Getting There
By Plane -- There are daily flights to Miyazaki from several Japanese cities. Flight time is 1 1/2 hours from Tokyo (with a regular one-way ticket costing ¥33,700/$281/£140 on JAL or ANA and ¥25,500/$212/£106 on Skynet Asia Airways), 1 hour from Osaka, and 40 minutes from Fukuoka. From the airport, a bus travels to Miyazaki Station in 25 minutes and costs ¥400 ($3.35/£1.70). Buses also travel from the airport to Seagaia for ¥800 ($6.65/£3.35). There's also JR train service from the airport to Miyazaki Station; if you don't have a Japan Rail Pass, it costs ¥340 ($2.85/£1.45) for the 10-minute trip.
By Train -- From Tokyo, take the Shinkansen bullet train to Kokura and transfer there to the Nichirin limited express; the entire trip takes approximately 11 hours (not including transfers) and costs ¥24,780 ($207/£103) for an unreserved seat. There are also direct trains from Fukuoka's Hakata Station (6 hr.), Beppu (3 1/2 hr.), and Kagoshima (2 hr.).
By Bus -- Buses depart daily from Hakata Station in Fukuoka 25 times a day for Miyazaki (trip time: 3 hr., 40 min.), costing ¥6,000 ($50/£25) one-way. Buses also depart from Kagoshima Chuo Station; the fare is ¥2,700 ($23/£11) for the 2 1/4-hour trip. Long-distance buses arrive at the bus station in front of Miyazaki Station.
Visitor Information
Before departing Tokyo or Narita or Kansai airports, pick up the leaflet "Miyazaki and Vicinity" at the Tourist Information Center or download it from JNTO's website at www.jnto.go.jp by looking under "Browse by Destinations."
In Miyazaki, stop off at the tourist information center at Miyazaki Airport (tel. 0985/51-5114; daily 7am to the last flight arrival) or the east exit of JR Miyazaki Station (tel. 0985/22-6469; open daily 9am-7pm Mar-Nov, to 6:30pm Dec-Feb) to pick up Discovering Miyazaki (which covers the entire prefecture and has good bus information) and Miyazaki City Tourist Guidebook (with a city map). Information on Miyazaki Prefecture is available online at www.kanko-miyazaki.jp.
The Miyazaki Central Post Office, 1-1-34 Takachiho-dori (tel. 0985/24-3425), is located on the right side of Takachiho-dori Avenue if you're walking from Miyazaki Station, about an 8-minute walk away. It's open daily 24 hours a day for mail. Its ATMs for foreign credit cards are open Monday to Friday 7am to 11pm, Saturday 9am to 9pm, and Sunday 9am to 7pm.
Internet
Internet Café e-PLANET, 3-1-5 Tachibana-dori Higashi (tel. 0985/83-3115), is open 24 hours and charges ¥250 ($2.10/£1.05) for the first 30 minutes of Internet use, plus a ¥100 (85¢/45p) membership fee. It's a 2-minute walk from Miyazaki Station, across the street to the left in the Ekimae shopping street, on the right side.
Orientation & Getting Around
Downtown lies west of Miyazaki Station, about a 10-minute walk away. From Miyazaki Station, take Takachiho-dori Avenue west to Tachibana-dori, the main street in town, which is lined with shops, department stores, and restaurants. Almost all city buses serving other parts of town, as well as buses traveling to other cities in Miyazaki Prefecture, make stops along this main thoroughfare -- at Depaato-mae bus stop at the intersection of Takachiho- and Tachibana-dori; and at Tachibana-dori 3-chome bus stop, which is farther south. Otherwise, there are two major bus terminals: The Miyazaki Ekimae Bus Center is just outside the west exit of Miyazaki Station, and the Miyako-City Bus Center is a few minutes' walk from the JR Minami Miyazaki Station.
Miyazaki Shrine, Miyazaki prefectural museums, and Heiwadai Park are located northwest of Miyazaki Station, while the Seagaia resort area is located on the coast northeast of Miyazaki Station. All these attractions are easily reached by bus from Miyazaki Station or Tachibana-dori. Fares start at ¥140 ($1.15/60p) and increase according to the distance. There is also local train service from Miyazaki Station to Miyazaki Jingu Eki Station near Miyazaki Shrine. For traveling farther afield, there's a 1-day bus pass for ¥2,000 ($17/£8.50) that covers all of Miyazaki Prefecture and is sold at both bus centers above.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
