1

Travel Guide of Scenic Byways in Kyushu

Saeki City (Oita Pref.) and Nobeoka City (Miyazaki Pref.)―Rias-like coastal

geography, Japan’s fishery village and fishing experience― The area along Rias coast between Nobeoka City and Saeki City

is the scenery area of "Nippo Seashore Road" located at the

prefectural border of Oita and Miyazaki. National Road No. 388,

which is supported by East Kyushu Expressway, is the main route.

But both roads cross each other and are in parallel, as shown in

the following map. Therefore, you can directly access any

landscape area through an interchange. You can easily plan a

various style of travel, including a partial tour or an individual

recreation spot.

By the way, if you look closely at the map, it is clear that the

coastline in the scenic highway area consists of a complex terrain

of bay and peninsula connecting with a series. This is caused by

the geological strata and you'll be able to understand its origins as

follows.

In Kyushu, a techtonic line (geological fault) runs obliquely to

Yatsushiro Sea on west coast from Saeki Bay on east coast, and

the strata in south is an additional wedge which is named

Northen Shimanto Belt. It is a wedge in which surface of ocean

plate had been scraped off and accumulated, at when the ocean

plate get into along the bottom of continental plate. The

topographical feature of this prism is that there are many valleys,

despite of the fact that the height of ridge is not so high.

On the other hand, there are many places that project out to sea,

and you’ll find many places called as "nose" or "cape", if tracing

the map along the coastline. In addition, the coastline is a

sandy beach formed by the alluvial and wave motion of the

mouth of a small river, it is complicated.

(Access) The access bases to the scenic route are Oita Airport,

Miyazaki Airport, and both railway stations of Saeki and

Nobeoka of the Nippo main line of JR Kyushu.

The distance from Oita Airport to the center of Saeki City

is 113 km on expressway and travel time is over 1 hour 30

minutes. On the other hand, the distance from Miyazaki

Airport to the center of Nobeoka City is about 110 km.

Accessibility from the airport is not necessarily good, but it

depends on your way of thinking.

If you think that access is long, it is recommended that you

take a break in cities such as Beppu or Oita on the way. From

Miyazaki Airport, you can emjoy in the city center of

Miyazaki or Nobeoka. Your fulfilling journey will be given by

adding of short trip on the way.

(Senic Resource) Regional resources for the travel in this

region have three perspectives. The first viewpoint is the

above geographical features. The peninsula protruding in the

sea and a small bay at its dent appear alternately, and there

is a beautiful scenery, which is designated to Nippo Coast

National Park. Lots of viewing stands are set in various

points of ridge, a scenery from there is like a sculpture, you

will impress with the wonderful creativity and harmony of

Nature.

The regional development was difficult in the Kamae

district in Saeki City and the Kitaura district in Nobeoka City

Q-2日豊海岸

Q-❷ Nippo Seashore Road

(1) Park in the sky and the road named as Kuroshio Line. Nippo coast in Eastern Kyushu

Q-❷ Nippo Seashore Road

Nyuzu Bay

2

because the plain is narrow.

Also, there are problems to be

far away from the airport, and

to have been delayed the

construction of transportation

facilities such as railroad. For

this reason, no aggressive

development has been

developed until recently. By

contrast, so many Nature is

kept, which is a valuable

regional resource in the era of

global warming.

The second viewpoint is a

fishing village settlement. Our

country is surrounded by the sea and there are many fishing

villages. And its typical figure is in this area. The village is very

convenient to learn about the development of fishery making good

use of terrain and the current situation of small fishery or

cultured fish industry. You can also enjoy fishing at a spot where

you can easily access a quiet bay in the area.

The third scenic spot is various cultures related to the sea.

Although it is not an official school, there are many learning

classes called "Amabe-Tosei College". "Amabe" means the seaside

or people living there. "Tosei" is used in the meaning of living way

or working way.

A variety of hands-on learning classes are held at Oita

Prefecture Marine Culture Center as the main venue, and various

experiential learning classes are held at campuses throughout

many places including fishery companies, fishing grounds and so

on. Specific classrooms are the fishery with the fixed net, how to

cook Ise lobster, insertion of pearl nuclear, marine sports training,

sand arts, and fish cooking. It goes without saying that they are

opened primarily from the summer to autumn.

OBATYAN (auntie) Viking Buffet

Festivals and Events of rich sea foods in Kamae and Kitaura districts

(2)A viewof the Kawauti Bay from Mt. Takahira (2)Fixed floating raft of a marine company sticking out to Nishiura Bay

(2)Dusk of Motosaru Bay where Ocean sunfish can be seen in summer (2) Black sand beach of Motosaru Ccoast and the marine culture center

3

In short, three important themes

on this scenery route are the rias

type of coast, the fishing village

settlement, and the culture school

related the sea.

(1) Kuroshio Line Road, and Park in the Sky

Going down south along National

Road No. 388 from the center of

Saeki City, turning left on the T-

junction on the way, and heading

towards the wide-area agricultural

road, there is Oura Tunnel (1230m

long). If advancing move further, you

will drive on the ridge line of

peninsula between Yonozu Bay and

Nyuzu Bay. This road is "Bungo- Kuroshio Line". There are Sky

Park and Sky Observation Stage on the way, and you can see

magnificent scenery view.

Tsurumisaki Cape at the tip of peninsula, which is on the

oposite side over the Yonozu Bay, is the most eastern end of

Kyushu. On the other hand, looking back to the south, you’ll find

a peninsula protruding in Nyuzu Bay, and the sea around it is

calm so that you can enjoy an active sight of fishery industry.

In addition, when you return to National Road No. 388 and get

by Ebuto Coast, you can discover a group of Hamayu (crinum)

around Ebuto Shrine. It exceeds 10,000 pieces and in the summer

white flowers blooms in wide area.

(2)Kamae district of the fisheries industry.

Heading the south along National

Road No. 388 will eventually arrive

at Kawauchi Bay in Kamae District.

There are seven bays in the coast

along the national highway. The

ocean is rich in plankton and it is a

treasure trove of fish.

The first encounter in this area is

the museum of the sea. It is an

unusual wooden building with no

windows, and fishing gear and boats

used by fishermen in the past are

displayed without any gap.

The sea around this museum is quiet and has lots of large rafts

for the fishery projecting in the sea and it is a unique scenery.

Seeing it and entering Prefecture Road No. 268, you will reach the

famous Senzaki Park by azalea. There are many azaleas at

Senzaki Park, which flowers bloom every year in the middle of

April, the "azalea festival" is held.

Retuning to Road No. 388 again and going south, you’ll arrive

Motosaru Bay that is a beautiful arced beach of black sand. There

is Oita Prefectural Marine Cultural Center with the arched roof.

Seawater pool, planetarium, aquarium, fishing village ethnic hall

etc. are maintained.

(2)Oita prefecture marine culture center and Ocean sunfish (mola mola)

(2) Chrysanthemum in Takahira Park (3) Hatotsu Beach

(2) Museum on fishery

4

From January to June every year,

a sunfish that was caught

coincidentally on a stationary net

may be on exhibit. This sea is

presumed to be the northernmost

limit of migration of sunfish.

There is an observation park near

the top of Mt.Takahira behind the

cultural center. You can see the

panorama of some coves and fishing

villages, and one million

chrysanthemums are planted in the

park, white and yellow flowers

bloom from October to November,

and it is splendid.

You can see coral reefs while

diving and fishing by crossing over

from Gamae Port to Fukashima

Island. This sea bed is the northern

limit where coral can be found in our

country, so if you can afford, we

recommend stopping by. The travel

time is about 30 minutes by boat

from Gamae Port.

(3) Hatotu Beach in the prefecture border.

Hatotu Beach is located in the

southernmost part of Oita

Prefecture, over 20 km from Kamae

District. The contrast between white

sand and blue pine is beautiful and

it was chosen as one of "Top 100 in

sceneries of white sand and blue

pine in Japan". The sea is shallow,

waves are quiet, safe and

comfortable beaches is a resort for

people who know it.

Also, the natural rock gate, "Uzaki

Domon", which was formed by the

action of tide, is located at the cape

of the prefectural border.

Unfortunately, access from the land

side is impossible, and it has to

approach with ship.

If going along Prefecture Road

No.122 from Hatotu Beach, and

crossing the prefecture border, you

can reach the town, which is called

“Furue” District in the center

area of Kitaura Area in

Nobeoka City. The tourist

information center,

restaurants with fresh fish

cooking and the station of

road for special local products

can be found in seashore area,

and it will be recommended

to take a break there.

(4) Umi-Urara Resort Park in the Nangoku region.

Umi-Urara Resort Park is

extended along the coastal

area from Kitaura to

Urashiro, and is a large

seaside park with marine

theme such as ocean resorts

and recreation. "Umi Urara"

is a coined word in Japanese,

that means enjoying a calm

and warm sea leisurely.

The basic facilities are

natural beaches themselves.

From north, Shimo-Aso

Beach, KumanoE Coast, and

Sumi-no-e Beach are lined.

Everything is a beautiful

sand beach. Especially,

Shimo-Aso Beach has high

transparency, and it is rated

as the cleanest beach in

Kyushu. Facilities except for

the beach are the salt

museum and the station of

road. In addition, Sumi-no-e

Beach has an aquarium for

families, and a village of

family travel. While camping

with family, you can enjoy the

sea..

Furthermore, Shimaura-

Tou Island is on the front of

these coasts, and it is only 10

or 20 minutes of trip by boat

from Urashiro Port.

Understanding activities and

living of island, the island

was chosen for "100 selections

of the treasure of islands in

Japan", as a landscape which is

succeeded to next generation.

While enjoying a dive in the sea

of island, you encounter a

beautiful coral, and you can look

back a wonderful sight of

Kyushu Main Island floating on

the waves of Pacific Ocean.

(4) Shimo-Aso Beach and the museum on salt

(2) Coral reef in Fukashima Island

(4) “Shima-No-Urashima” Island at the front of Shimoaso Beach

Publishing and Copy right. Promotion Conference of Kyushu Scenic Byways ○c (Copy right 2017. All rights reserved)