is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Miyazaki prefecture" at . Miyazaki Prefecture has a population of 1,028,215 as of 1 January 2025 and has a geographic area of 7,735 km2 (2,986 sq mi). Miyazaki Prefecture borders Ōita Prefecture to the north, Kumamoto Prefecture to the northwest, and Kagoshima Prefecture to the southwest.
Miyazaki is the capital and largest city of Miyazaki Prefecture, with other major cities including Miyakonojō, Nobeoka, and Hyūga. Miyazaki Prefecture is located in southeastern Kyūshū on Japan's Pacific coast, with its coastline extending from Nobeoka near the entrance to the Bungo Channel to Shibushi Bay in Kushima.
History
Historically, after the Meiji Restoration, Hyūga Province was renamed Miyazaki Prefecture.Nussbaum, "Provinces and prefectures" at .
In Japan, Miyazaki Prefecture was first created in 1873 when Mimitsu Prefecture was merged with parts of Miyakonojō Prefecture. The 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.Prefectural government of Miyazaki (2013): 宮崎県 置県130年 (Miyazaki-ken chiken 130-nen, "Miyazaki Prefecture – 130 years [since/after] the establishment of the prefecture"), retrieved September 1, 2020.
Geography Miyazaki Prefecture is on the eastern coast of the island of Kyushu, surrounded by the Pacific Ocean to the south and east, Ōita Prefecture to the north, and Kumamoto and Kagoshima prefectures to the west. 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, Miyazaki, is the northernmost reproducing population of its native range. 14 February 2017. University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Retrieved 24 December 2021
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.
Cities
Nine cities are in Miyazaki Prefecture: NameArea (km2)PopulationMapRōmajiKanji Ebinoえびの市282.9318,337 Hyūga日向市336.9460,037 Kobayashi小林市562.9544,154 Kushima串間市295.1617,457 Miyakonojō都城市653.36161,137 Miyazaki (capital)宮崎市643.67398,215 Nichinan日南市536.1151,241 Nobeoka延岡市868.02119,521 Saito西都市438.7929,262
Districts
These are the towns and villages of each district: NameArea (km2)PopulationDistrictTypeMapRōmajiKanji Aya綾町95.197,023Higashimorokata DistrictTown Gokase五ヶ瀬町171.733,537Nishiusuki DistrictTown Hinokage日之影町277.673,656Nishiusuki DistrictTown Kadogawa門川町120.5217,526Higashiusuki DistrictTown Kawaminami川南町90.1215,372Koyu DistrictTown Kijō木城町145.965,008Koyu DistrictTown Kunitomi国富町130.6318,717Higashimorokata DistrictTown Mimata三股町110.0225,379Kitamorokata DistrictTown Misato美郷町448.844,823Higashiusuki DistrictTown Morotsuka諸塚村187.561,532Higashiusuki DistrictVillage Nishimera西米良村271.511,013Koyu DistrictVillage Shiiba椎葉村537.292,579Higashiusuki DistrictVillage Shintomi新富町61.53 16,663Koyu DistrictTown Takachiho高千穂町237.5411,959Nishiusuki DistrictTown Takaharu高原町85.398,709Nishimorokata DistrictTown Takanabe高鍋町43.820,185Koyu DistrictTown Tsuno都農町102.1110,028Koyu DistrictTown
Mergers
Sports The sports teams/events listed below are based in Miyazaki.
Association football Honda Lock S.C. (Miyazaki City) Tegevajaro Miyazaki (Miyazaki City)
Basketball (bj League) Miyazaki Shining Suns (Miyazaki City)
Golf (Japan Golf Tour) Dunlop Phoenix Tournament (ダンロップフェニックストーナメント, Danroppu fenikkusu tōnamento) (Miyazaki City) Annual Japan Golf Tour event, with one of the highest prize money amounts on the tour, that attracts top players from around the world.
Transportation
Rail JR Kyushu Nippō Main Line, Miyazaki Kūkō Line, Nichinan Line, Kitto Line, Hisatsu Line
Bus Miyazaki Kōtsu
Airport Miyazaki Airport
Notable people Masatoshi Nei (1931–2023), evolutionary biologist, born in Miyazaki Prefecture
See also History of Miyazaki Prefecture Miyazaki Ocean Dome
Notes
References Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ; OCLC 58053128
External links
Official Miyazaki Prefecture website Official Miyazaki Prefecture website Miyazaki and Vicinity Information from the JNTO
Video footage The following travel- and tourism-related videos were shot and provided by video artist egawauemon. General video footage Scenery-related video footage Culture-related video footage Leisure-related video footage Food-related video footage Golf-related video footage