The Coastline of Miyazaki City

The coastline around Miyazaki City is a resort area full of tropical mood, with phoenix palm (palm family) tree-lined avenues continuing endlessly. The scenery woven by the clear blue sea, white sandy beaches, and subtropical plants makes it feel just like a southern island. Known nationwide as a holy land for surfers thanks to the quality waves that roll in, it offers driving, swimming, and surfing, each with its own seasonal appeal. National Route 220 (the Nichinan Phoenix Road), running south from central Miyazaki City along the coast, is an exhilarating drive with the vast Hyuganada Sea on the right and subtropical greenery on the left. Centered on Aoshima, this area lets you fully savor the openness that is so characteristic of Miyazaki.

Highlights

Aoshima and the Devil's Washboard

Aoshima is a small island about 1.5 km in circumference, the whole of which is considered the sacred precinct of Aoshima Shrine. Along the coast spreads a vast expanse of regularly shaped wavy rock formations called the "Devil's Washboard" (uplifted sea bed and wave-eroded rock), designated a national natural monument. Around low tide you can walk across the rocks to Aoshima. The island is covered in a community of subtropical plants, and its mysterious form has long been cherished as a scenic spot representative of Miyazaki. Aoshima Shrine is known as a deity of matchmaking, and many people visit it together with the island.

Surfing on the Miyazaki Coast

The area around Kizakihama and Aoshima is a mecca for surfing where surfers from all over the country gather. Because good-quality waves come in steadily, it sometimes serves as the venue for national-scale surfing competitions. There are several surf schools for beginners, and some shops let you try it empty-handed by renting a board and wetsuit. Riding a board on the sea in the early morning lets you feel, with your whole body, the openness unique to Miyazaki.

Phoenix Seagaia

A complex resort with large-scale pool facilities and a resort hotel. It also has a seaside golf course and the natural hot spring "Shosen-no-Miya," and its relative independence from the weather is another draw. Popular with families and couples alike, it can be enjoyed all day along with seaside play.

How to Enjoy It by Season

The best season for swimming is July to August. For surfing, autumn to winter, when the waves are stable, are also worth aiming for. Driving and strolling the phoenix tree-lined avenues are comfortable from April to June or September to October, when the heat eases. Because Miyazaki has long sunshine hours and a relatively mild climate, you can enjoy the sparkling blue sea even on clear winter days. During typhoon season (roughly August to September), waves can grow high and swimming may be restricted, so checking the weather is recommended.

Access & Basic Information

• Aoshima area: About a 10-minute walk from "Aoshima Station" on the JR Nichinan Line to the coast. About 25 minutes by train from Miyazaki Station.
• By car: About 30 minutes heading south on National Route 220 from central Miyazaki City. There are paid and free parking lots around Aoshima.
• From the airport: Aoshima is only about 20 minutes by car from Miyazaki Airport, so you can head to the coast right after arrival.
• Fees: The coast and a visit to Aoshima Shrine are free. Surf schools and Seagaia facilities have separate charges.

Practical Travel Notes

From the TabiTabi JAPAN editorial team, here are practical points for touring Miyazaki's coast.

• Check the tide times for the Aoshima crossing: To walk across the Devil's Washboard to Aoshima, the hours around low tide are safest. Looking up a tide table (low- and high-tide times) before your visit ensures you don't miss the window to cross without getting wet.
• Wear non-slip footwear: The wave-eroded rocks are slippery when wet, so shoes with good grip are safer than sandals.
• Guard against sun and heatstroke: Tropical Miyazaki's summer sun is intense. A hat, sunscreen, and drinks are essential, and frequent hydration is especially important on the coast, where there is little shade.
• A rental car is convenient for getting around: If you plan to extend your trip south along the Nichinan Coast (Udo Shrine and beyond), a car is more efficient than public transport. Rental car shops cluster around Miyazaki Station and the airport.
• Book surf lessons in advance: School sessions vary with the season and wave conditions, so inquiring ahead makes things more certain.

A Word of Advice

Aoshima's appeal is as "a scenic spot close to the station," easy to drop by even on a train trip. With half a day you can leisurely enjoy a visit to Aoshima Shrine and a stroll on the Devil's Washboard. If you have time to spare, head south on National Route 220 from Aoshima for a spectacular Nichinan Coast drive. A day unique to Miyazaki, where sea, greenery, and myth intersect, awaits you. The sea seen in the clear morning air is especially beautiful, so an earlier visit is recommended.

📚 Sources

For the coastline around Miyazaki City, the tourism information site of Miyazaki City and the public information of each facility are useful. The tide table for the low tide needed to cross to Aoshima, and the holding of surf schools, can be checked in the operators public information.

The fees and operation of surf schools and Seagaia facilities, and tide times, may change. Fees, hours, and access may change, so please confirm with official sources before you set out.

Visitor Checklist

• Time needed: About half a day for worship at Aoshima Shrine and a walk on the Devils Washboard; adding sea bathing or a surfing experience fills a full day.
• What to bring: The wave-carved rocks are slippery when wet, so wear shoes with grip rather than sandals; summer sun is strong with little shade, so a hat, sunscreen, and drinks are essential, and book surfing experiences in advance.
• Suggested route: Walk from Aoshima Station to worship at Aoshima Shrine, then stroll the Devils Washboard around low tide; heading south on Route 220 leads to a scenic coast drive taking in Udo Jingu and other Nichinan sights.