Hyuga

Hyuga (日向) is a small, but prominent port city in northern Miyazaki prefecture. It is a small city with a population of just over 60,000 with a long and varied history.

Hyuga was historically one of the most major ports in Kyushu, acting as the gateway to Kyushu, but shrunk with the introduction of trains. Now, Hyuga is most famous for its natural beauty, white sand beaches, and surfing. It makes a perfect trip for those visiting Miyazaki or other parts of Kyushu.

Lore
According to legend, the first Japanese Emperor, Jimmu, came from the Miyazaki area. Ninigi, grandson of the Sun goddess Amaterasu, came to down from the heavens to Takachiho. His grandson, Jimmu, went to what is modern day Miyazaki City and at the age of 15 became the crown prince of the region. At the age of 45, he heard about a very abundant land called Yamato, in modern-day Kansai, to the east. Jimmu and his army walked up the eastern coast of Kyushu looking for a decent port, eventually stopping at Mimitsu (southern Hyuga). They lived there for a time and built their warships. He launched his conquest of Yamato from Mimitsu and traveled to the Kansai area. There he fought his way to the Yamato Plain, establishing himself as the first Emperor of Japan and the start of the long line of Emperors.

On his way there, he stopped at an independent island that was at that time unnamed. This small farm covered island was known for academic pursuites. The villagers there told him about a whale that terrorised the village, killing fishermen who left the island. Jimmu decided to help the villagers and killed the whale. The villagers rejoiced and subsequently enshrined the spear (鉾 hoko) he used. After that, the island was known as Hokoshima (Spear Island). Over time, the pronunciation changed and today it is known as Hososhima, despite no longer being an island.

Hyuga also has a huge boulder of naturally fused pebbles near the sea at Omi Shrine. This is supposedly the boulder (さざれいし) mentioned in the Japanese National Anthem.

History
The Hyuga area has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Archeologists have found stone tools and stone mounds dating back as much as 30,000 years ago, placing it in the early Japanese Paleolithic period making it one of the earliest inhabited areas of Japan. There are also active archeological digs uncovering pottery from the Jomon Era which you can see in many of the museums in Hyuga.

Many thousands of years later, Emperor Keiko conquered Kyushu to bring the local tribes into the Japanese Empire. It is said that following a war to subjugate the Kumaso people (an ancient tribe that used to live in the Miyazaki area), Emperor Keiko faced East and said, “I name this country Hinata because it faces the rising sun.” Hinata (日向) literally means "facing the sun" or sunwards. Hinata-no-kuni (日向の国) was later changed to Hyuga (日向) and eventually to Miyazaki during the Meiji Period. Hyuga City (日向市) has adopted the Prefecture's old name.

There used to be castles on the mountain behind Omi Shrine (Hichiya Castle) and in Shiomi (Shiomi Castle), in western Hyuga. Shiomi Castle was totally destroyed and never rebuilt and Hichiya Castle is just ruins that have now been swallowed up by forest.

Geography
Central Hyuga is centered on Hyuga-shi Station. The greater Hyūga area is 336.29 km², much larger than the city limits as a result of mergers with other smaller towns such as Togo and Mimitsu. Hyūga City is a small port city located in Miyazaki Prefecture, just south of Nobeoka. The city sits on flatlands between the Kyushu Mountains and the Hyūga Sea. The area along Cape Hyūga with its exposed hexagonal pillar rocks (columnar joint) and ria (saw tooth) coastline are designated as part of the Nippo-Kaigan Quasi-National Park. A bit south are famous beaches such as Ise-ga-hama, Okura-ga-hama, and Kane-ga-hama, known for their surfing.

Weather
Hyuga has a mild, but humid subtropical climate with no dry season. The climate is comparable to the southern coastal areas of the United States or southern Europe. The average summer daytime temperature is about 30 °C (86 °F) with 80% humidity. The average winter daytime temperature is about 13 °C (56 °F) with 60% humidity. Early summer is marked with the rainy season in June and July. This is followed by an incredibly hot, humid summer and daily sunshine, but is often accompanied by typhoons. Winter is mild with small amounts of rain.

If you are planning on coming to Hyuga during the rainy season, have an umbrella or be ready to buy one. If you are coming during mid summer, be sure the place you are staying has air conditioning.

Money
It is possible to withdraw cash using credit or debit cards issued overseas, but many Japanese ATMs are not compatible with overseas cards. Every post office in Japan has an international ATM, and tend to offer the best exchange rate. Strangely, these ATMs, like human tellers, close at night and either have weekends off or reduced hours.

Aeon mall also has a postal ATM; look for a green sign with "JP BANK ゆうちょ銀行".

There are 24-hour ATMs at most convenience stores, but 7/11s are best for international withdrawals.

Major districts

 * Shinmachi

Shinmachi (新町) is Hyuga's downtown area. Hyuga City has been engaged in large scale urban renewal, slowly widening roads, creating new businesses, beautifying, and modernizing the city center. As such, Shinmachi is probably the most modern and tidy downtown areas in Miyazaki Prefecture. This region is centered around Hyūgashi Station.


 * Hososhima

Hososhima (細島) is Hyuga's waterfront. This district is bisected by a mountain, giving each side a very different feel.

The southern part of Hososhima is centered around Hyuga's commercial fishing port between Komenoyama and Makishimayama. It looks and feels like a fishing village from the late Edo or early Meiji period. Many of the buildings are actually from the Edo period, but may be poorly maintained. Despite this, the area has a nice atmosphere, like an old fishing village with some Edo Period buildings still in good shape. This is good if you want to see more traditional Japan without the drive to Mimitsu.

The northern part of Hososhima is centered around Hyuga's Industrial Port. It is mainly large factories and trade storage, but doubles as the cruise ship terminal. As the largest port in northern Miyazaki, it serves as the main international trade port in the area handling materials and goods import and export in the region.


 * Mimitsu area

Mimitsu (美々津) was a port town to the south of Hyūga which merged with Hyuga in 1955. It is famous for washi paper and fishing. It is also supposedly the port from which the first Japanese Emperor, Jimmu, launched his military expedition to conquer Yamato and establish it as the center of power.

In the 19th century, it was a prosperous commercial port that was a hub for trade with the cities of Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe, with so many houses belonging to merchants and shipping agents crowded together that people used to refer to the thousand houses of Mimitsu (Mimitsu-sengen). It disappeared from the map with the advent of railroads. In 1986, it was designated as a national important preservation district for groups of historic buildings, and much of the 19th-century atmosphere, including traditional buildings, earthen walls, and stone pavements, remains. It is about 30 minutes from Central Hyuga, so you will need to drive or take a taxi or bus.


 * Togo

Tōgō (東郷) is a small mountain town. It is famous for Udon. It is also the birthplace of Wakayama Bokusui, a famous Tanka writer. The Udon here is to die for, the exhibits on Bokusui are interesting if you like traditional Japanese poetry, and the scenery is beautiful, but there is little else to do here.

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a multilingual guide site.

By plane
The nearest airport is in Miyazaki City, though Kagoshima Airport typically offers cheaper flights. From Miyazaki Airport, you can drive or take the Nippo Main Line (60 minutes by express train).

By train
The Nippo Main Line, which runs along eastern Kyushu, has several stops in Hyuga City including Mimitsu, Minami-Hyuga, Zaikoji, and Hyuga-shi stations. Hyuga-shi Station is the main station in Hyuga, but be careful, there are several other stations along the Nippo Line with "Hyuga" in their name. These have no connection with Hyuga City.

You can easily get there from transport hubs and major stations such as Hakata Station in Fukuoka, Oita Station, and Kagoshima Chuo Station. Fees will vary but will usually cost from ¥4000-6000 one way depending on your location.

Within Miyazaki Prefecture, travel by the local train costs far less, but takes more time. From Miyazaki City, a local train costs ¥1290 one way (75 minutes) and the express train costs ¥2110 (45min).

By bus
Hakko Liner (高速バス ハッコーライナー) is an express bus service serving Hyuga, northern Miyazaki and Fukuoka. A round trip from Fukuoka will cost only ¥7,000, however as this line is mainly a way for people from Miyazaki to get to Fukuoka, buses from Hakata station only leave in the evening (buses from Hyuga to Fukuoka will leave early in the morning). The website is in Japanese only, but it has embedded Google Translate, making it usable if clunky.

While bus services directly to Hyuga are limited, Miyazaki City has several express bus routes that link it to every other part of Kyushu. One could easily take these buses and then transfer using local or express train lines.

By car
If you can drive in Japan, cars are far more convinient. Route 10 is a highway that connects all the major cities in eastern Kyushu. Driving along Route 10 is slow and does not offer much of a view. It takes 2 hours from Miyazaki City.

The Eastern Kyushu Expressway is a tollroad, but it is much faster than route 10, taking only 1 hour from Miyazaki City and almost 2 hours from Oita City. From either destination, expect to pay just over ¥2,000.

Get around
The Hyuga Regional Information Center Tomitaka, just outside of Hyuga-shi station, and the information booth at the cruise ship terminal (if there is a cruise ship), will have plenty of flyers in multiple languages and typically an English speaker present. These will help you find your way around.

By bus
Bus services and public transportation access to tourist spots in Hyuga is limited, typically about 1 bus every hour. It is probably better to avoid this unless you are confident about timing and use of buses in Japan. As a whole, locals avoid using the buses.

By car
Car rental is available near the station. The Hyuga City Tourism Incorporated Association, located in the Information Center can help you find the nearest one. There are two rental stores also listed in the Hyuga Walking Map.

By taxi
Taxi is fastest and most convenient if you can not drive in Japan, but as in the rest of Japan, fares do add up, so be careful.

Hyuga City runs a Tourist Taxi service which can get you to the tourist destinations for 2/3 the price of standard taxis. These are available through the Hyuga City Tourism Incorporated Association in the Information Center at Hyuga-shi Station.

When you reserve these taxis, they will ask you which route you want. These recommended courses include:
 * 1-Hour Course (¥2200): Hyuga-shi Station, Umagase, Kurusu no Umi, Hyuga-shi Station
 * 2-Hour Course (¥4400): Hyuga Cape, Hyuga-shi Station, Umi no Eki Hososhima, Umagase, Kurusu no Umi, Omi Shrine, Hyuga-shi Station
 * 3-Hour Course (¥6600): Hyuga-shi Station, Omi Shrine, Kurusu no Umi, Umagase, Mimitsu or Togo (Bokusui's Home and Bokusui Wakayama Memorial Museum), Hyuga-shi Station

By bicycle
Bike rentals are available between 09:00 and 17:30 from the Tourist Information Center at Hyuga Station. They are labor-intensive but very enjoyable. This is recommended for travel within city, not for traveling to Mimitsu, Togo, or Umagase. Rentals are ¥100 for the first hour and an additional ¥50 for each additional 30 minutes.

See
Hyuga is most famous for its coastal areas and historical district, but there is more to see than just beaches.

Because it is the product of various mergers, Hyuga is quite spread out, with three main regions: Central Hyuga, Togo in the mountains, and Mimitsu in the south.

Famous products

 * Go Stones Hyuga is known for its production of Go stones, the highest quality of white stones are made from clam shell.
 * Hebesu Hebesu is a type of small green citrus fruit only grown in the Hyuga area. It has thin skin and few seeds, making it very easy to use in cooking or juice. Hebesu juice is tart, but much milder than a lemon or lime. During Hebesu season, locals will add this to a lot of their food and drinks, especially meat and alcohol. Try hebesu if you come in the summer or early fall.
 * Kumquat Hyuga kumquat (金柑, kinkan) are said to be larger and slightly sweeter than normal kumquat. They are a winter fruit, so try them if you come in mid to late winter or early spring.

Eat
Hyuga has a lot of agriculture and an abundance of fresh specialty food. Some of these are available around Miyazaki.
 * Hyuga natsu (日向夏) — A yellow citrus fruit. The white part of the skin is sweet, so locals often cut the outer skin and eat the rest.
 * Hebesu or Hebezu (へべす) — A small green citrus fruit often eaten in other food or juiced.
 * Jidori Sumibiyaki (地鶏炭火焼) — Charcoal grilled chicken
 * Chicken Nanban (チキン南蛮) — Fried chicken with tartar sauce.
 * Chicken Sashimi or Tori-sashi (鳥刺し) — Miyazaki is one of the only places in the world where you can eat raw chicken and know you won't get sick. Oddly enough, it doesn't taste like chicken.
 * Sushi — Hososhima port is a commercial fishing port, so the fish is very fresh.

Drink
Hyuga City has no shortage of places to drink. Most of these are located generally around the izakaya, Hachiman. There are many bars, snack clubs (スナック), and Izakaya. To avoid surprises, it can be important to know the difference when you are looking for a place to go drinking.
 * Bars are good places to meet people, just like anywhere in the world, but many in Hyuga include karaoke and darts. Many of the bars in Hyuga have English names and clearly mark themselves as bars.
 * Snack clubs are halfway between a hostess club and a bar, with all female staff who serve drinks and flirt with guests. Snack clubs have limited drink selection, but include karaoke. Snack clubs will have スナック written somewhere on the sign and are always in buildings with other snack clubs.
 * An Izakaya is like a Japanese pub, featuring a variety of small plates of food and drinks. Izakaya are best for groups, and include some degree of privacy, with curtains or private rooms. You can usually tell an Izakaya because it has a more traditional look and its own building.

Connect
Like much of Japan, Hyuga is somewhat lacking in terms of public Wi-Fi, so don't have very high expectations. The tourist information center in Hyuga-shi Station and most convenience stores have free public Wi-Fi.

Most free Wi-Fi in Japan still require registering your email and a user name. This can get annoying if you have to keep registering over and over, so there are some Japan free wifi apps to help you search to locations and connect with the push of a button. If you install the app, be sure to register it in a place that you still have internet access, because you will need to open a confirmation email.

The city is also slowly installing free Wi-Fi hotspots for tourists. The hyuga_free_wifi hotspots are available at city hall, Togo Roadside Station, Seaside Station Hososhima, and in front of Omi Shrine. To access this Wi-Fi, you need to input the password (0982522111), your email, and our own password. You can do this without internet access, but you can only access this Wi-Fi for one hour at a time up to 4 times per day.

If you want to use a computer, you can often use one in your hotel or go to an internet cafe (which can be a bit sketchy).

Go next

 * Kadogawa
 * Nobeoka
 * Saiki
 * Misato
 * Kijo
 * Tsuno
 * Kawaminami
 * Takanabe
 * Saito: The site of over 300 kofun, burial mounds, built over 1,500 years ago.