spread out. Trains can help you reach some of the city's sites. Aoshima Shrine is a short walk away from Aoshima Station and Miyazaki-Jingu Station provides quick access to Miyazaki Jingu, the Prefectural Museum of Nature and History, and the Prefectural Art Museum. The train timetables, particularly on the Nippo Line can be inconvenient with trains operating only once per hour at certain times of the day. The city buses tend to be the best way to get around. Many buses leave from Miyazaki Station, but it is sometimes faster to walk 10 minutes down Route 25 to the intersection with Route 220. A lot of buses travel down that street but not to the station. There is a Tourist Information Center within Miyazaki Station with bus timetables and the staff can help you figure out if walking to another stop will be faster than taking a bus from the station. Miyazaki is one of the most famous places for surfing in Japan.
Where to Stay
The best hotels in Miyazaki City are the Kanko Hotel, in the city centre by the river, and the Sheraton, in the Seagaia complex surrounded by a golf course around 8 km north-east of the city centre. The prices of these luxury hotels are comparable to those of five-star hotel chains in any large Western country. A cheap place to sleep, on the other hand, is a manga coffee shop and internet cafe. Manga Kissa is beside the 7-Eleven near the Miyazaki train station. There is also a "Cybac" internet cafe in Miyazaki which is slightly better than the Manga Kissa - it is difficult to find, so get a taxi from the train station. It should cost around ¥1000.
Money & Budget
Miyazaki is famous for its "Chicken Nanban" dish. The basic dish consists of fried chicken topped with tartar sauce. It is typically coupled with salad or spaghetti. The other famous food in the city (and prefecture) is mangoes. When in season, you can purchase whole mangoes at markets, but there are also restaurants that serve mango parfaits and desserts for you to try. "Kurokirishima" is a famous Miyazaki shochu. Miyazaki produces lots of kinds of shochu, so for people who like Japanese shochu, Miyazaki is a good place to visit. However, some of them are expensive, so you can not buy them so easily. In the town of Aya, which is around 20 km from Miyazaki City proper, there is a complex called the Aya Shusen-no-mori. There is a winery, beer brewery and shochu distillery all on-site.
Safety Information
Glimpses of Miyazaki
The shrine nearby sea
street
A group of people on surfboards in the ocean
a beach with rocks and water under a blue sky
Sea
short-fur white and gray cat hiding on post
Night street with a big neon sign in Japan
a large tree in front of a building
The Miyazaki Prefectural Government Office Building, built more than 80 years ago, is the fourth oldest prefectural office of Japan and is the only pre-war prefectural office still remaining in Kyushu.
a street lined with lots of trees next to a fence
The shrine nearby sea
street
A group of people on surfboards in the ocean