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A breezy, semitropical city on the southeast coast of Kyushu,
MIYAZAKI
claims the longest sunshine hours in Japan. Its brightly coloured blooms and phoenix palms, the city's emblems, giving the streets a relaxed, summery feel. The sights are a little thin on the ground - a historic shrine, municipal park and the world's largest indoor beach - but Miyazaki makes a good base for exploring the
Nichinan coast
. A short train ride south, the island of
Aoshima
is a natural, subtropical garden ringed by platforms of heavily scored rocks, while further along the coast
Udo-jingu's
main shrine nestles in a sacred cave. From here you can continue down the peninsula to
Cape Toi
, or turn inland to circle round via
Obi
, an attractive castle town with a passable collection of museums and old houses.
Aya
, to the northwest of Miyazaki, is another pleasant town, worth visiting for its reconstructed castle and lively art scene.
Miyazaki's
festivals
are launched on January 15 with a dip in the sea off Aoshima to pray for the coming year. While north Japan is still wrapped in snow, in mid-March the city's flower festival announces the arrival of spring, but the most important event is autumn's Miyazaki-jingu Taisai (last weekend in Oct). This takes the form of a costume parade in honour of Emperor Jimmu, Japan's first emperor, featuring women dressed in gorgeous wedding kimono.
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