Nichinan Full Coast Day — Aoshima, Udo Jingu, Obi

The Nichinan Coast circuit runs south from Miyazaki City along Route 220, covering roughly 20 to 90 kilometers depending on how far the day extends toward Obi. Aoshima, the first stop, is 20 minutes from the city center by car or by the JR Nichinan Line (¥320) and features the 'Devil's Washboard' — tilted sedimentary rock shelves ringing a small subtropical island reached over a short shrine causeway. From Aoshima, Route 220 continues along a rugged coastline to Udo Jingu, a shrine tucked into a sea cave roughly 30 minutes further south, known for luck-charm clay ball throwing (undama) aimed at a rock marker below the cave mouth. The circuit's final stretch runs to Obi, a former castle town another 45 minutes south, where a restored Edo-period samurai quarter, Obi Castle's rebuilt Otemon gate, and preserved merchant houses line a walkable historic street. A full loop covering all three stops and returning to Miyazaki City takes 8 to 10 hours including driving, stops, and meals, so an early start (by 8:00 or 9:00 am) is recommended. Public transport via the JR Nichinan Line reaches Aoshima in 20 minutes and Obi in about 55 minutes, but does not connect efficiently to Udo Jingu, which sits between the two without convenient rail access, making a car the practical choice for the full circuit. Morning hours suit Aoshima, when the tide is often lower and the rock shelves are fully exposed; midday works for Udo Jingu; and the afternoon light suits walking the Obi samurai district before shops close in late afternoon. The coast is walkable and pleasant year-round, and June through August brings roadside stands selling Miyazaki mangoes and other local produce along Route 220. Food stops include seafood and chicken nanban restaurants near Aoshima, and soba or sweets shops along Obi's historic street; there is little dining directly at Udo Jingu beyond a small snack stand near the shrine entrance.