A Road Trip Guide Through Miyazaki's Coastal Beauty

Feel the sea breeze on your skin in the coastal town of Aoshima

All around Miyazaki are several iconic places, including picturesque shores where you can walk and feel the sea breeze on your face.

One such place is Aoshima—a coastal area in Miyazaki Prefecture, known for various tourist spots worth visiting. It is home to over 5,000 trees and more than 200 subtropical plants. In the area of Aoshima, you can find seaside restaurants with amazing views, the Aoshima Subtropical Botanical Garden, and an island called Aoshima, too (not to be confused with the popular cat island in Ehime with the same name).

Say your prayers at the Aoshima shrine

Near the middle of Aoshima island is the Aoshima shrine—a famous Shinto shrine for answering prayers for marriage. It enshrines the Shinto deities Yamasachi-hiko, Toyotama, and Shiotsuchi. Couples and women from all over Japan visit the shrine to write their wishes on ema wooden plaques and hang them up. You will also find heart-shaped artworks on the shrine grounds. One other popular activity by visitors is the love fortune-telling slips that predict a person’s love life. Other people pray for good luck by tying together strings of different colors, depending on their wishes. Others also pray for luck by throwing earthenware dishes in a special place.

How to get to the Aoshima shrine

From Haneda or Narita Airport in Tokyo, Fukuoka Airport in Fukuoka, or Itami Airport in Osaka, you can take a domestic flight to Miyazaki Airport. Transfer to the JR Nichinan Line at Minami Miyazaki Station or Tayoshi Station to Aoshima Station. From there, you can access the island through Yayoi Bridge, which is about a 10-minute walk to the shrine.

• Address: 2-13-1 Aoshima, Miyazaki City, Miyazaki Prefecture 889-2162

• Hours: 06:00 AM to sunset

See the spectacular rock formations of the Devil’s Washboard

All around the island, you will find unique rock formations, known as Oni no Sentakuita or “Devil’s (or Ogre’s) Washboard.” These rocks have a pattern that resembles the grooves of traditional washboards, a rough board used for washing clothes when the use of washing machines was not yet widespread. The massive scale of these rock formations makes it appear like a washboard that only the devil would use.

In between the stretching rock ridges, you can find white sands and turquoise waters, making this place an ideal photo spot. There are also several individual rocks along the coast that provide interesting views. Some rocks and indentations form shapes that resemble skulls and monsters.

Come during sunrise or sunset when the tide is low and when you can best enjoy the view. You may also be able to see some sea creatures emerge from their hiding spots along the coast while appreciating the rock formations without water obstructing your view.

Admire the flora and fauna at Miyakoh Botanic Garden Aoshima

On the mainland across Aoshima Island sits Miyakoh Botanic Garden Aoshima. It is a subtropical botanical garden located on the Nichinan Kaigan Coast in Miyazaki Prefecture. When you return to the main island after spending some time in Aoshima Island, you can make your way to the garden, as it is just a few minutes away from the island.

Throughout the year, visitors can enjoy the beautiful colors this manicured garden has to offer. It is home to over 5,000 plants of around different types. You can expect to see a variety of subtropical flowers, plants, and trees that thrive in their surroundings. These include Livistona palms, jacaranda, bougainvillea, hibiscuses, lantanas, pineapples, and more. The Livistona palm also grows on Aoshima Island and is designated as a Special Natural Monument. You can also find greenhouses in Miyakoh Botanic Garden Aoshima with fruit trees like guava and star fruit.

From Miyazaki Airport, take the Miyazakikuko Line to Tayoshi Station. Transfer to the Nichinan Line and get off at Aoshima Station. Walk a few minutes to reach Miyakoh Botanic Garden Aoshima.

• Address: 2-12-1 Aoshima, Miyazaki City, Miyazaki Prefecture 889-2162

• Hours:  9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (for the indoor facilities; the botanical garden can be accessed at any time

Treat yourself to oysters and beef by the sea at Coast Life Restaurant

Five minutes away by car from central Aoshima is a restaurant known for wines, coffee, but most especially beef and oysters. They serve different types of fresh oysters from all over Japan and Miyazaki beef. The restaurant lies in front of the ocean, allowing for stunning views while you taste the delectable dishes.

How to get to Coast Life Restaurant

From Miyazaki Airport, you can take the Nichinan Obi bus to Shimososanji then walk to Coast Life (approximately 26 minutes travel time). If you prefer to go by train, take the Miyazakikuko train to Tayoshi, then the Nichinan train to Sosanji. The restaurant is a 10-minute walk from the station.

• Address: 4710-13 Kaeda, Miyazaki City, Miyazaki Prefecture 889-2161

• Hours: 11:00 AM to 03:00 PM (Lunch); 06:00 PM to 10:00 PM (Dinner)—closed on Wednesday evenings and Thursday whole day

Journey through Southern Coast

If you drive down south of Aoshima along the coast, you’ll come across several other unique places. These all have a rich culture and heritage of their own, as well as breathtaking nature views.

Explore Udo Jingū Shrine, a shrine nestled within a cave and overlooking the sea

Udo Shrine Nichinan—known affectionately by the locals as “Udo-san,” sits on the coast of Miyazaki to the south of Aoshima. It was built in 554-628 during the reign of Empress Suiko, and its location is unique and fascinating. While most shrines stand alone atop a hill, this one is different. Udo Shrine sits nestled within a cliff overlooking the Hyuga-nada Sea.

Inside the cave, you will find a vermillion-lacquered inner sanctuary as well as a number of smaller shrines. You can also find “Reiseki Kameishi” where visitors throw undama or marble-sized ceramic good luck balls into a special rock called Kameishi or Turtle Rock.

Nearby is a unique rock formation called the Udo Senjojiki Kigan, formed by wave and wind erosion. Enjoy the beautiful natural sites and tranquil atmosphere by this shrine that sits on the Nichinan coastline.

How to get to Udo Shrine

From Miyazaki Airport, take the Nichinan Obi bus to Fukei, then take a taxi to the shrine. You can also take the Miyazakikuko train to Minamiimiyazaki then the Nichinan train to Ibii. From Ibii, take a taxi to Udo Shrine Mizayaki.

• Address: 3232 Miyaura, Nichinan City, Miyazaki Prefecture 887-0101

• Hours: 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM (April to September); 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM (October to March)

Stop at Portside Station Meitsu for fresh off the boat seafood

Portside Station Meitsu is a product shop managed by the fishing co-op in Meitsu Port in Nichinan. Tourists can buy freshly caught seafood where the variety and type depend on the season. Meitsu Port is also famous for its pole-fished bonito as inshore bonito single fishing is the best in Japan. Several fisheries in Japan have been awarded the marine eco-label "MSC certification."

Nearby is a restaurant offering seafood cuisine. If you fancy a taste of Nichinan pol-fished bonito on a box of rice, you can try this delicious dish.

How to get to Portside Station Meitsu

If you’re traveling down the Miyazaki coastline and making several stops along the way, Portside Station Meitsu is a 30-minute drive from Udo Shrine. If you’re coming from the airport and want to go there directly, you can ride the Nichinan Obi bus to Kasuga, then take the Meotoura Koujima bus to Meitsukaigandori. The port is nearby.

See stunning views of wild horses and rocky coastlines in Cape Toi

At the southernmost part of Miyazaki’s sprawling coast and Nichinan Kaigan Quasi-National Park—and about an hour and a half from Udo Shrine—is Cape Toi. It is home to mountain shrines and spectacular ocean views and was once a samurai stronghold—which you can find more about at the Miyakoi Cape Tourism Exchange Center Pakarapaka.

Climb Cape Toi Lighthouse which offers remarkable views of the rocky coastline and open sea. It is the only lighthouse in Kyushu that you can climb up and visit. Nearby is Minsaki-jinja Shrine, which was built on the mountain face of Cape Toi. Vibrant green cycad trees surround the place, creating a striking contrast against the red of the shrine and providing a tropical atmosphere. There are about 3,000 sago cycads within the vicinity.

Cape Toi’s biggest attraction, however, is the wild horses that live on the slopes of the hills overlooking the sea. They are known as Misaki uma and are a national treasure. You can approach them for pictures, and sometimes they will approach you themselves, but touching or feeding them is prohibited.

How to get to Cape Toi

From Miyazaki Airport, take the Miyazakikuko train to Minamimiyazaki station. Switch to the Nichinan train and ride until Kushima Station. From there, you can take the community bus to Cape Toi.

• Address: Cape Toi, Ono, Oaza, Kushima City, Miyazaki Prefecture 888-0221

Catch the sunrise in Misaki Shrine

Misaki Shrine sits at the tip of Cape Toi. It enshrines the deities Uezu Watatsumi, Nakatsu Watatsumi, and Sokotsu Watatsumi and is said to have been built in June 708—approximately 1,300 years ago. It is a famous shrine highly revered by people in the fishing industry or maritime transportation.

Misaki Shrine's unique feature is that it stands on a precipitous cliff overlooking Cape Toi. It protrudes about 6 kilometers to the south of the cape. To the north of the shrine lies an untamed wilderness, while the southwest faces Cape Sata on the Okuma Peninsula. Surrounding the shrine path are thousands of wild Japanese sago palm trees, which add to the tropical atmosphere of the place.

While Misaki Shrine was once a popular place of worship and is one of Miyazaki’s most popular seaside shrines, access to the shrine itself is prohibited. Recent mudslides and falling rocks have made it dangerous for visitors. Nevertheless, you can hike to the foot of the mountains to watch the sunrise or gaze out into the views of the Pacific Ocean.

How to get to Misaki Shrine:

Misaki Shrine is just a few minutes away from Cape Toi.

Miyazaki—where you can relax and enjoy the beautiful coastal views

Miyazaki is the perfect destination for travelers who want to experience a relaxing vacation down the southern coast of Japan. See its beautiful ocean views, hike up its picturesque shrines, and sample its delicious dishes.

Check Miyazaki off your bucket list with the help of the JAL Japan Explorer Pass.