Miyazaki Prefecture
A Kyūshū prefecture on Japan's Pacific coast.
via Wikipedia: Miyazaki Prefecture · see source
Miyazaki Prefecture, on the island of Kyūshū in Japan, sits along the Pacific coast in the southeast. Its capital and largest city is Miyazaki, and other major cities include Miyakonojō, Nobeoka, and Hyūga. The prefecture covers 7,735 square kilometers (2,986 square miles) and, as of January 1, 2025, has a population of 1,028,215. To the north lies Ōita Prefecture, Kumamoto Prefecture is to the northwest, and Kagoshima Prefecture borders it to the southwest. Its coastline runs from Nobeoka near the Bungo Channel entrance down to Shibushi Bay in Kushima.
The prefecture’s history began after the Meiji Restoration, when Hyūga Province was renamed Miyazaki Prefecture. It was first created in 1873 by merging Mimitsu Prefecture with parts of Miyakonojō Prefecture. That original Miyazaki lasted only until 1876, when it was merged back into Kagoshima Prefecture. Public pressure and demands in the Kagoshima Prefectural Assembly led to Miyazaki finally becoming independent from Kagoshima in 1883.
Geographically, Miyazaki is on Kyūshū’s eastern coast, with the Pacific Ocean to the south and east. It is one of only two places on Earth where the fungus *Chorioactis geaster* grows. The prefecture is also known for the hyuganatsu fruit and hosts two virgin forests of the palm *Livistona chinensis*. One of these, on the islet of Aoshima, marks the northernmost reproducing population of that palm’s native range. As of March 31, 2019, 12% of the prefecture’s land was designated as Natural Parks, including Kirishima-Kinkōwan National Park; Kyūshū Chūō Sanchi, Nichinan Kaigan, Nippō Kaigan, and Sobo-Katamuki Quasi-National Parks; and several prefectural natural parks.
Nine cities make up Miyazaki Prefecture: Miyazaki, Miyakonojō, Nobeoka, Hyūga, Kushima, Saito, Ebino, Kobayashi, and Nichinan. The prefecture is also divided into districts containing towns and villages. Sports teams based here include Honda Lock S.C. and Tegevajaro Miyazaki (association football), and the Miyazaki Shining Suns (basketball). The Dunlop Phoenix Tournament, an annual event on the Japan Golf Tour with one of the highest prize purses, is held in Miyazaki City and attracts top international players.
Transportation includes JR Kyushu lines (Nippō Main Line, Miyazaki Kūkō Line, Nichinan Line, Kitto Line, Hisatsu Line), bus services by Miyazaki Kōtsu, and Miyazaki Airport.
- Population
- 1,028,215 (as of 1 January 2025)
- Area
- 7,735 km² (2,986 sq mi)
- Capital
- Miyazaki
- Largest City
- Miyazaki
- Location
- Southeastern Kyūshū, Japan, on the Pacific coast
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Historically, after the Meiji Restoration, Hyūga Province was renamed Miyazaki Prefecture. The prefecture was first created in 1873 when Mimitsu Prefecture was merged with parts of Miyakonojō Prefecture. That first Miyazaki existed only until 1876, when it was merged back into Kagoshima Prefecture. Under public pressure and demands in the Kagoshima Prefectural Assembly, Miyazaki became finally independent from Kagoshima in 1883. Geographically, Miyazaki Prefecture is on the eastern coast of Kyushu, surrounded by the Pacific Ocean to the south and east. It is one of only two locations on Earth where the fungus Chorioactis geaster is found. Miyazaki is the home of the hyuganatsu fruit. It is also home to two virgin forests of the palm Livistona chinensis, one of which, on the islet of Aoshima, is the northernmost reproducing population of its native range.
Reader's Guide
As of 31 March 2019, 12% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely the Kirishima-Kinkōwan National Park; Kyūshū Chūō Sanchi, Nichinan Kaigan, Nippō Kaigan, and Sobo-Katamuki Quasi-National Parks; and Mochio-Sekinoo, Osuzu, Saitobaru-Sugiyasukyō, Sobo Katamuki, Wanitsuka, and Yatake Kōgen Prefectural Natural Parks. Nine cities are in Miyazaki Prefecture, including Miyazaki, Miyakonojō, Nobeoka, and Hyūga. Sports teams based in Miyazaki include Honda Lock S.C. and Tegevajaro Miyazaki in association football, and the Miyazaki Shining Suns in basketball. The Dunlop Phoenix Tournament, an annual Japan Golf Tour event with one of the highest prize money amounts on the tour, attracts top players from around the world. Transportation is served by JR Kyushu rail lines (Nippō Main Line, Miyazaki Kūkō Line, Nichinan Line, Kitto Line, Hisatsu Line), Miyazaki Kōtsu bus services, and Miyazaki Airport.
Did You Know?
- Miyazaki Prefecture is one of only two locations on Earth where the fungus Chorioactis geaster is found.
- The prefecture is the home of the hyuganatsu fruit.
- Aoshima islet in Miyazaki hosts the northernmost reproducing population of the palm Livistona chinensis in its native range.
- Miyazaki Prefecture was first created in 1873, merged into Kagoshima in 1876, and became finally independent in 1883.
- The Dunlop Phoenix Tournament in Miyazaki City is an annual Japan Golf Tour event with one of the highest prize money amounts on the tour.
More in Prefectures Of Japan 1-24
Related in Prefectures Of Japan
Links follow this subject's own source article.
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record