The first time I visited Japan’s Miyazaki prefecture, it was an afterthought—Miyazaki this is, as a destination. I simply wanted to see Takachiho Gorge.
Which was fair enough: It is amazing, and it is in Miyazaki-ken, at least in technical terms. I’ll write more about the particulars of this in a few paragraphs.
Today, to be sure, I’m here to explain how you can take a Miyazaki road trip, and not one that heads inland to the Gorge, as gorge-ous as it might be. Rather, I want to instruct you on how to explore Miyazaki’s captivating coastline, from Nobeoka in the north, all the way down to Cape Toi and its resident horses.
Miyazaki Demands a Set of Wheels
Technically speaking, there are parts of this Miyazaki coast itinerary you can do without a car, specifically between Miyazaki City, Aoshima and Udo Shrine. But as you’ll see reading through the subsequent paragraphs, doing so would cause you to miss out on a significant amount of what I’ve laid out for you. And for what—because you don’t want to drive on the left side of the road? Renting a car in Japan can be cumbersome, but it can also make your trip much easier.
To be sure, there’s the fact that a road trip epitomizes the travel cliché about the important of the journey vis-à-vis the destination. I’ve laid out several important stops that you can make, but even if you could get to all of them by train and bus, there are countless places between them that could inspire you to stop. To take a photo, or maybe even to have some broader realization about your trip, or your life as a whole.
Where to Stop Along Miyazaki’s Coast
Minato Shrine
I’ll be honest: The appeal of the Minato Shrine near Nobeoka City was (and still is) almost completely visual for me. It’s home the only torii gate in Japan (at least so far as I can tell) that’s blue. There’s also a practical element to starting here, however: Nobeoka is about as far north as you can go in Miyazaki; you can spend the rest of the day heading south.
Hyuga
By contrast, the main reason I added Hyuga to my Miyazaki road trip itinerary was to see Cape Hyuga. Which was beautiful, don’t get me wrong, but I vastly preferred the town itself. Not to mention the food options there, including hiyajiru, a locally-famous take on miso soup, which is creamy, rich and served chilled.
Udo Shrine
Scenic Udo Shrine is a popular day trip from Miyazaki City, whether or not you end up taking a road trip or not. Want to sweet the deal? Make sure to stop en route at Aoshima island, which is home to its own coastal shrine—those are a big thing here.
Ishinami Coast
Continuing southward, the Ishinami Coast is the most obvious “landmark” along your Miyazaki road trip route, but it’s certainly not the only one. Nor is the Koigaura Surfing Point that sits a bit to its south, though that’s a worthy stop as well. Rather, at this stage of your trip, it’s about finding places you can (safely) pull off and snap photos.
Cape Toi
Last but not least on your Miyazaki coastal itinerary is Cape Toi. The furthest south point in the prefecture, it’s certainly worth visiting for its famous population of wild horses. However, do keep in mind that depending upon the weather and other factors, you may need to hike or even climb up a hillside in order to reach them.
Why Takachiho Gorge Trips Travelers Up
If you search for information about travel in Miyazaki, you will hopefully end up on this website. If you don’t, however, then results pertaining to Takachiho Gorge will be the most prominent. In particularly, imagery of the gorge is used as being representative of the prefecture. This makes sense, in a certain way, given that it is by far the most-visited place that’s technically in Miyazaki, at least among foreign travelers.
But the word “technically” is operative: Takachiho sits under Miyazaki-ken, administratively speaking, but doesn’t fit that well within a Miyazaki driving itinerary as I’ve presented it here. Rather, I’d argue that it makes a better day trip from Mt. Aso, which is of course in Kumamoto. This is true logistically, but also in terms of visual harmony: It’s much more in line with the scenery around the Aso Geopark than it is with Udo Shrine or Cape Toi.
Other FAQ About Taking a Miyazaki Road Trip
Where is the blue torii gate in Japan?
The rare blue torii gate in Japan is located in Miyazaki prefecture, located in the southeastern corner of Kyushu, the southwesternmost of Japan’s four main islands. Within Miyazaki, it’s located a short drive from Nobeoka, a city along the prefecture’s northern coast.
How do I get from Miyazaki to Takachiho Gorge?
Miyazaki is a pretty long way from Takachiho Gorge, which is actually closer to Kumamoto prefecture than it is to Miyazaki City. In either case, you really need your own set of wheels to be able to visit the Gorge, which makes distance itself immaterial. Just drive!
Where are the horses by the ocean in Kyushu?
If you want to see wild horses by the ocean, point your GPS for Cape Toi, which is located at the southern tip of Miyazaki prefecture on Kyushu island. I say “point your GPS” because while you can technically get here via public transportation, it’s significantly easier with your own set of wheels.
The Bottom Line
When I write the phrase “Miyazaki road trip,” I’m writing mostly about the prefecture’s superlative seashore. This is not, of course, to say that inland destinations (namely, Takachiho Gorge) are not worth visiting. It is important to know, however, that Takachiho is closer to Kumamoto (and in particular the Mt. Aso area) than it is to most of Miyazaki-ken, both in terms of distance and spirit. I do find that many travelers neglect coastal Miyazaki, however, in large part because they simply don’t know how amazingly beautiful it is. Need personalized assistance planning your trip to Japan, no matter where it ends up taking you? Consider hiring me to help!
