Hyuga

According to legend, the first Japanese Emperor, Jimmu, came from the Miyazaki area. Ninigi, grandson of the Sun goddess Amaterasu, came to down from the heavens to Takachiho. His grandson, Jimmu, went to what is modern day Miyazaki City and at the age of 15 became the crown prince of the region. At the age of 45, he heard about a very abundant land called Yamato, in modern-day Kansai, to the east. Jimmu and his army walked up the eastern coast of Kyushu looking for a decent port, eventually stopping at Mimitsu (southern Hyuga). They lived there for a time and built their warships. He launched his conquest of Yamato from Mimitsu and traveled to the Kansai area. There he fought his way to the Yamato Plain, establishing himself as the first Emperor of Japan and the start of the long line of Emperors.

On his way there, he stopped at an independent island that was at that time unnamed. This small farm covered island was known for academic pursuites. The villagers there told him about a whale that terrorised the village, killing fishermen who left the island. Jimmu decided to help the villagers and killed the whale. The villagers rejoiced and subsequently enshrined the spear (鉾 hoko) he used. After that, the island was known as Hokoshima (Spear Island). Over time, the pronunciation changed and today it is known as Hososhima, despite no longer being an island.

Hyuga also has a huge boulder of naturally fused pebbles near the sea at Omi Shrine. This is supposedly the boulder (さざれいし) mentioned in the Japanese National Anthem.

The Hyuga area has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Archeologists have found stone tools and stone mounds dating back as much as 30,000 years ago, placing it in the early Japanese Paleolithic period making it one of the earliest inhabited areas of Japan. There are also active archeological digs uncovering pottery from the Jomon Era which you can see in many of the museums in Hyuga.

Many thousands of years later, Emperor Keiko conquered Kyushu to bring the local tribes into the Japanese Empire. It is said that following a war to subjugate the Kumaso people (an ancient tribe that used to live in the Miyazaki area), Emperor Keiko faced East and said, “I name this country Hinata because it faces the rising sun.” Hinata (日向) literally means "facing the sun" or sunwards. Hinata-no-kuni (日向の国) was later changed to Hyuga (日向) and eventually to Miyazaki during the Meiji Period. Hyuga City (日向市) has adopted the Prefecture's old name.

There used to be castles on the mountain behind Omi Shrine (Hichiya Castle) and in Shiomi (Shiomi Castle), in western Hyuga. Shiomi Castle was totally destroyed and never rebuilt and Hichiya Castle is just ruins that have now been swallowed up by forest.

Central Hyuga is centered on Hyuga-shi Station. The greater Hyūga area is 336.29 km², much larger than the city limits as a result of mergers with other smaller towns such as Togo and Mimitsu. Hyūga City is a small port city located in Miyazaki Prefecture, just south of Nobeoka. The city sits on flatlands between the Kyushu Mountains and the Hyūga Sea. The area along Cape Hyūga with its exposed hexagonal pillar rocks (columnar joint) and ria (saw tooth) coastline are designated as part of the Nippo-Kaigan Quasi-National Park. A bit south are famous beaches such as Ise-ga-hama, Okura-ga-hama, and Kane-ga-hama, known for their surfing.

Hyuga has a mild, but humid subtropical climate with no dry season. The climate is comparable to the southern coastal areas of the United States or southern Europe. The average summer daytime temperature is about 30 °C (86 °F) with 80% humidity. The average winter daytime temperature is about 13 °C (56 °F) with 60% humidity. Early summer is marked with the rainy season in June and July. This is followed by an incredibly hot, humid summer and daily sunshine, but is often accompanied by typhoons. Winter is mild with small amounts of rain.

If you are planning on coming to Hyuga during the rainy season, have an umbrella or be ready to buy one. If you are coming during mid summer, be sure the place you are staying has air conditioning.

It is possible to withdraw cash using credit or debit cards issued overseas, but many Japanese ATMs are not compatible with overseas cards. Every post office in Japan has an international ATM, and tend to offer the best exchange rate. Strangely, these ATMs, like human tellers, close at night and either have weekends off or reduced hours.

Aeon mall also has a postal ATM; look for a green sign with "JP BANK ゆうちょ銀行".

There are 24-hour ATMs at most convenience stores, but 7/11s are best for international withdrawals.

• Shinmachi

Shinmachi (新町) is Hyuga's downtown area. Hyuga City has been engaged in large scale urban renewal, slowly widening roads, creating new businesses, beautifying, and modernizing the city center. As such, Shinmachi is probably the most modern and tidy downtown areas in Miyazaki Prefecture. This region is centered around Hyūgashi Station.

• Hososhima

Hososhima (細島) is Hyuga's waterfront. This district is bisected by a mountain, giving each side a very different feel.

The southern part of Hososhima is centered around Hyuga's commercial fishing port between Komenoyama and Makishimayama. It looks and feels like a fishing village from the late Edo or early Meiji period. Many of the buildings are actually from the Edo period, but may be poorly maintained. Despite this, the area has a nice atmosphere, like an old fishing village with some Edo Period buildings still in good shape. This is good if you want to see more traditional Japan without the drive to Mimitsu.

The northern part of Hososhima is centered around Hyuga's Industrial Port. It is mainly large factories and trade storage, but doubles as the cruise ship terminal. As the largest port in northern Miyazaki, it serves as the main international trade port in the area handling materials and goods import and export in the region.

• Mimitsu area

Mimitsu (美々津) was a port town to the south of Hyūga which merged with Hyuga in 1955. It is famous for washi paper and fishing. It is also supposedly the port from which the first Japanese Emperor, Jimmu, launched his military expedition to conquer Yamato and establish it as the center of power.

In the 19th century, it was a prosperous commercial port that was a hub for trade with the cities of Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe, with so many houses belonging to merchants and shipping agents crowded together that people used to refer to the thousand houses of Mimitsu (Mimitsu-sengen). It disappeared from the map with the advent of railroads. In 1986, it was designated as a national important preservation district for groups of historic buildings, and much of the 19th-century atmosphere, including traditional buildings, earthen walls, and stone pavements, remains. It is about 30 minutes from Central Hyuga, so you will need to drive or take a taxi or bus.

• Togo

Tōgō (東郷) is a small mountain town. It is famous for Udon. It is also the birthplace of Wakayama Bokusui, a famous Tanka writer. The Udon here is to die for, the exhibits on Bokusui are interesting if you like traditional Japanese poetry, and the scenery is beautiful, but there is little else to do here.

The local tourist association has a multilingual guide site.

The nearest airport is in Miyazaki City, though Kagoshima Airport typically offers cheaper flights. From Miyazaki Airport, you can drive or take the Nippo Main Line (60 minutes by express train).

The Nippo Main Line, which runs along eastern Kyushu, has several stops in Hyuga City including Mimitsu, Minami-Hyuga, Zaikoji, and Hyuga-shi stations. Hyuga-shi Station is the main station in Hyuga, but be careful, there are several other stations along the Nippo Line with "Hyuga" in their name. These have no connection with Hyuga City.

You can easily get there from transport hubs and major stations such as Hakata Station in Fukuoka, Oita Station, and Kagoshima Chuo Station. Fees will vary but will usually cost from ¥4000-6000 one way depending on your location.

Within Miyazaki Prefecture, travel by the local train costs far less, but takes more time. From Miyazaki City, a local train costs ¥1290 one way (75 minutes) and the express train costs ¥2110 (45min).

Hakko Liner (高速バス ハッコーライナー) is an express bus service serving Hyuga, northern Miyazaki and Fukuoka. A round trip from Fukuoka will cost only ¥7,000, however as this line is mainly a way for people from Miyazaki to get to Fukuoka, buses from Hakata station only leave in the evening (buses from Hyuga to Fukuoka will leave early in the morning). The website is in Japanese only, but it has embedded Google Translate, making it usable if clunky.

While bus services directly to Hyuga are limited, Miyazaki City has several express bus routes that link it to every other part of Kyushu. One could easily take these buses and then transfer using local or express train lines.

If you can drive in Japan, cars are far more convinient. Route 10 is a highway that connects all the major cities in eastern Kyushu. Driving along Route 10 is slow and does not offer much of a view. It takes 2 hours from Miyazaki City.

The Eastern Kyushu Expressway is a tollroad, but it is much faster than route 10, taking only 1 hour from Miyazaki City and almost 2 hours from Oita City. From either destination, expect to pay just over ¥2,000.

Bus services and public transportation access to tourist spots in Hyuga is limited, typically about 1 bus every hour. It is probably better to avoid this unless you are confident about timing and use of buses in Japan. As a whole, locals avoid using the buses.

Car rental is available near the station. The Hyuga City Tourism Incorporated Association, located in the Information Center can help you find the nearest one. There are two rental stores also listed in the Hyuga Walking Map.

Taxi is fastest and most convenient if you can not drive in Japan, but as in the rest of Japan, fares do add up, so be careful.

Hyuga City runs a Tourist Taxi service which can get you to the tourist destinations for 2/3 the price of standard taxis. These are available through the Hyuga City Tourism Incorporated Association in the Information Center at Hyuga-shi Station.

When you reserve these taxis, they will ask you which route you want. These recommended courses include:

• 1-Hour Course (¥2200): Hyuga-shi Station, Umagase, Kurusu no Umi, Hyuga-shi Station
• 2-Hour Course (¥4400): Hyuga Cape, Hyuga-shi Station, Umi no Eki Hososhima, Umagase, Kurusu no Umi, Omi Shrine, Hyuga-shi Station
• 3-Hour Course (¥6600): Hyuga-shi Station, Omi Shrine, Kurusu no Umi, Umagase, Mimitsu or Togo (Bokusui's Home and Bokusui Wakayama Memorial Museum), Hyuga-shi Station

Bike rentals are available between 09:00 and 17:30 from the Tourist Information Center at Hyuga Station. They are labor-intensive but very enjoyable. This is recommended for travel within city, not for traveling to Mimitsu, Togo, or Umagase. Rentals are ¥100 for the first hour and an additional ¥50 for each additional 30 minutes.

• 🌍 Mihokogaura (御鉾ヶ浦海水浴場) (just past Hososhima). A beautiful bay which leads into Hososhima Commercial Port. This small beach is the only beach in Hyuga that is not constantly hammered by waves, making it the best place for swimming. Just across the road from the beach is a tiered park on the side of the hill that offers great views of the bay and some BBQ facilities. (updated Mar 2016)
• 🌍 Isegahama. Isegahama was selected by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment as one of the top 100 swimming beaches in Japan. It is, however open to the ocean, thus gets both waves and riptides. There is a lifeguard stationed here during the summer. (updated Mar 2016)
• 🌍 Okuragahama (お倉ヶ浜). Okuragahama is also among Japan's 100 top beaches according to the Ministry of the Environment. It is almost 4 km (2.4 miles), long. It is a beautiful white sand beach and the home of several surfing competitions every year.
  Okuragahama is the only place in Japan that has Suwabute Clams, used to make Hyuga's famous Go stones. (updated Mar 2016)
• 🌍 Kanegahama (金ヶ浜) (get to the beach via a big building along route 10). Kanegahama is another very popular surfing beach among locals. (updated Mar 2016)
• 🌍 Nippo Coast Quasi National Park (日豊海岸国定公園). Nippo Coast Quasi National Park is a Quasi National Park characterized by ria (sawtooth) coastline interspersed with occasional sandy beaches. Cape Hyuga is a perfect example of this dramatic coastline. (updated Mar 2016)
• 🌍 Umagase (馬ヶ背). This is the entrance to the walking path that leads to Umagase, the horse's back. This is the best place to see the coast and the beauty of the Nippo Quasi National Park. The path is paved and easy to access until you get toward the end, at which point it turns into uneven stone with railing. (updated Mar 2016)
• 🌍 Mt. Komenoyama Overlook (米ノ山展望台) (from the parking lot, follow the path to the 2-story concrete building). The parking lot offers a great view of Hyuga and the surrounding area. Then, for a view of Cape Hyuga, follow the path to the 2-story concrete building and climb to the top. The building has seen better days, but the view it offers is fantastic. (updated Mar 2016)
• 🌍 Omi Shrine (大御神社), 1 Hichiya. A small but spectacular shrine perched on some rocks right at the edge of the ocean. The design is very similar to the Great Shrine of Ise, earning Omi Shrine the nickname, the Ise of Miyazaki. This shrine is just next to Isegahama, an easy walk. Omi Shrine is most noted for the saza-ishi (a huge boulder made of naturally fused stones), a dragon egg (huge round stone), and the nearby which contains a smaller shrine. Locals say if you stand in the right spot and look at the slit of the cave entrance, you can see a dragon. The stairs leading down to the cave are really steep. Heels and skirts are not recommended. (updated Mar 2016)
• 🌍 Kurusu no Umi (クルスの海). Kurusu no Umi, or the sea cross, is a place in which the ocean wore the stone away perpendicularly forming a natural cross shape. This overlook offers a great view of the cross and more of the coastline. The rocks aparently split in a way that resembles the character 叶, "come true." The locals say that wishes made here come true, which is why some signs call this place "Sea-Cross – have ones wish granted". It is especially popular for dates, so you may be surrounded by couples. (updated Mar 2016)
• 🌍 Hososhima Port Museum (細島みなと資料館旧高鍋屋), 803-1 Hososhima. Tu-Su 09:00-16:00, closed New Year's Day. It was built as a residence of the Takanabe feudal lord, and transformed into a traditional hotel until 1982. This building has a lot of history. The old lady who gives tours at this museum is nice, spunky, and very knowledgeable, but does not speak English. The tour is very interesting and tells you a lot of the history of the area, but you will not get as much out of it if you don't understand Japanese. ¥210. (updated May 2016)

• 🌍 Bokusui Park (牧水公園), ☏ +81 982 69-7720. Bokusui Park is a well-equipped park good for camping, hiking, bbqs, and trying local crafts, but it is out of the way and can be tedious to access. One whole hill is covered in flowers during the spring and summer. (updated Mar 2016)
• 🌍 Bokusui Wakayama Memorial Museum of Literature (若山牧水記念文学館), 271 Togocho Tsuboya, ☏ +81 982 68-9511. Tu-Su 09:00-17:00, closed on holidays. A museum all about Bokusui Wakayama, a famous tanka poet who was active during the start of the 20th century. Children ¥100, adults ¥300. (updated Mar 2016)

• 🌍 Mimitsu Historic District (美々津伝統的建造物群保存地区). Mimitsu was a major trade port until partway through the Meiji Period. Many of these Edo and Meiji era buildings are still standing and have been restored. It is designated as an "important preservation district for groups of historic buildings" by the Japanese Government. The traditional atmosphere and cute shops make this a wonderful side trip. (updated Mar 2016)
• 🌍 Hyuga Historical and Folk Museum (日向市歴史民俗資料館), 3244 Mimitsumachi (Half way along the main cobblestone road in Mimitsu). Tu-Su 09:00-16:00, closed holidays. This museum used to be the home of a wealthy merchant during the Edo Period. It does a good job showing life in the Edo Period, but has little in the way of English explainations. Adult ¥210, children ¥100. (updated Mar 2016)

• Hyottoko Summer Festival (ひょっとこ夏祭り) (Just outside Hyuga-shi Station). First Friday and Saturday of August. The Hyottoko Festival is the biggest festival in Hyuga with over 2,000 dancers wearing bright red happi and masks. There are three main characters associated with this dance, hyottoko (the fool), Okame (the beautiful woman), and Kitsune (the mischievous fox). This is an interesting festival with a funny dance (yes, those pelvic thrusts are part of the dance), but hotels are usually booked solid for that weekend, so plan ahead. (updated Sep 2016)
• Hyuga Jyugoya Festival (日向十五夜祭) (In front of Hyuga-shi Station). September or October, in accordance with the harvest moon. This festival revolves around teams doing traditional folk dancing through streets which are lined with the ever present festival food stalls. It is a nice festival, but much smaller scale than the Hyottoko festival. (updated Sep 2016)
• Hososhima Port Festival (細島港祭り) (Around the Seaside Station). Third Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of July. The Hososhima Port Festival is a small, but high energy local festival. It celebrates the unification of the rival districts (merchants and fishermen). The main attraction of this festival is on Sunday, when the two hand-carried two-ton floats clash on the final day. (updated Sep 2016)

• 🌍 Aeon Hyuga (イオン日向), 61-1 Oaza Hichiya Furuta-cho, ☏ +81 982 55-8200. Daily 09:00-21:00. Aeon is a chain of shopping malls around Japan. You can find a bit of anything here for a decent price. The first floor is miscellaneous goods and a super market. The second floor is clothes. (updated Mar 2016)
• 🌍 Trial, 10754-11 Miyakomachi (Just outside Hyuga-shi Station), ☏ +81 982 50-1377. 24/7 (the 2nd and 3rd floors are open 09:00-00:00). Low-priced superstore. If you're familiar with the U.S. Walmart chain, this is similar. (updated Mar 2016)
• 🌍 Machi no Eki Tomitaka (まちの駅「とみたか」), 1-19 Uemachi (under the tracks just outside the station in the Hyuga Regional Information Center). Daily 08:30-18:30, closed for New Year's. This is a gift store, local product shop, and small cafe. (updated Apr 2016)
• 🌍 Affranchir (アフランシール), 1 Chome-116 Kamezakihigashi, ☏ +81 982-53-3859. 11:00-20:00. Affranchir (pronounced "af-ran-seal" with soft 'a' as in apparel) is one of the more upscale and trendy stores in Hyuga, aimed at younger customers. It is sells a bit of everything, including food, clothing, household goods, and natural personal care products. It is more expensive than many stores in Hyuga, but still reasonably priced. (updated Oct 2016)

• 🌍 Togo Roadside Station (道の駅東郷), 244-1 Togocho Yamageshin (Along highway 327 on the way to Bokusui park), ☏ +81 982-68-3072. 08:00-18:00, closed 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month and for the New Year Holiday. This is the Togo area's information center, gift shop, and farmer's market all in one place. Practically everything sold here is locally produced. (updated Apr 2016)

• 🌍 Hyuga Road Side Station (道の駅日向), 241-7 Oaza Saiwaki (On Route 10 between central Hyuga and Mimitsu), ☏ +81 982-56-3809. 09:00-18:00, closed for New Year's. Part rest stop, part souvenir and local product shop. This is a good place to find local products. (updated Apr 2016)

• Go Stones Hyuga is known for its production of Go stones, the highest quality of white stones are made from clam shell.
• Hebesu Hebesu is a type of small green citrus fruit only grown in the Hyuga area. It has thin skin and few seeds, making it very easy to use in cooking or juice. Hebesu juice is tart, but much milder than a lemon or lime. During Hebesu season, locals will add this to a lot of their food and drinks, especially meat and alcohol. Try hebesu if you come in the summer or early fall.
• Kumquat Hyuga kumquat (金柑, kinkan) are said to be larger and slightly sweeter than normal kumquat. They are a winter fruit, so try them if you come in mid to late winter or early spring.

• 🌍 Comfort Cafe & Bar Buckayro, 10749-8 Miyakomachi (Just to the west of Hyuga-shi Station on the main street), ☏ +81 982-54-3067. Lunch 11:00-14:00, cafe 11:00-19:00, bar 19:00-00:00. Depending on what time you go, this is either a cafe, restaurant, or bar. They specialize in pasta, sandwiches, and sweets. The bread used for the sandwiches can break your teeth, but is totally worth it. (updated Apr 2016)
• 🌍 Shanghai Garden (上海花園), 1-15 Miyakomachi (Just west of Hyuga-shi Station), ☏ +81 982-52-2419. Daily 11:00-22:30. A standard Chinese restaurant. They offer private rooms for larger parties and all you can drink options as well. ¥1000 - 2000. (updated Apr 2016)
• 🌍 Dosanko Ramen (道産子), 2-11-23 Tsurumachi, ☏ +81 982-52-6014. A ramen restaurant near the station. Their specialties are butter ramen and chashuman ramen. (updated Apr 2016)
• 🌍 Seaside Station Hososhima Restaurant (海の駅 ほそしま), 769-4 Hososhima (along the main coastal road in Hososhima), ☏ +81 982-52-0771. 11:00-15:00. This restaurant serves sushi right from the fishing boat. The flagship dishes are the tuna bowl and kaisendon (mixed sashimi bowl). Only go here if you can eat raw fish. Under ¥1050. (updated Apr 2016)
• 🌍 Uotami (魚民), Uemachi, 3−21 (Just south of Hyuga Station), ☏ +81 982-52-9288. Su-Th and holidays 17:00-03:00; F Sa 17:00-05:00. An izakaya (a Japanese-style pub) which carries all varieties of Japanese food and drinks. Private rooms are available, as are timed all-you-can-drink services. (updated Jun 2016)

• 🌍 Min Cafe and Shop (民 雑貨＆カフェ), 3417 Mimitsu-cho, ☏ +81 982 58-0425. W-M 10:00-18:00, closed holidays. Located in a repurposed Edo-era house, this two floor cafe and shop sells all sorts of goodies. The cafe has food, drinks, and housemade desserts. The store side is two floors and sells all sorts of fancy but random items from cutlery to clothes to furniture. They also have a rotating selection that changes once a month. This rotating section has local crafts such as pottery, washi (Japanese paper), and more. Definitely worth a look if visiting Mimitsu. The owner used to be an English teacher, and therefore speaks decent English. (updated Mar 2016)