Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [575]
Sounders Lunch & Bar (65-0767; 1-6-23 Aoshima; set meals from ¥650; lunch only Sun-Mon, Wed-Fri, dinner Fri & Sat; ) You’ll love the relaxed vibe at this open-air surf shack serving spinach-and-bacon salads, tasty burgers and fish tacos. The menu’s in English and there’s live music most weekends.
Tenkū Zeal (; 65-1508; http://tenku-zeal.jugem.jp; 6411 Kaeda; buffet adult/child ¥1300/800; lunch Sat, Sun & holidays; ) Not far from Rashinban, this wonderful hillside providore and macrobiotic lunch spot with sunny alfresco dining offers a constantly changing menu from produce grown on-site. This is as delightfully hippie as it gets in Japan, English is spoken and the food couldn’t be better for you.
Shopping
Aoshima-ya gift shop and restaurant is an imposing black building next door to the tourist information booth, selling local produce and souvenirs.
Getting There & Around
Aoshima is on the JR Nichinan line from Miyazaki (¥360, 30 minutes). Buses from Miyazaki train station stop at Aoshima (¥670, 40 minutes, hourly) en route to Udo-jingū.
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UDO-JINGŪ
If you walk through this brightly painted coastal shrine (0987-29-1001) to the end of the path, you’ll find yourself in an open cavern overlooking an unusual rock formation. It’s protocol to buy five undama (luck stones), make a wish and try to hit the shallow depression on top of one of the turtle-shaped rocks. Wishes are usually related to marriage and childbirth, because the boulders in front of the cavern are said to represent Emperor Jimmu’s mother’s breasts.
Hourly buses from Aoshima (¥990, 40 minutes) and Miyazaki (¥1440, 1½ hours) stop on the highway. From the bus stop, the 700m walk to the shrine will take you past interesting rock formations and picturesque fishing boats.
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OBI
From 1587 the wealthy Ito clan ruled this town from the castle for 14 generations, surviving the ‘one kingdom, one castle’ ruling in 1615. The clan eventually dissolved as the Meiji Restoration ended the feudal period.
Sights & Activities
Only the walls of the original castle remain, but the grounds of Obi-jō (; 0987-25-4533; combined admission ¥600; 9.30am-4.30pm) contain a number of interesting buildings, including the impressive gate, Ōte-mon. The castle museum has a collection relating to the Ito clan’s long rule over Obi. Matsuo-no-maru, the lord’s private residence, has been reconstructed.
Yōshōkan, formerly the residence of the clan’s chief retainer, stands just outside the castle entrance and has a large garden incorporating Atago-san as ‘borrowed scenery’.
Shintōku-dō, the hall adjacent to the castle, was established as a samurai school in 1831. Up the hill behind Shintōku-dō is photogenic Tanoue Hachiman-jinja, shrouded by old-growth trees and reached by a steep flight of steps. On the western side of the river, Ioshi-jinja has a pleasant garden and the Ito family mausoleum.
Getting There & Around
The JR Nichinan line connects Obi with Miyazaki (kaisoku; ¥910, 65 minutes) via Aoshima. From Obi Station, it’s a short bus ride (¥140) and walk to the castle. Buses from Miyazaki (¥1990, 2¼ hours, last return bus 4pm) stop below the castle entrance. Bikes are the best way to visit and can be rented (¥300 for three hours) at the train station.
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NICHINAN-KAIGAN & CAPE TOI
The scenic 50km stretch of coastal road from Nichinan to Miyazaki has great views. The vistas from Cape Toi are memorable, and a dramatic fire festival is held here on the last weekend in September. The cape is also famed for herds of wild horses, which now seem rather friendly.
Just off the coast from the beach at Ishinami-kaigan, the tiny island of Kō-jima is home to a group of monkeys that apparently rinse their food in the ocean before eating, but they’re a fickle bunch, and hard to spot. Swimming at this tempting beach is prohibited. To stay overnight in the area, head to Koigaura Beach where the surf-zoku (tribe) hang out. It’s about 5km from Cape Toi or 7km from