Miyazaki & Aso Day 1 — 宮崎＆阿蘇の旅

Back in the summer of 2024, I took a trip to Miyazaki and Aso.
Wait—are you really writing about something that happened two years ago? I know, I know! I’d been meaning to start a travel blog for the longest time, but two years just flew by in the blink of an eye…
Anyway, putting all that aside, why Miyazaki and Aso?
Back then, photos of Takachiho Gorge just kept catching my eye, both online and in print. Every time I saw those mysterious, breathtaking photos of Manai Falls cascading down sheer cliffs into the emerald-green water below, my heart would race: “I HAVE to go there!”
Knowing it was listed as one of the “Must-See Spectacular Views in Japan Before You Die” only added fuel to the fire.
As the saying goes, there’s no time like the present! I quickly started planning, invited my mother-in-law, and set off on a 3-day, 2-night trip with her and my elementary school-aged child.
(By the way, my husband wasn’t interested, so he stayed home! lol)

Since we were only staying for two nights, we caught an early morning JAL flight out of Haneda Airport.
By the way, JAL domestic flights depart from Terminal 1. Haneda has three terminals in total, so be sure to double-check that you’re heading to the right one!
During the flight, I was able to spot Mount Fuji out of the right-side window.
When I think of Mt. Fuji, I usually picture it with a snow-capped summit. But since it was the middle of summer, there was no snow at all.
Am I the only one who feels like Mt. Fuji just doesn’t feel quite like Mt. Fuji without its snow?
By the way, when I booked my seat, I specifically checked which side would offer a view of Mt. Fuji.
On flights bound for Miyazaki, you can see it from the right side! The view changes depending on your destination, but you can easily check it beforehand on the JAL website (look for the “Which side is Mt. Fuji?” page).

When we arrived at Miyazaki Airport, an Alolan Exeggutor from Pokémon was right there to greet us!
My child, who is a huge Pokémon fan, was absolutely overjoyed.

As soon as I stepped outside the airport, the palm trees and clear blue sky gave off a totally tropical vibe.
It instantly lifted my spirits!
Since we had booked a rental car, we headed straight to the shuttle pickup area.
It was right in front of the exit, so we found it right away.
There were rows of shuttle vans from different rental companies lined up, so we looked for ours.
Generally, the major companies, like Japan Rent-A-Car, are located closest to the entrance.
Generally, major companies like Nippon Rent-A-Car are located closest to the exit. We had booked through Times Car Rental, and their van was parked a little further back—but it was no big deal at all.
I’d say it didn’t even take 10 minutes by shuttle van to reach the rental office.
From there, we set off for our first destination: Sun Messe Nichinan in Nichinan City, famous for its Moai statues!
The route couldn’t have been simpler—all we had to do was head straight south on Route 220.
Driving along the coast with scenic ocean views was so refreshing!
We even caught a quick glimpse of the famous “Oni no Sentakuita” (Devil’s Washing Board) along the way, though unfortunately, we didn’t have time to stop.

It took us about 30 minutes to get there.
They were so much more impressive than I had imagined!
Standing tall against the clear blue sky, they were truly a spectacular sight to behold.
There were actually a lot of tourists there. To be honest, there were quite a few people in my original photo, but I edited them out using Photoshop!

Apparently, they even obtained official permission from Easter Island to build them.
Standing around 5.5 meters tall and weighing between 18 and 20 tons each, these Moai statues are seriously impressive.
Each statue is associated with a different wish for good fortune, like career success, good health, or love.
People had left monetary offerings at their feet—which felt so Japanese!
I wonder if foreign visitors do this too?

This photo was taken from a slightly elevated vantage point.
The combination of the vast ocean and the Moai statues is truly magnificent!
It really made me want to visit their homeland, Easter Island, someday.
At Sun Messe Nichinan, there’s plenty to do besides seeing the statues—you can grab a bite to eat, check out some interesting art installations, or even ride the swings. They have a souvenir shop, too!
Here’s the plot twist, though: they are clearly leaning into a Hawaiian vibe. Almost everything feels Hawaiian!
The souvenir shop sells Aloha shirts and Hawaiian dresses, with Hawaiian music playing in the background (lol).
Well, Japanese people love Hawaii, so I guess embracing that vibe is a great way to draw a crowd. Can’t blame them!
In fact, even I ended up buying a Hawaiian dress for my child!

This was the view from a scenic spot along the drive from Sun Messe Nichinan to our hotel, Phoenix Seagaia Resort.
Unfortunately, I can’t recall the exact location!
There were several scenic lookouts like this along the coast.
If you have some extra time during your drive, they’re definitely worth pulling over for!
I’m pretty sure that brown, patterned rock formation you can see in the ocean is the famous “Oni no Sentakuita” (Devil’s Washing Board).

We stayed at the Ocean Tower at Phoenix Seagaia Resort—though back then, it was still known as the Sheraton Grande Ocean Resort.
My child was itching to go for a swim, so we headed straight to the pool!
Looking at the photos on their official website, I had expected a chic, sophisticated atmosphere. In reality, though, it was super family-friendly, and the water was on the shallower side.
That actually made it perfect for families with kids!
(By the way, they have a water slide in the kids’ pool now, but it wasn’t there yet back then.)
The white gazebo you can see in the background of the photo can be rented out, though it was fully booked when we were there. It definitely adds a touch of elegance!
At night, the pool was lit up and transformed into a much more mature, romantic setting. Swimming was allowed until 9 PM.
The hotel also has an onsen (hot spring), which was absolutely wonderful.

For dinner, we had the buffet at the hotel restaurant.
To be honest, the food was nothing special, but the beer after a good swim tasted absolute amazing!
Looking at the hotel’s website now, though, the restaurant options seem much better than they were back then.
By the way, the child on the left in the photo is wearing the dress I bought at Sun Messe Nichinan!

This was the view right from our room.
Since it had been a full moon the night before, the bright moonlit glow over the ocean was absolutely breathtaking.
I’ll post Day 2 next!
Good night! 🌕✨