Text / TRAVELER Luxe April Report
The vermilion color of the Usa Shrine exudes a particularly solemn and majestic atmosphere. (Photo / TRAVELER Luxe April)
As the only cave shrine in all of Japan, Usa Shrine boasts the vast Pacific Ocean, brown rocky outcrops, and a red shrine nestled among them — a sight that inspires awe at first glance with its testament to the ingenuity of the ancients. Following the clockwise route inside Usa Shrine, you’ll indeed find the “Breast Rock” left behind by the mythological Toyotama-hime to feed her child, but the main highlight of the visit comes at the very end.100Exchange your yen for5clay-made good-luck orbs. If you can successfully toss one into the square hole on the back of the sacred turtle below the shrine, your wish may come true. Just remember, men throw with their left hand and women with their right — though looking at the surrounding red-brick area covered with tossed orbs, you’ll know divine blessings aren’t so easily earned. Walking along the endless, uniquely wavy rocks known as “Oni no Sentaku Iwa” (the Demon’s Washing Rocks), you’ll arrive at Aoshima, covered in subtropical plants. The island’s Aoshima Shrine, dedicated to Yamatotakeru, is also a famous spot for those seeking love. The “Enmusubi Tree” is adorned with countless peach-colored love threads, and some visitors even go the extra mile by placing5one-yen coins, hoping to create good connections through the play on words.
The Aoshima Shrine tree is indeed decorated with the most pink love threads. (Photo / TRAVELER Luxe April)
The Obi Castle, seemingly transporting you back to the Edo period, retains its grand Omote-mon gate built from century-old cedar trees, as well as the castle town that you can explore using a map. The most interesting part is this600-yen map that comes with five exchange vouchers, allowing you to redeem thickly fried eggs, ice cream, or pastries at 36 shops. It’s said that Taiwanese visitors are particularly fond of the wallet from Yoshida Bedding, sewn from leftover fabric used for making sheets — just the right size for a passport holder. Obi’s “Ipponzuri katsuo” (one-line-caught bonito) is also famous throughout Japan. At Gallery Kodama, the grilled bonito set includes tasting raw bonito with sesame sauce, thinly sliced raw fish marinated in ginger, garlic, and soy sauce, then lightly seared on a small stove, or poured over with broth to make ochazuke (tea rice), taking your taste buds on a delightful three-course bonito journey.
◎Obi Castle Town
Address: Nichinan City, Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan4-20-1 Obi, Nichinan
Phone:+81-(0)987-25-4533
Website:obiyo.com
◎Gallery Kodama
add:Nichinan City, Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan8-1-1 Obi
tel:+81-(0)987-25-0602
Even without cherry blossoms or red maples, the grand Omote-mon gate of Obi Castle remains charming amidst lush greenery. (Photo / TRAVELER Luxe April)
Covering a total area of 700 hectares with 11 kilometers of black pine forest stretching from north to south, the Phoenix Seagaia Resort is no stranger to golf enthusiasts. It is home to the Phoenix Country Club, which hosts the Dunlop Phoenix Championship, and a golf course designed by world-renowned golf champion Tom Watson and named after him. This year-round golf haven has gone further to attract more female players and foster trends like “yama-onna” and “mori-onna” (hiking and forest women) by offering golf carts equipped with GPS navigation. Through the touch screen on the cart, players can easily learn about the features of each hole and calculate distances to the green, among other features. The restaurant even offers low-fat, low-calorie meals tailored for women, along with exquisite afternoon tea. Not to mention, Samantha Thavasa opened an exclusive counter in the course’s reception center just this April — a colorful array of accessories such as golf shirts, bags, and balls, as well as the brand’s various leather goods and accessories, are sure to catch your eye.
◎ Phoenix Seagaia Resort
Address: Shiromine, Sakaigawa-cho, Miyazaki City, Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan
Phone:+81-(0)985-21-1111
Website:www.seagaia.jp
A panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean through the large glass windows in the Phoenix Seagaia Resort rooms. (Photo / TRAVELER Luxe April)
If you’re in Miyazaki and looking to make a wish, you don’t necessarily have to visit a shrine. Cape Hyuga, located along the coast of Hyuga City, has been eroded by the sea over time, splitting into a220-meter-long cross-shaped pattern from north to south. Together with the blocky rocks nearby forming the Japanese character for “leaf,” which symbolizes wishes coming true, it attracts countless visitors who come to ring the bell at the observation deck to make a wish. Further north lies Umino-se, a 70-meter-deep cliff of platy rocks that is both awe-inspiring and nerve-wracking. As you cautiously step to the edge of the railing, you’ll suddenly notice that the horizon isn’t a straight line — its slight curvature reminds you that the Earth is indeed round.
The dramatic cliff of Umino-se at Cape Hyuga, a 70-meter-deep natural wonder, is enough to make your knees weak. (Photo / TRAVELER Luxe April)
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