Sunmesse Nichinan and Cape Toi Southern Drive Course

Further south along the Nichinan Coast. From Sunmesse Nichinan, where seven Moai statues line a hill overlooking the sea, to Cape Toi at Miyazakis southern tip, home to wild horses. This is a slightly wild drive where you meet the ocean, grasslands, and living creatures. The distance is a bit long, but in return you get to savor a tropical sense of openness. The Misaki horses at Cape Toi are a national natural monument, and the lighthouse is a rare one open to the public, so the sights are the real thing. Setting out with time to spare is recommended.

Course Route

9:30 Start at Sunmesse Nichinan Begin with the seven reproduction Moai standing on the hill. A photo with the sea behind you is the classic shot. Flower fields and lookout spots dot the grounds, and a slow tour makes for a pleasant time. It opens at 9:30 with last entry at 16:30, so an earlier morning visit lets you enjoy it at ease.

11:00 Drive along the coast Continue south while gazing at the Hyuga Sea. An open drive with wide sea and sky rolls on.

12:00 Lunch in a port town on the way Pause in a port town such as Nango or Kushima to enjoy local seafood.

13:30 Arrive at Cape Toi Reach Cape Toi at Miyazakis southern tip, greeted by broad grasslands, a lighthouse, and the endless sea.

14:00 Meet the Misaki horses Wild Misaki horses live on the grasslands. Keep your distance and quietly watch them graze at their leisure. The Cape Toi lighthouse can be climbed as a public lighthouse, and from the top you can enjoy a sweeping 270-degree panorama of the Pacific.

Highlights

The Moai at Sunmesse Nichinan are precious reproductions made with permission from Easter Island. The seven figures against the blue sea are a signature photo spot of Miyazaki. At Cape Toi, the Misaki horses, designated a national natural monument as the cape horses and their breeding grounds, graze freely, and you can watch them relax on the grasslands up close. Their roots go back to the Edo period when the Takanabe domain began raising them as military horses, and they still live a semi-wild life. The Cape Toi lighthouse, first lit in 1929, stands on heights about 255 meters above sea level, wrapping you in a grand view unique to the southern tip.

Access and Tips

From the Miyazaki City direction it is about an hour by car to Sunmesse Nichinan, and Cape Toi lies further south from there. There are many coastal curves, so drive with room to spare. Cape Toi is a wild-horse area, so do not approach the horses carelessly and take care while driving. Admission procedures or a cooperation fee may be required at the cape entrance. At the Cape Toi visitor center Pakalapaka you can also enjoy exhibits on the Misaki horses and the cape.

A Quick Tip

The Misaki horses are wild animals. Do not feed or touch them, and watch from a little distance as good manners. With a gentle sense of distance, enjoy the nature at Miyazakis southern tip.

Practical Travel Notes

• Sunmesse Nichinan: Open 9:30 to 17:00 (last entry 16:30), generally closed Wednesdays (open on holidays, Golden Week, Obon, and year-end). Admission is about 1,000 yen for adults, 700 yen for junior and senior high students, and 500 yen for ages four and up (a 2026 guide, subject to change). Phone 0987-29-1900.
• Moai statues: Seven reproductions made with permission from Easter Island. A famous spot for photos with the sea behind you.
• Misaki horses at Cape Toi: A national natural monument as the cape horses and their breeding grounds, rooted in grazing begun by the Takanabe domain in the Edo period. As wild animals, feeding and touching are strictly prohibited; watch from a distance.
• Cape Toi lighthouse: First lit in 1929, a public lighthouse on heights about 255 meters above sea level, with a 270-degree view over the Pacific from the top.
• Access: About an hour by car from the Miyazaki City direction to Sunmesse Nichinan, with Cape Toi further south. Admission procedures or a cooperation fee may apply at the cape entrance. The Pakalapaka visitor center has Misaki horse exhibits.
• Fees, hours, and admission conditions may change. Please check official information before you go.