Every year in Japan, there’s an exciting stretch of time known as Golden Week, which spans from April 29th to early May. This year (2019), there’s extra excitement due to the Emperor’s abdication, which has added more days to the holiday, resulting in an incredible ten consecutive days off for the country.
It was always my intention to explore as much Kyushu as possible, and one place I’d had on my list to see was the prefecture of Miyazaki. South of Oita Prefecture and extending down to one of the most southern peninsulas of Kyushu, Miyazaki spans a significant part of the eastern coast. With fantasies of small islands and deep, jungly forests scattered along the way, we took a three-day car trip to explore as much as possible during our 10-day GW holiday.
This is one of three days of my visit to Miyazaki.
Aoshima Island and Devil’s Washboard
On the first day, we drove three hours on the highway to our first stop: Aoshima Island. Not to be confused with the famous Cat Island off the coast of Shikoku, Aoshima Island of Miyazaki is famed for its shrine and the unusual rock formations surrounding the island, and it is a popular surfing destination for surfers.
When we arrived, it was an overcast day, but the gloomy weather also kept the visitor numbers down, leaving us plenty of room to explore at our leisure.
Aoshima Shrine is within a nest of trees in the middle of the island. As we enter the forest, the humidity suddenly changes, making it feel very tropical and jungly.
Aoshima is surrounded by 8 km of rock formations called the Devil’s Washboard. As a result of millions of years of waves crashing over aqueous rocks, the soft sediment slowly washed away to create the appearance of the Washboard today.
As we walked around the island, we took precarious steps onto the rocks in search of interesting shells, but the slippery sandstone made it a difficult trek. Walking on the sand was a safer bet, made mostly of shells and the occasional piece of ceramic and pottery.
It was still mid-afternoon, so we continued our drive to Miyazaki City, where we checked into our hotel and had lunch. Next, we continue south to the preserved samurai district of Obi Town.
Obi Town, the “Kyoto of Miyazaki”
An hour’s drive from Miyazaki city brought us to Obi town. We know little about the town, so it’s a lovely surprise to find a charming samurai town that feels perfectly preserved in time, with impeccably kept properties and waterways full of carp.
Obi Castle Ruins
Along with the beautiful historical town, Obi Castle Town (飫肥城下町) comes with its castle grounds. The castle is long gone, but the main grounds now house an elementary school full of kids when we passed by.
Obi Castle Town is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Miyazaki Prefecture, featuring traditional Japanese buildings, such as samurai houses and merchant houses, that have been preserved over time, along with many temples and shrines.
Regardless of the weather, it’s been a beautiful day visiting Miyazaki. After we visited Obi Town, we headed back to the central city of Miyazaki and sought out dinner in the bustling night district. We have an exciting day planned for day 2!
What an adventure! I haven’t looked at part 2 yet BUT I love the pictures. I love the waterways filled with Carp in Obi town too 🙂
They were clearly beloved pets. They were fat and came right up to us when we peered in. Looking for a tasty snack ?