5 Photogenic Scenic Spots in Miyazaki

Miyazaki Prefecture, also called "the land of mythology," is a treasury of overwhelming natural beauty. Blue seas, mysterious waterfalls, blazing sunsets... picturesque scenery spreads out wherever you frame it. This time we've carefully selected and introduce five scenic spots guaranteed to be Instagrammable! Grab your camera and set out on a trip.

1. Takachiho Gorge | The Mysterious Blue Water Surface, a Breathtaking Beauty

The landscape woven by the columnar-jointed cliffs born of volcanic activity and the Gokase River flowing through them is like another world. Especially Manai Falls is overwhelming, with its combination of the emerald-green water surface.

• Best time: Early morning when morning mist drifts (6-9 a.m.); fresh greenery in April-May or foliage in November
• Shooting angle: Riding a boat and looking up from the water surface makes the perfect composition, capturing the waterfall and cliffs in one frame
• Access: About a 15-minute walk from Takachiho Bus Center

2. Toi Cape | A Collaboration of Wild Horses and the Blue Sea

The wild Misaki horses you can meet at this cape, among the southernmost in Japan, are truly a miraculous subject. The deep-blue Pacific Ocean spreading beyond the horses standing in the grassland... once you see this composition, you can't forget it.

• Best time: The hours of soft morning light; spring to early summer
• Shooting angle: Blurring the horse in the foreground with the sea as the background, or a wide shot capturing the horse and the cape's lighthouse together, works well
• Access: About 40 minutes by bus from Kushima Station

3. Udo Jingu | Vermilion Mystery Dwelling in a Sea-Eroded Cave

The vermilion shrine building seated inside a cave in a sheer cliff is a one-of-a-kind spot where natural and man-made beauty fuse. The contrast of the rock face's brown and the vermilion is breathtakingly beautiful.

• Best time: A sunny day during the daytime (morning to early afternoon when light streams into the cave); great year-round
• Shooting angle: The standard is a tunnel shot framing the whole shrine building from the cave entrance. Including the blue of the sky too boosts the photogenic factor
• Access: About 1 hour 30 minutes by bus from Miyazaki Station

4. Horikiri Pass | A Scenic Observation Deck Where Phoenix Palms and the Blue Sea Spread Out

A drive spot representative of Miyazaki. From the observation deck, you can take in the arcing coastline of the Nichinan Coast and the phoenix-palm avenue that evokes the southern tropics. Excellent compatibility with the setting sun too!

• Best time: Dusk (4-6 p.m.); under the blue sky on a sunny day
• Shooting angle: Shoot the coastline wide from the observation deck railing, or aim for a silhouette photo with the phoenix palms in the foreground
• Access: About 40 minutes by bus from Miyazaki Station; get off at "Horikiri-toge" on the line bound for Nichinan

5. Ikoma Highland | A Field of Flowers Spreading Out Like a Dream

The flower field spreading across a highland at about 700 m elevation is a scenic spot whose face changes with each season. The landscape where one million cosmos bloom in profusion in autumn is like a scene from a drama.

• Best time: The cosmos peak is late September to late October. The early morning when morning mist appears takes on a fantastical atmosphere
• Shooting angle: Express depth with a low eye-level angle as if walking through the flower field, or a bird's-eye shot from high ground
• Access: About 20 minutes by car from Kobayashi IC

Miyazaki's superb scenery brings new discoveries each time you visit. It's a prefecture packed with charms that make you want to come back any number of times, changing the season and time of day. By all means, camera in hand, go find your very own one shot

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Best season and time of day: Takachiho Gorge in the morning, when the light streams in. Cape Toi in the morning right after the gate opens. Horikiri Pass around sunrise, since the Nichinan Coast faces east. The cosmos flowers at Ikoma Kogen from late September to late October.
• Opening hours / event periods: The "Komadome no Mon" gate at Cape Toi is open 8:30-18:00 from April to September and 8:00-17:30 from October to March. The rental boats at Takachiho Gorge require full advance reservation on certain days; apply through the online reservation site between two weeks and two days before the day you wish to board (telephone reservations are not accepted). The opening hours of Udo Jingu change with the season, so check the official website.
• Fees: At Cape Toi there is a wild horse protection contribution of 500 yen per car and 200 yen per motorcycle. Ikoma Kogen charges an admission fee. Worship at Udo Jingu and the view from Horikiri Pass are free of charge.
• Access: Takachiho Gorge is within walking distance of the Takachiho Bus Center. Takachiho Town has no railway line, so highway buses, local buses or a car are the basic options. Cape Toi is about 40 minutes by bus or taxi from Kushima Station on the JR Nichinan Line. Udo Jingu is about 1 hour 30 minutes by Miyazaki Kotsu bus from Miyazaki Station. Ikoma Kogen is about 8 minutes by car from the Kobayashi Interchange on the Miyazaki Expressway via Prefectural Route 1.
• Parking: At Cape Toi you pay the contribution (500 yen per car) at the Komadome no Mon gate to enter. There is also parking at Ikoma Kogen and at Roadside Station Phoenix adjacent to Horikiri Pass.
• Photography rules: Udo Jingu is sacred ground. Be considerate so as not to obstruct other worshippers, and follow the on-site signs as to whether photography is permitted. At Cape Toi, chasing or feeding the Misaki horses is prohibited. Take care not to disturb the habitat of the Misaki horses, which are a national natural monument.
• Safety notes: The Misaki horses are wild. They are dangerous, so do not approach them, and above all never approach them from behind. The rental boats at Takachiho Gorge suspend operation when the river level rises or when an earthquake of seismic intensity 3 or greater occurs. National Route 220, which Horikiri Pass faces, carries heavy traffic, and parking or taking photographs on the road is extremely dangerous. At Udo Jingu there are stone steps on the cliff and rocky areas at the water's edge, so watch your footing in bad weather.

* Contributions, admission fees, gate opening hours and boat reservation procedures are subject to change. Please check each official website before your visit.

(Sources: Kushima City Tourism and Products Association "About Cape Toi", Takachiho Town Tourism Association "Takachiho Gorge Rental Boats", official Kobayashi City website "Ikoma Kogen", Udo Jingu official website)