Cape Toi (Toi Misaki) & Wild Horses

Cape Toi, at the southeastern tip of Kushima City, is Miyazaki's remotest scenic headland and home to a herd of roughly 100 Misaki horses that have grazed freely on the exposed grassland cliffs since the Edo period, when the local domain fenced the peninsula to raise horses for military use. Visitors drive a narrow coastal road onto the cape, park at a designated lot, and walk short grassy paths across rolling, treeless hills where the horses roam without fences, often grazing within a few meters of the walking trail. A white lighthouse marks the headland's tip and offers sweeping Pacific views toward the Osumi Peninsula and, on clear days, toward Yakushima. A full visit, including time to view the horses and walk to the lighthouse, takes about 2 hours. Morning is the best time to see horses grazing close to the cliffs before the day heats up; visits immediately after typhoons should be avoided since the exposed access road can be affected by storm damage. The open landscape and dramatic sea cliffs make this one of the most photogenic wildlife settings in Kyushu, particularly in soft early or late light.