Not just for summer. The charm of Shimoaso Beach can be enjoyed all year round

Kyushu's most beautiful beach: Shimoaso Beach

Shimoaso Beach is the only beach in Kyushu to be selected as one of the 100 Best Swimming Beaches by the Ministry of the Environment. The beach was highly rated in all five of the selection criteria, "beauty," "purity," "peace," "kindness," and "richness," and was recognized as being comprehensively excellent, showing that Shimoaso Beach is Kyushu's best swimming beach in both name and reality.

Shimoaso Beach is about an hour and a half drive from Miyazaki Airport on the Higashi Kyushu Expressway. The white sand and green pines that stretch about 1km from north to south have been called "Hinata Matsushima" since ancient times and have been loved by people. The shallow waters make for gentle waves that are more suitable for bodyboarding than surfing.

Just playing with the waves, whether it's splashing on you at the shoreline or floating a little further out on an inflatable tube, is soothing. You can also get a full resort feel at this beach even if you don't get in the water and just sit under a beach umbrella and watch the waves crash on the shore.

The river that flows into the beach has been turned into a river pool, which is popular with children. Every year in late April, many carp streamers swim energetically, coloring the early summer sky. There are also sports facilities such as tennis courts, so it is recommended to enjoy leisure activities while feeling the breeze from the sea.

Another fun thing to do is to observe the vegetation on the beach. In summer, the beach cotton plant blooms, shining against the blue of the sea and sky. As its name suggests, this pretty flower, which resembles cotton hanging on the beach, is the prefectural flower that symbolizes the seaside scenery of Miyazaki Prefecture.

Also, be sure to check out the Gunbai Morning Glory, a species designated as endangered by the prefecture. Its leaves are shaped like the fan held by a referee, and it produces trumpet-shaped flowers measuring about 4cm in size from summer to autumn. The vibrant crimson-purple flowers begin to bloom in the morning, so the best time to see them is in the morning. If you spot one, observe it carefully, being careful not to damage it.

The "Kitaura Roadside Station" at the entrance to Shimoaso Beach will support your leisure activities. In addition to gathering information and purchasing souvenirs, you can also enjoy meals at the facility. It also serves as the reception desk for accommodation facilities such as cabins and auto campsites in the "Hamamomen Village" that stretches across the entire beach, making it a comprehensive information center for enjoying Shimoaso Beach.

Become one with the sea through diving and snorkeling

There are many spots around Shimoaso where you can go diving and snorkeling. It's a good idea to snorkel with your family and friends and take a peek underwater without having to put on bulky diving gear. Once you've enjoyed the underwater world, why not try a casual diving experience next? Both can be enjoyed all year round if you wear a dry suit.

At the coral colony points, you can encounter many colorful tropical fish, including clownfish. The appeal of this dive is that you can easily encounter coral and tropical fish, regardless of your age or physical strength.

The island floating in front of Shimoaso Beach is Shimanourashima, the largest inhabited remote island in Miyazaki Prefecture. Around Shimanourashima, you can see Japan's largest colony of giant horned coral. They live in shallow waters and can even be viewed by skin diving. Some are over 3m in diameter, and are registered as the largest in Japan for both size and population.

Normal giant horn corals grow horizontally like a row of plates, but the giant horn corals on Shimanoura Island have a unique shape that resembles rose petals. It is believed that they were formed by various factors, such as the hours of sunlight and water temperature in Miyazaki Prefecture, making them a unique and precious presence.

Fishing boat cruising experience

We recommend a fun guided cruise around islands such as Shimanourashima and Takashima. You can enjoy an exhilarating experience in the magnificent ocean, passing through the giant rock arch "Senganme" and observing table coral through box glasses.

The weather is good all year round, the air is clear, and the water is clean. In addition, on all cruises, you can experience feeding the fish (feed costs 300 yen) and operating the boat (free of charge), making it perfect for families with children.

Shimanourashima is also a popular spot among divers, as it is home to the largest colony of giant horned coral in Japan and a rare sea-eroded tunnel.It is also a well-known fishing spot among those in the know, with many small fish washed by the Kuroshio Current, attracting rock fishing enthusiasts from inside and outside the prefecture.

You can also experience trekking and sea kayaking on the island, and there are accommodation facilities available, so why not take the plunge and stay overnight to enjoy some activities?

Enjoy the delicacies of Nippori Coast, such as "Himuka Hon-Saba" (mackerel) and "Ise-Ebi" (spiny lobster), to your heart's content.

It is no exaggeration to say that food is the greatest pleasure of travel. Discovering local ingredients and cuisine is one of the best parts of traveling. To find gourmet food unique to Nippori Coast, visit Umi no Restaurant Kaisenkan, located inside the Kitaura Roadside Station. From the spacious restaurant with 54 seats, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Shimoaso coastline, and in addition to a menu centered on fresh and delicious seafood from Nippori Coast, you can also enjoy delicious gourmet food representative of Miyazaki, such as chicken nanban.

Nippori Coast is known for its delicious fish such as horse mackerel, yellowtail, and sea bream, but the recommended dish is mackerel. When you hear the word "mackerel," most people probably think of grilled mackerel or mackerel sushi, but the mackerel caught in the waters off Kitaura is something else. In particular, when you visit this area, we recommend you try the "Himuka Honsaba."

First, try eating it raw, uncooked. The fine fat floating on the surface of the small dish filled with soy sauce, the sweetness that melts in your mouth, and the delightful taste of this mackerel make it a delight to chew. Among mackerel, the Himuka Honsaba is a brand fish that Miyazaki is proud of, and has won the Prime Minister's Award. One bite will surely change your perception of mackerel.

East Kyushu Ise-ebi Kaido

The Nippori Coast, a coastline with a rias structure, is a good fishing ground for spiny lobsters and has been a place where spiny lobsters have been fished for a long time. The spiny lobsters from Nippori Coast, which are tossed about by the fast currents, have firm flesh and are traded at high prices after being landed.

The food event "Higashi Kyushu Ise Ebi Kaido" starts every September and has become a seasonal feature of autumn in Nobeoka, attracting many people in search of seasonal flavors. During this period, "Umi no Restaurant Kaisenkan" offers a full course of Ise Ebi. This limited-time, exquisite course, which includes plump sashimi, firm grilled dishes, and soup dishes full of the delicious flavor of Ise Ebi, can be described in one word as "luxurious." It is a course that you should definitely try at least once.

Experience the production of precious "Moon Salt" derived from the relationship between the moon and the tides

One of the most distinctive features of the Kitaura Roadside Station is the salt fields. Here, not only do they produce the "Tsuki no Shio" (Salt of the Moon) that is sold in the local products corner, but they also offer hands-on salt-making experiences. Kitaura is a lively fishing town with delicious seafood, and in the past, salt was made here using the agehama method.

"Moon Salt" is salt that is nurtured by the ebb and flow of the tides caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and is lovingly made by salt artisans. The most important condition for delicious salt is that the seawater used as the raw material is clean, and Moon Salt is a local specialty that is made by drawing seawater from the beautiful ocean of Kitaura and slowly making it using traditional methods.

Packed with the blessings of Kitaura's beautiful ocean and the power of the moon, Moon Salt contains many minerals needed by the body, including potassium and magnesium. It has a mellow taste that is different from ordinary table salt, and when used in cooking it brings out the flavor of the ingredients.
Why not try making your own delicious, healthy, original salt?

Additionally, the Kitaura Roadside Station also sells "Salt Soft Serve Ice Cream" made with Tsuki no Salt, as well as "Kitaura Natural Nigari," a health drink containing 92 types of high-quality natural minerals necessary for the body.

How you enjoy it is up to you. Enjoy a special stay in your own style

Seaside campsite Soleil Levant

At night, enjoy a different flow of time than during the day. Soleil Levant, a seaside campsite, is located in the pine forest that leads to the beach. This glamping-style campsite, which creates a luxurious space where you can feel the sea breeze, is especially popular with women.

After swimming or other sea leisure activities, enjoy a BBQ, soothe yourself by the bonfire while feeling the evening breeze, and relax with a cup of coffee. Look up at the night sky and see a sky full of stars, and wake up to a divine morning sun.

Car camping

If you want to assemble your own tent, we recommend auto camping. Hamamomen Village Campsite has 12 auto camping sites, each 8m wide and 10m deep. The sites are equipped with outdoor tables, outdoor fireplaces, sinks, and 100V power outlets, so you can easily enjoy a comfortable camping experience.

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For those who want to relax indoors, we recommend cabins. Cabins are like seaside cottages and come in a variety of types, including two-story, single-story, barrier-free, and large cabins that can accommodate up to seven people.

All buildings are equipped with a bathroom, toilet, refrigerator, air conditioner, rice cooker, pot, tableware, bedding, etc., and there is also a permanent barbecue stand outside, so you can leisurely eat food that you have grilled outside inside. Even people who have never camped before or families can easily stay here.

If you make a reservation, they will prepare a hotpot of "Salted Chanko" or "Salted Seafood". We recommend adding your favorite ingredients to your meal by purchasing them at a local supermarket or the direct sales shop at the Kitaura Roadside Station. Enjoy the seasonal seafood that is unique to this fishing town.

Enjoy the beauty of Shimoaso Beach from afar

About a 15-minute drive from Shimoaso Beach, the underground Chayahara River Observatory is a scenic spot overlooking the Kitaura area where Shimoaso Beach is located. The approximately 11 hectares of tea fields spread out on the steep slopes of the mountain with their backs to the sea, and the view from the observation deck has been selected as one of the "100 Best Villages in Japan."

When the tea and plants sprout, the refreshing green of the new tea and the blue of the ocean in the distance create a stunning landscape, making this a popular spot for photography enthusiasts and professional photographers.

The charm of Kyushu's east coast is packed into the Ura (coast), where beautiful, pure nature and people's lives spread out, with crystal clear waters, floating islands, and lush green capes that sink straight into the sea.

Historically, the area is filled with romantic stories, such as pirate legends and the legend of a Mexican princess's hidden treasure, and Shimoaso Beach is a resort where you can experience the splendor of Kyushu's east coast in a concentrated form. Another attraction is the delicious food available all year round, in every season, including spiny lobster, mussels, tokobushi, horse mackerel, and mackerel.
If you are able to travel again, why not try visiting this utopia someday? We promise you will be refreshed in mind, body and soul.

Text: Eiko Fukunaga
Photo provided by and in cooperation with Nobeoka City and Iroad Co., Ltd.