Miyazaki

Miyazaki, city in Japan, in southeastern Kyūshū Island, capital of Miyazaki Prefecture, on the Hyōgo Sea (an arm of the Pacific Ocean), at the mouth of Ōyodo River. It is a market for produce from outlying areas of the Miyazaki Plain, a fishing port, and a rail junction on the Nippo Line. Chinaware and trays are manufactured in the city. Miyazaki is the site of a feudal castle and of one of the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan, the Miyazaki-jingu, dedicated to the first emperor. It is also the site of Miyazaki University (1949). Nearby attractions include views from the Heiwadai Hills; beaches at Hitotsuba; Aoshima, an island with tropical plants; the Udo cave shrine; and the Ōmiya racetrack. Population (2006) 369,507.