Places for Fun and Relaxation

Houri River Hot Spring: "Bijin no yu"

The Houri River hot spring is located at the foot of Mount Okue and is known as "bijin no yu" or “the spring of the beautiful." You can enjoy the view of stunning mountains while soaking in the relaxing hot water of the indoor and outdoor baths. The hot spring water is known for breaking down oils and dirt from pores resulting in perfectly smooth skin. It is even known to relieve symptoms of rheumatism, arthritis, and neuralgia. You may also enjoy nearby activities such as mountain climbing before relaxing in the bath.
The Houri River is home to several beautiful sights throughout the year such as azaleas fields in spring, valley campsites in summer, colorful leaves in autumn, and frozen waterfalls in winter. 

The Secret of "Bijin no yu"

Houri River's "bijin no yu" is a sodium bicarbonate hot spring composed mainly of sodium and hydrogen carbonate ions with weak amounts of alkaline. However as the spring water heats up the levels of alkaline increase along with it. Alkaline hot springs help release the skin's fatty oils and dirt leaving the skin feeling silky, soft and refreshed.
Bathing in hot springs has been linked to relieving stress, insomnia and constipation, providing particularly good results when repeated. 

Information

Entrance fee: Adult (Junior High School and above) 500 yen, Children (Elementary School) 300 yen, Infants free.
Opening hours : 10:00 to 20:00 (Closed on Thursdays, except for National Holidays)

Access

Approximately 50 minutes by car from from Nobeoka City Center (Iwato-Nobeoka Road), or 70 minutes by bus.
Japanese name: Hori-gawa Onsen Bijin-no-yu (祝子川温泉 美人の湯)

Healthtopia Nobeoka

Healthtopia is an all-purpose and year-round health and leisure facility containing a large swimming area, health studio, and restaurant. There are a wide variety of activities and facilities including an infrared sauna, a heated pool with whirlpool and waterslide, sleeping baths, and even an outdoor hot spring.

Access

About 15 minutes by car from Nobeoka City Center.
For groups of 15 people or more there is a courtesy bus available upon reservation. (Limited to regions within 30 minutes from the facility one-way).
Japanese name: Healthtopia Nobeoka (ヘルストピア延岡)

Ayu Yana

"Ayu Yana" is the name of a traditional fishing method that uses a trap to catch fish as they swim downstream to lay their eggs. These traditional sweetfish traps are set over the Ose River which runs approximately through the center of Nobeoka, and are a common sight to see in the fall. The "Kawazuru Yana Restaurant" opens along the Ose River during the sweetfish season, serving Ayu cuisine with natural flavors.
Ayu are known as "fragrant fish" due to their beautiful color and pleasant aroma. Their unique taste must be enjoyed in the same area that they are freshly caught. It is one of the flavors of autumn in Japan that you definitely do not want to miss. 

Access

Near the Kawamachi Community Hall (かわまち交流館) next to Ose River.
Approximately 10 minutes by car from from Nobeoka City Center. 
Japanese name: Ayu Yana (鮎やな)

Sumie Family Resort Village 

The Sumie Family Resort Village is a general accommodations resort located next to Sumie Beach with a grass skiing area, public barbecues, and a hut for roasting food over charcoal. The "Beach Forest Sumie"(Beach no Mori Sumie) includes cabins, a camping site, and sports facilities including tennis courts and mini-golf. There is even a small aquarium called the "Family Aquarium" that holds approximately 800 fish of 150 different species including freshwater fish from the Gokase River and rare fish from the Hyuga-nada sea.

Information

Admission Fee: It is free of charge. (Rides, aquarium, etc. are charged separately.)
Opening Hours: 9:00 to 17:00
Closed on December 31st, February 1st and every Wednesday (or the following day in the case Wednesday is a public holiday).
Cabins: There are 8 one-story cabins and 4 two-story cabins equipped with air conditioning, a kitchen, bathroom, toilet, and bedding and tableware for 5 people. 
Caravan and Camping Site: There are seven divisions. Each division is equipped with a cooking area, shower block, toilet and 100V power supply.

Access:

About 25 minutes by car from Nobeoka City Center.
Japanese name: Sumie Kazoku Ryokou-mura (須美江家族旅行村)

Firefly House & Riverboat House

Fireflies are able to be seen all over Japan by rivers, rice fields, and houses, but the amount of places they can be seen are shrinking by the year. Kitagawa is one of the remaining places where fireflies can be seen naturally. The area's natural environment is essential to protecting the existence of the fireflies. The citizens of Kitagawa strive to preserve the town's natural environment as a habitat for the fireflies.
A revitalization project named "Firefly Naissance (birth)" and Firefly House were created from the warm hopes of the townspeople. Kitagawa citizens are studying nature conservation under the theme “raising hearts to look after nature." Inside the Firefly House you may find educational materials about fireflies, a research room, as well as a firefly observation and a breeding room.
Adjacent to the Firefly House you can find the Riverboat House. In the early days of the Showa period (1926～) the main product of Kitagawa were forest products. These goods were loaded onto cargo sailboats and transported to Nobeoka's eastern harbor. Using the river as a traffic route, the sailboats proved to be a very effective method of transporting cargo.
In the Riverboat House you may find restored fishing boats on display in efforts to preserve the history surrounding them. You can acquire a greater appreciation for Kitagawa's history after learning about and seeing the transportation boats that sustained the town's industry for so long. 

Addition Information

• The Fireflies of Kitagawa
• Making a Firefly Village
• Firefly Q&A

Event Information

In early summer many people gather by the riverbanks as the sun sets to see the alluring dance of the fireflies. As it grows darker in the evening, an increasing number of flickering lights begin to glow and dance innocently, unaware of the spectators gazing upon them with a sense of nostalgia. The beautiful event leaves the watcher feeling breathless and children eyes wide-open upon seeing the marvelous spectacle.
In June the Firefly Festival takes place. During this period entry into the Firefly House is free. 

Access

About 20 minutes by car from Nobeoka City Center. You can also take a train to Kitagawa Station (15min) and walk from there (5 min.)
Japanese name: Hotaru-no-yakata (ホタルの館)

Hamayuu Village

At Hamayuu Village you can have a great view over Shimo Aso Beach. There is a nearby seafood restaurant called "Kaisenkan" where you can try famous Miyazaki Prefecture fish delicacies such as the local "Himuka-hon Mackerel" and "Kitaura Open Sea Horse Mackerel." You may also find a salt field, sports facilities including tennis courts, and other accommodations such as cabins and a caravan site.
The cabins at Hamayuu Village are located beside the coast where you can smell the scent of trees lingering in the air. The campground tents are perfect for outdoor school camping as its location is in front of the beach. 

Information

Cabins are fully equipped with air conditioning, bath, toilet, refrigerator, kitchen, food utensils, barbeque set, rice cooker, hot water pot, bedding, and TV. Blankets are also available for rental. The caravan area is equipped with access to running water and 100 volt electricity, an outdoor cooking area, and outdoor tables.

Access

Approximately 30 minutes by car from Nobeoka City Center. 
Japanese name: Hamayuu-mura (浜木綿村)

Seiryu House

The Nature Recreation Village Center "Seiryu House" is located 12 kilometers north-west of the Kitaura's center. It faces the clear streams of the Mikawauchi River, a tributary of the Kitagawa River. Perfect as a quiet holiday resort, it is in the heart of lush green mountains and blessed by surrounding beauties of nature. Nearby you can see azalea, camellia, cherry blossom and Japanese andromeda flowers in bloom. You may even enjoy camping at the campsite below the center where there are a variety of camping and barbeque facilities. In early summer you can see a countless numbers of fireflies at dusk that produce a fairytale-like world. At the center you may also enjoy fresh and rich seasonal dishes like sashimi, wild boar hotpot, shiitake mushrooms, edible wild plants, and freshwater fish cuisine.

Access

Approximately 50 minutes by car from Nobeoka City Center.
Japanese name: Seiryuu-sou (清流荘) 

Kitaura Roadside Stop

This Roadside Stop is located at Hamayuu Village and includes a shop lined with popular specialties from Kitaura such as processed marine products like seafood and seaweeds as well as fruits, green tea, shiitake mushrooms, and organic vegetables. The roadside stop also includes a production hall that manufactures salt using the ‘agehama' method flourished in Kitaura. The agehama method incorporates using seawater that is spread over sand at elevations higher than the high tide water level. After the seawater  evaporates from the sun, the leftover salt is then harvested from the remains. At the salt fields located at the Kitaura Roadside Stop, natural salt is made using a more traditional manufacturing method. For this method water is drawn from the clean sea of Kitaura and is then heated by burning pieces of firewood. The natural Kitaura salt contains many minerals vital to the human body such as calcium and magnesium. In addition the health product "Nigari-chan," a byproduct of Hamayuu Salt, is becoming more popular and is known to contain 92 varieties of high quality natural minerals.

Access

Approximately 30 minutes by car from Nobeoka City Center. 
Japanese name: Michi-no-eki Kitaura (道の駅北浦)

Kitagawa Hayuma Roadside Stop

The roadside stop "Kitagawa Hayuma" is equipped with facilities for rest and is a great place to stop for learning more about the local region. It features a large parking lot and is home to a variety of information resources that cover the area's culture, history, famous sights and local products. The name "Hayuma" originally comes from "Haya-uma" meaning "fast horse" in Japanese. It is said during the Asuka Period (550-710AD), the horses that were left at stations and other lodgings were given the name. The Hayuma Restaurant's menu makes great use of agricultural produce from Kitagawa and is perfect for providing relief from travel fatigue. There are also other facilities such as the "Product House" where you can purchase freshly grown vegetables as well as handmade goods. At the "Hayuma House" you can exchange and interact with locals, engaging in activities such as woodworking workshops and the tourism information booths. Finally everyday at 10:00, 12:00, 15:00, and 17:00, you can hear the “Hayuma Concert," a musical performance by a horse, a boy, and a girl happily playing music on a chestnut clock.

Event Information

Hayuma Morning Market - the 4th Sunday of each month (from 7:00)

Access

Approximately 15 minutes by car from Nobeoka City Center. 
Japanese name: Michi-no-eki Kita-gawa Hayuma (道の駅 北川はゆま)

Kitakata Yocchimiroya Roadside Stop

The Kitakata Yocchimiroya roadside stop is on Route 218 to the west of Tenma Oohashi Bridge. Local agriculture and specialty products created from the area's abundant nature are sold at the market. It is a lively place to shop and is frequented by many locals and visitors from outside the town. 

Access

Approximately 30 minutes by car from Nobeoka City Center. 
Japanese name: Michi-no-eki Kitakata Yocchimiro-ya (道の駅北方よっちみろ屋)

Nobeoka Botanical Gardens

Admission to the Nobeoka Botanical Gardens is free of charge. It is located in Crea Park, approximately 5km to the west of central Nobeoka. It has an area of 8.7 square hectares and is surrounded by secondary forests, ancient tumulus, and paddy fields. In the garden area you can find three observatories, promenades that meander through the trees, a spacious grass area, and an open space containing athletic facilities and playground equipment. There are also several flowerbeds, iris gardens, mandarin orange gardens, and fields where flowers of all four seasons bloom. The Botanical Gardens produce 200,000 seedlings each year as a floral supply center.

Access

Approximately 20 minutes by car from Nobeoka City Center.
Japanese name: Nobeoka Shokubutsuen (延岡植物園)

Arahira Park

Arahira Park is famous for its cherry blossoms. Approximately one-thousand cherry blossom trees bloom here each year.

Access

Approximately 20 minutes by car from Nobeoka City Center.
Japanese name: Arahira-kouen (荒平公園)

Shishigawa Valley

The Shishigawa Valley gets its water from the Oninome Mountain which is also known for its cedar trees. It is two kilometers long and is home to several ‘Yamame Trout' that live in the clear freshwater there. A slab of granite rock is commonly used as a natural waterslide and the area becomes a popular location for visitors in summer. It also serves as a great spot to enjoy the colored maple tree leaves and other broadleaf trees along its trail in late October. Shishigawa Valley can be enjoyed all year-round.

Access

Approximately 80 minutes by car from Nobeoka City Center.
Japanese name: Shishi-gawa Keikoku (鹿川渓谷)

ETO Land

ETO Land ("eto" is the Japanese word for the twelve zodiac signs in Chinese astrology) is located at an area known as the “Hayahi no Mine Peaks" from where you can see a panoramic view of the Sobo Katamuki Quasi-National Park mountain range. ETO Land is an entertainment and leisure facility equipped with a retro game center, go-karts, and cottages for accommodation.

Access

Approximately 50 minutes by car from Nobeoka City Center.
Japanese name: ETO Land (ETOランド速日の峰)

Kitagawa Sports Park

In front of the gentle streams of Kitagawa and among the beautiful scenery of the graceful mountain lies Kitagawa Sports Park. It is a place of spiritual learning for the heart and body as well as a great place for socializing and fun. Within the park, there are a variety of sports facilities such as a citizen's sports hall and tennis courts. It is often used for sports, recreation, and other special events. The park grounds are equipped with outdoor lighting so practice sessions and matches can be held even at night.

Access

Approximately 25 minutes by car from Nobeoka City Center.
Japanese name: Kitagawa Sougou Undou-kouen (北川総合運動公園)

Golf Clubs

You can find Golf Clubs in Nobeoka City including the Kitakata Golf Club which is spread out over a gently sloped hill with a full golf course of 18 holes. Many golfers visit the course to be greeted by a vast expanse of surrounding nature. The course is 72 pars and 6925 yards in length. You can even see Mount Hayahinomine in the distance from the course. The Nobeoka Golf Club also features an 18-hole golf course spread out over hilly terrain that overlooks the beautiful Nippo Coast. The total length of the 72 par course is 6,924 yards.

Access

Kitakata Golf Club is approximately 20 minutes by car from the Nobeoka City Center, while Nobeoka Golf Club is approximately 25 minutes.