Miyazaki

A local dish born in Nobeoka, Miyazaki. Chicken is coated in egg batter, fried, dipped in sweet vinegar and topped with plenty of tartar sauce. It is said to have started as a staff meal at a Western-style restaurant in Nobeoka. The refreshing sweet vinegar, mellow tartar sauce and juicy chicken are addictive. It is now known all over Japan. Enjoy the original in Nobeoka or Miyazaki City. The amount of tartar sauce may surprise you.

Typical price

¥900–1,400

Where

Nobeoka, Miyazaki City and around

Local ramen born in Nobeoka. The noodles, made from buckwheat and wheat flour, have a bouncy texture like konnyaku, and locals also call them konnyaku noodles. Soy sauce broth is loaded with chili, garlic, minced meat, garlic chives and beaten egg. Many shops let you choose the spice level, and spice lovers go for the hottest. The egg adds mellowness to the heat. Try it at shops in Nobeoka and Miyazaki City. Working up a sweat is part of the fun.

Typical price

¥800–1,100

Where

Nobeoka, Miyazaki City and around

A local dish born in Miyazaki City: rice balls wrapped in pork marinated in sweet and savory sauce, grilled until fragrant while brushing on more sauce. The meat's flavor and sauce-soaked rice make it very filling. It is said to have started on the menu of an izakaya in Miyazaki City. Many shops hand it over wrapped in paper, perfect for eating as you walk. There are cheese-filled and spicy versions too. Try it at shops in Miyazaki City.

Typical price

¥300–500 each

Where

Miyazaki City

A sushi roll said to have been born at a sushi restaurant in Miyazaki City. Crisp lettuce, boiled shrimp and mayonnaise are rolled in vinegared rice and nori. The crunchy lettuce, springy shrimp and mellow mayonnaise make it light and easy to eat. It is said to have been created to get customers to eat more vegetables. Now it is on the menu at conveyor-belt sushi restaurants across Japan. Try the original at a sushi restaurant in Miyazaki.

Typical price

¥600–1,000

Where

Miyazaki City

Miyazaki City is known as a city that eats a lot of gyoza and has many gyoza shops. Miyazaki gyoza are fried with lard and other fats until crisp and fragrant outside. Many shops serve them with plenty of bean sprouts or shredded cabbage. There are also many takeaway-only shops, and gyoza are a casual meal at home. Each shop has its own fillings and cooking style, so comparing them is fun. They go perfectly with beer. You could also take some back to your hotel.

Typical price

¥400–800 per person

Where

Miyazaki City

A Miyazaki summer local dish. Grilled fish is flaked and ground in a mortar with sesame and miso, toasted, then thinned with cold dashi. Cucumber, tofu, shiso and myoga are added, and it is poured over warm rice or barley rice. The toasty miso and sesame and the cold, refreshing taste make it easy to eat even in hot summers when appetite fades. Try it at local restaurants in Miyazaki City. Be sure to taste it on a hot day.

Typical price

¥700–1,200

Where

Throughout Miyazaki

Miyazaki's signature local dish: jidori chicken grilled quickly over fierce charcoal. The charcoal smoke blackens the surface and gives it a distinctive smoky aroma. Enjoy the firm meat that releases more flavor the more you chew. Eating it with yuzu pepper is the Miyazaki way. It is served at izakaya in Miyazaki City, and vacuum-packed versions are popular souvenirs. It goes perfectly with shochu. The faint aroma of charcoal is a treat in itself.

Typical price

¥1,000–1,800

Where

Miyazaki City and around

Steak of Miyazaki beef, a brand name only Japanese Black cattle raised in Miyazaki and meeting strict standards may carry. It is known for winning top honors several times at Japan's national wagyu competition. It features fine marbling, melt-in-your-mouth tenderness and fat with an elegant sweetness. Many steakhouses grill it on an iron plate in front of you. Try it in Miyazaki City. Choose it as a reward on a trip to sunny Miyazaki. Ask the staff how it is best cooked.

Typical price

¥5,000–20,000

Where

Miyazaki City and around

A specialty of the castle town of Obi: fish paste mixed with tofu, brown sugar and miso and deep-fried. It features a gentle sweetness and a soft, fluffy texture. Fresh from the fryer, it is fragrant outside and fluffy inside, and especially delicious. It was originally called tempura but spread as an Obi specialty. Shops selling obiten line the castle town, so you can eat as you walk. Combine it with a stroll through Obi. The sweet flavor is typical of southern Kyushu.

Typical price

¥150–300 per piece

Where

Obi, Nichinan

A specialty of Nichinan: unusual udon made from fish paste, such as flying fish, rather than wheat flour. Made from fish, it is rich in protein and has a springier texture than wheat udon. It is said to have been created as a local school lunch menu. The classic way is to eat it hot in a broth such as flying fish stock. It is sold at shops and roadside stations in Nichinan. The dried noodles make a good souvenir.

Typical price

¥500–1,000

Where

Nichinan

A Miyazaki local sweet: cream cheese wrapped in crisp, cookie-like dough and baked. It features the rich, slightly tangy cream cheese and gentle sweetness. It is said to have been born at a Miyazaki confectioner, and now many shops in Miyazaki City sell it, each with its own taste. Warming it makes the cheese gooey for a different kind of treat. It is also popular as a souvenir. Comparing different shops is fun.

Typical price

¥100–200 each

Where

Miyazaki City and around

A big daifuku from a Miyazaki confectioner. A strawberry, chestnut, cream cheese and chunky bean paste are wrapped in soft mochi, and the name is said to come from wanting people to exclaim, what on earth is this, nanja kora, at how delicious it is. The tart strawberry, sweet chestnut, mellow cream cheese and bean paste combine into a luxurious taste. It is generously sized. It is sold at the shop in Miyazaki City and elsewhere. Its beautiful cross-section is also a surprise.

Typical price

¥400–500 each

Where

Miyazaki City

Miyazaki is known for its mangoes, and large, very sweet mangoes ripened on the tree are a premium brand called Taiyo no Tamago, egg of the sun. Parfaits generously made with ripe mangoes offer melting flesh, rich sweetness and a lush aroma. You can enjoy them from early summer to summer, the mango season, at cafes and fruit shops in Miyazaki City. It is a luxurious sweet only sunny Miyazaki can offer. Plan your visit for mango season.

Typical price

¥1,500–3,000

Where

Miyazaki City and around