Where to eat, stay and play in Miyazaki
Home to the main airport in the region, Miyazaki City is the starting point for all the sun and surf activities the coastal prefecture at Kyushu island has to offer. Here’s a quick cheat sheet to get you going.
- October 2018
Home to the main airport to the region, Miyazaki City is the starting point for all the sun and surf activities the coastal prefecture on Kyushu island has to offer. Here’s a quick cheat sheet to get you going.
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Recently built, Aoshima Beach Park is the perfect place to hang out in Miyazaki City and grab a bite from one of the many food outlets. Nearby is a small island, where you can visit Aoshima Shrine, connected to the main beach via a footbridge.
Keen for a change of pace? Take a scenic drive along Horikiri Pass and check out the rugged coastline, reminiscent of the Great Ocean Road in Victoria. Stop off at the lookout point where you can grab a soft serve while enjoying the views.
Miyazaki is also home to Phoenix Country Club – ranked one of the top three golf courses in the country.
Stay
Sheraton Grande Ocean Resort opens in new window
At 45 storeys high, you would be hard-pressed to find better views than at this towering resort. Its guest-only Kurobar overlooking the pool and garden is a stylish place to chill out with a drink. The breakfast buffet in the Pine Terrace restaurant is a crowd-pleaser with an amazing choice of Western and Asian cuisines. Plus, a visit to their beautifully crafted onsen nestled in a pine grove is the perfect way to end a busy day.Hotel Verfort Hyuga opens in new window
Hyuga City - about a 75-minute drive north of Miyazaki Airport – has plenty of attractions in its own right and Hotel Verfort Hyuga is one of the biggest stays in town. While the rooms are fairly basic, the hotel has a rooftop beer garden and is near plenty of bars and restaurants. Plus, it’s a 10-minute walk from the train station.
Eat
Jidori
Are you brave enough to try free-range chicken you can eat raw? Yes, raw. This special chook is raised and grilled over charcoal in such a way the raw or half-cooked meat won’t make you sick.Chicken Nanban
Dig in to this popular deep-fried “southern-style” chicken topped off with a creamy sauce made from hard-boiled egg. Try the chicken nanban at the beach-side Coast Life opens in new window in Miyazaki City.Shochu
The preferred alcoholic drink in these parts is shochu, which is distinctly different to sake or the similar sounding (and tasting) Korean soju.Hebesu
Try the popular citrus fruit that is similar to lime but without the sourness. Hebesu and mango are the favoured fruit flavourings here. Local mangoes are highly prized. But you’d have to be pretty keen on having one, as they are about AUD $30 each and can reach as much as AUD $100 a pop.Kakigori
Shaved ice is a popular dessert in Japan and Miyazaki is the perfect hot-weather place to enjoy it. Kakigori is usually served with topping and flavouring, such as fruit.
Transport
By air
The region’s main airport is located in Miyazaki city – a two-hour flight from Tokyo’s Narita International Airport.By train
You can catch a train from the airport at Miyazaki city to Hyuga city.By car
Public transport is limited in Miyazaki, so hiring a car is best. Vans are cheap to rent and come with internal racks for surfboards and water tanks for rinsing yourself off at the beach.
Go with a pro
Competitive surfer McKenzie Bowden joined us to check out the waves in Miyazaki. When the New Zealander-turned-Gold Coast local isn’t competing, he travels creating surf and lifestyle content.