West Miyazaki is home to abundant nature and plenty of leisure destinations

Mt. Takachihonomine, the primary peak of the Kirishima Mountains, is the location of myths recorded in the oldest historical records of Japan that currently exist, and is said to be the place where the ancestors of the imperial family first descended to Earth. A spear known as the Amanosakahoko, believed to have been used by the gods when they created the Japanese islands, stands at the mountain’s peak.

At 1,700 meters high, Mount Karakuni is the highest peak in the Kirishima mountains. Located to the southeast of the Ebino Plateau, it features a large caldera with a diameter of 900 meters and depth of 300 meters. From the summit, climbers can enjoy a panoramic view encompassing the other peaks of the Kirishima mountains, Onami Lake, Sakurajima, and Mount Kaimon.　

This active volcano is located almost at the center of the Kirishima mountains, approximately mid way between Mount Karakuni, the mountain chain’s highest peak, and Mt. Takachihonomine, famed mountain of myth. Of the roughly 20 volcanoes in the Kirishima mountain chain, both large and small, Shinmoedake has repeatedly erupted throughout history.

This gorge in Kobayashi City protects an abundant natural environment. The walking path here, leading through 11 almost mystical tunnels of various sizes over a total length of one kilometer, is a popular hiking course.

Note: Entry to the walking path was closed on August 10, 2023 because several locations along the path were deemed dangerous after typhoon damage, including fallen trees.

This gorge, extending over an area 10 kilometers in length, is located upstream of the Okimizu River in Mimata Town. The walking paths throughout the gorge offer a great way to enjoy a relaxing hike. Visitors can see fish swimming in the pure waters, and enjoy mountain cherry blossoms in the springtime and the beautiful reds and oranges of the autumn leaves in the fall.

This famous waterfall is situated along the Shonai River, a tributary of the Oyodo River, in the Kirishima Geopark. Visitors can view the impressive waterfall, measuring 18 meters high and 40 meters wide, up close from a suspension bridge, and experience the true grandeur of nature. In April 2024, the Snow Peak Miyakonojo Campfield was opened, managed directly by Snow Peak, one of Japan’s leading outdoor brands.

This lake straddles the border between Miyakonojo City and Takaharu Town. It offers visitors a unrivaled spot for photographs, with the reflection of Mt. Takachihonomine, the main peak of the Kirishima mountains, reflecting on the lake surface. With a circumference of approximately 4.3 kilometers and a maximum depth of 103 meters, it is said to be the deepest crater lake in Japan.

This hot spring resort area is located far from human occupation on the slope of Mt. Shiratori. The hot spring offers an atmosphere that some might find nostalgic, with it’s scenic outdoor bath that looks down on views of Ebino City right below, and the wooden steam bath that uses natural steam. You can even use that steam to make steamed eggs if you bring your own raw ones with you, something not uncommon amongst Japanese bathers. The hot spring also includes a cafeteria, and guests can spend the night as well.

This hot spring is located within the Sukimu Land recreational complex. The hot spring features a “wet sauna”, a type of sauna popular in Finland, a cold water bath using hot spring water, and a terrace with a view of the verdant forests and Kirishima mountains, letting you relax surrounded in vast nature. 

This hot spring inn features high concentrated carbonic acid spring water at 100% purity, something rare in Japan. Bathers will find an outdoor bath featuring constantly flowing spring water, and a large indoor bath featuring both clear cold water and a hot spring bath where the water turns golden yellow while being heated. If you use both baths alternately, the temperature difference will promote blood circulation and improve the function of your parasympathetic nervous system. The baths are open to day-trip visitors from 10:00 in the morning.

This hot spring inn is located surrounded by vast nature at the foot of Mt. Takachihonomine. The hot spring features slightly clouded spring water rich in iron that is golden yellow in color. The indoor baths include a rock bath made from a single massive stone weighing approximately 20 tons, and there is also an outdoor bath, a carbonic acid mineral spring, a sauna, and a cold water bath, together which provide a relaxing atmosphere for bathing that some will find nostalgic. Day-trip bathing is available from 7:00 in the morning.

This hot spring is located at the foot of the Kirishima mountains. In addition to the outdoor bath with a view of those mountains, this hot spring offers a total of 26 different types of bath, both eastern and western, including a denkiburo, also known as an electric bath or pulse bath, a bubble or foam bath, a sauna, and a cold water bath. The slightly viscous hot spring water will warm your body. The facility also includes a direct shop selling fresh local vegetables, a restaurant, and accommodations.

This hot spring is located within Kannonike Park. The water is a simple alkaline spring that is gentle on the skin. The spacious interior features 13 different types of baths, including a denkiburo, also known as electric or pulse bath, a walking bath, a sauna, and even an outdoor bath. We recommend stopping by to refresh after enjoying a day at Kannonike Park.

There are two shrines in Ebino City called Sugawara Shrine. The one located in Tsuru can be identified by its bright red Torii gate surrounded by bucolic farmland. The other is located in the Nishikawa Kita district, which is well known for the Ushigoe Festival held every year on July 28 to pray for safety from illness for livestock and for an abundant grain harvest.

This shrine, located on the way from the Ebino City suburbs towards the Ebino Plateau, enshrines Yamatotakeru no Mikoto, a member of the ancient imperial Japanese family. The carvings at the main shrine date from approximately 160 years ago, and are of a type only found in Miyazaki and Kagoshima.

There are six different shrines surrounding the Kirishima mountains, of which Kirishimamine Shrine and Hinamori Shrine are located on the same grounds. The main building of Kirishimamine Shrine features an impressive sculpture featuring two dragons wrapped around columns.

This old shrine enshrines the god Izanagi no Mikoto, who is described in Japanese mythology as the god who created Japan. There are numerous legends about the place, including a sacred stone from Japanese mythology, and a story that explains how a demon built the stone steps there by piling 999 stones in a single night.

This shrine overlooks Lake Miike (also known as the Mi-ike Crater Lake) on the eastern slope of the sacred Mt. Takachihonomine in the Kirishima mountains. The grounds are filled with a quiet solemn mood, surrounded by forest, giving a sense of mystical power to visitors. The summit of Mt. Takachihonomine forms part of the shrine grounds, and the Amanosakahoko spear located there is one of the shrine’s treasures.

This shrine enshrines Kaminagahime, who became the wife of Emperor Nintoku, and who is said to have been born here. The spring here is said to have been used by Kaminagahime, who was immensely beautiful, so legend has it that if you wash your face or hands in the spring, you can become beautiful too. The Okimizu Burial Mound, designated as a historical site by Miyazaki Prefecture, is also located on the grounds.

Miyazaki's branded beef has won the Prime Minister’s Award four times consecutively since 2007 at the National Wagyu (Japanese beef) Promotion Competition, also known as the Wagyu Olympics that are held once every five years. Miyazaki beef is highly praised not only in Japan but throughout the world, and has even been selected as part of the official after party menu for the US Academy Awards. So Miyazaki beef is something you absolutely must try if you visit Miyazaki. Enjoy the soft texture and mouth-melting flavor in whatever dish you prefer, whether steak, yakiniku, sukiyaki, or shabushabu.

Miyazaki Jitokko is one of the leading breeds of local Miyazaki chicken. The meat is both firm yet tender, juicy, and offers a flavor that deepens the more you chew. It is used in a variety of delicious gourmet dishes local to Miyazaki, such as local charcoal grilled chicken.

When pork is marked with the Miyazaki brand, it means that it is the leading pork in Miyazaki produced only by farmers who have cleared strict standards set by the prefecture for quality and safety. The pork is delicious whether grilled, boiled, or fried, and can be enjoyed as part of numerous dishes such as Gyoza dumplings, Tonkatsu, and pork Shabushabu.

This is one of the leading local foods in the southern Kyushu region. Gane is the word for crab in the local dialect, and the dish earned its name because the sweet potatoes cut into thin strips mixed with a flour based batter look similar to a crab when deep fried.

Oden is a traditional Japanese hot pot dish, and generally includes products made from kneaded fish paste, in turn made by mincing and grinding fish meat. Miyakonojo Oden consists of a chicken broth flavored with Kombu seaweed and bonito flakes, to which pork cartilage, cabbage, and bean sprouts is added, exemplifying Miyakonojo City and its thriving farming and livestock industries.

Miyazaki is a land of shochu, boasting the largest volume shipped in Japan! The prefecture possesses an ample supply of high quality natural spring water, an essential ingredient for producing shochu, resulting in delicious, high quality shochu. Shochu in Miyazaki also comes in a wide range of varieties, using different raw ingredients, thanks to the abundant agricultural products grown in the prefecture. There are no less than 38 different breweries throughout the prefecture, each of which produce unique shochu using local sweet potatoes, barley, and rice, the majority of which contain 20% alcohol. Make sure to compare different kinds because some can only be purchased inside Miyazaki, and don’t forget, shochu makes a great gift for anyone who likes alcohol.