Japan Guide
Kyūshū
Miyazaki Prefectural Museum of Nature and History
Miyazaki Prefectural Museum of Nature and History is worth visiting for its displays of local folklore, though unfortunately there's no information in English. The same complex includes an archeological centre, where you can watch people patiently glueing together pottery shards, and the Minka-en (daily 10am–4.30pm; free), a collection of four thatched farmhouses from around the area. Don't miss the two traditional stone baths; the water was heated by lighting a fire underneath, like giant cauldrons. These museums stand in the extensive woodlands surrounding Miyazaki-jingū, a shrine dedicated to Japan's first emperor, Jimmu Tennō. An unusually large shrine at the end of an imposing avenue, the sanctuary itself is typically understated, though if you're lucky you'll catch a festive ceremony, or at least spot some of the colourful, semi-wild chickens scurrying round the raked-gravel compound. Opening time: Daily except Tues 9am–5pmPrice: Free