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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Miyazaki
宮崎
Base in Miyazaki 2 nights for Aoshima and the city sights; add a third only if you surf or day-trip to Takachiho or Nichinan.
Miyazaki is the prefectural capital of Miyazaki prefecture on Kyushu, a resort-and-surf city of about 400,000 people. Sights are spread along the coast and the Nippo line, so a car or the bus network matters more than walking. Two nights covers Aoshima, the shrines and the food; the prefecture's coast and mountains need more.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 宮崎
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jun (rainy season), Aug (heat and typhoon risk), Golden Week and Obon
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JPY
- Money
- Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥7,000–11,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥11,000–18,000 excl. bed · High ¥18,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Data-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 100 V · 50 Hz east (Tokyo), 60 Hz west (Osaka) · Most sockets are two flat pins without earth; European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and laptop chargers handle 100 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Ryokan: Optional: ¥1,000–3,000 in an envelope for the room attendant; never loose cash.; Private guide: Not expected; a small gift or a thank-you meal is more usual.; Hotel porter: No tip.
- Water
- Safe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet. Rural and old stations may have squat toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | ¥400–700 |
| Chicken nanban set meal | ¥900–1,600 |
| Miyazaki beef dinner | ¥3,000–8,000 |
| Mango parfait (in season) | ¥1,200–2,500 |
| Shochu, glass at a bar | ¥500–1,200 |
| 5 km taxi3.1 mi taxi | ¥1,800–2,300 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ¥2,000–4,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- KMI · Miyazaki Airport
- 3.2 km south of the centre; JR Miyazaki Airport line to Minami-Miyazaki about 10 min, or bus to Miyazaki Station about 25 min2 mi south of the centre; JR Miyazaki Airport line to Minami-Miyazaki about 10 min, or bus to Miyazaki Station about 25 min
Typical fares
- Miyazaki Airport → Miyazaki Station, bus
- about ¥400, about 25 min (check)
- Miyazaki Airport → Minami-Miyazaki, JR
- about ¥340, 1–2 trains per hour (check)
- Taxi Miyazaki Station → downtown
- ¥1,000–1,500
Get around
Attractions are spread out. City buses leave from Miyazaki Station and along Route 25; the JR Nippo line reaches Aoshima and Miyazaki-Jingu stations but can run only once an hour. A rental car is the fastest way to the coast and inland sights; an IDP is required.
See and do
Known for
- Aoshima Shrine and its rock formations
- Chicken nanban
- Miyazaki beef and mangoes
- Surfing at Aoshima and Kizakihama
- Shochu distilling
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Aoshima | JR Nippo line to Aoshima Station, then a short walk; or 30 min by car | About 45 min |
| Nichinan and Obi | JR Nippo line south, then bus or car along the coast | 1.5–2 h |
| Takachiho | Car or bus via Nobeoka; rail connections are slow | 2.5–3 h |
| Ebino plateau | Car via the Miyazaki expressway, or train to Ebino and onward | 2–2.5 h |
| Kushima | JR Nippo line south, then local transport | 2.5–3 h |
Sleep
- Miyazaki Station area
- Rail, bus and airport links; business hotels and the JR Kyushu hotel next to the platform.
- Downtown (Tachibana-dori and the river)
- Restaurants, bars and the Kanko Hotel; 10–15 min walk or a short taxi from the station.
- Aoshima
- Beach and surf base 30 min by car south of the city; quieter, needs a car or the Nippo line.
- Seagaia / Phoenix resort area
- Golf, pool and onsen about 8 km north-east of the centre; a resort stay, not a sightseeing base.Golf, pool and onsen about 5 mi north-east of the centre; a resort stay, not a sightseeing base.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | すみませんsumimasen |
| Thank you | ありがとうございますarigatō gozaimasu |
| This one, please | これをくださいkore o kudasai |
| How much is it? | いくらですか？ikura desu ka |
| Can I pay by card? | カードで払えますか？kādo de haraemasu ka |
| Where is the toilet? | トイレはどこですか？toire wa doko desu ka |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A small bow; a handshake if the other person offers; avoid: Hugs, back slaps, loud greetings
- Names: Family name plus -san; avoid: First names unless invited; adding -san to your own name
- Paying: Put money in the tray at the register; avoid: Tipping, or leaving loose cash for staff
- Trains: Queue at the floor marks, phone on silent, ask before reclining on the Shinkansen; avoid: Phone calls, eating on crowded commuter trains, blocking doors with bags
- Escalators: Stand on the side locals use — left in Tokyo, right in Osaka; stations now ask people to stand still on both; avoid: Stopping at the top or bottom
- Shoes: Off at the step-up entrance; toilet slippers only inside the toilet; avoid: Stepping on tatami in shoes or slippers
- Shrines: Rinse hands at the basin; bow twice, clap twice, bow once; avoid: Walking down the centre of the approach, which is for the deity
- Gifts: Offer and receive with both hands; bring a small omiyage for hosts; avoid: Sets of four; cash outside an envelope
Scams and watch-outs
- Trains on the Nippo line can be hourly: check the timetable before you leave the station.
- Summer brings heat, humidity and typhoon season; check forecasts in Aug–Sep.
- Some bars and restaurants post no prices: ask the total before you order.
- Surf beaches have currents; swim near other people and follow local flags.
Miyazaki is a calm, low-crime city; the real risks are summer heat and typhoons, surf currents, and bars with no posted prices. Ask the total before you sit.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Miyazaki yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Aoshima Shrine and its rock formations
- Chicken nanban
- Miyazaki beef and mangoes
- Surfing at Aoshima and Kizakihama
- Shochu distilling
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Miyazaki City official site: www.city.miyazaki.miyazaki.jp/
- Miyazaki City tourism guide: www.miyazaki-city.tourism.or.jp/en
- Aoshima Shrine: aoshima-jinja.jp/
- Miyazaki Car Ferry: www.miyazakicarferry.com/
- Wikivoyage: Miyazaki, revision 5236984 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5236984
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/miyazaki). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.