Walking Through Sunmesse Nichinan in Miyazaki: A Scenic Route Guide to Moai Statues and Photo Spots
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Field Report: Exploring Sunmesse Nichinan, a Popular Scenic Park in Miyazaki
Sunmesse Nichinan sits along the Nichinan Coast in Miyazaki. The park features a wide hillside dotted with monuments, art pieces, and lookout points overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Various attractions and photo spots are spread throughout the grounds, making it a pleasant place to stroll amid open, coastal scenery.
This article shares what the visit was like based on an actual on-site experience.
For details on highlights and access information for Sunmesse Nichinan, see the guide below.
Read more about サンメッセ日南の見どころ
Recommended Walking Route for an Efficient Visit
First, let’s look at the overall layout of Sunmesse Nichinan.
The grounds are spacious and include slopes and stairways, so taking an efficient route helps avoid unnecessary backtracking. Below is a suggested walking route that flows smoothly through the park.
In this article, we will also follow this same route while introducing each area.
- Parking Area
- Welcome Plaza
- Tortoise Zone
- Moai Plaza
- Hilltop Swing
- Lovers’ Hill
- Voaiyan Statues
- Center Plaza
- Bell of Gratitude to Earth
- Sun Deck
- Butterfly Geoglyph
- Return to Parking Area
Starting from the Welcome Plaza
After descending the steps from the parking area, you will arrive at the Welcome Plaza, the starting point of the walking route.
At the Welcome Plaza, visitors can enjoy light snacks, browse the shop, and arrange rentals for round cars (electric carts). Many people begin their walk after taking a short break here. Nursing rooms and restrooms are also available.
The Lovable Slow-Paced Tortoise Zone
A gentle slope leads from the Welcome Plaza to the tranquil Tortoise Zone.
Watching them slowly enjoy their food creates a warm and soothing feeling.
The gentle sound of the waves and the calm atmosphere make this area especially relaxing.
The World’s Only Approved “Authentic” Moai: Moai Plaza
Next is Moai Plaza, the symbolic attraction of Sunmesse Nichinan.
Massive Moai statues stand proudly across the lawn. Combined with the blue sky and ocean, the scene evokes the atmosphere of Easter Island.
Soaring into the Sky: Hilltop Swing
A short uphill walk from Moai Plaza leads to the hilltop swing.
This is not an ordinary swing. It creates a thrilling sense of launching into the sky, and it is popular among both children and adults.
Give it a try.
Once you start swinging, it feels as if you are being lifted toward the open sky.
Lovers’ Hill with a Bell and Heart Monument
Continue uphill from the swing to reach Lovers’ Hill, where a small pavilion stands. A bell and a heart-shaped monument make this area especially popular with couples and families. A Moai statue is also placed nearby, making it a favored photo spot.
Vivid Voaiyan Statues Gazing Toward the Ocean and Moai
Next to Lovers’ Hill stands a row of seven colorful Voaiyan statues.
They face the ocean and the Moai statues, and many visitors take photos while sitting beside them.
A Rest Stop on the Hill: Center Plaza
Approaching the latter half of the walk, Center Plaza appears on an open hill. The facility includes a restaurant, rest areas, and an insect exhibition.
The open lawn and wide ocean views from this vantage point are lovely.
The Highest Point at Sunmesse Nichinan: “Stairway to the Sun” and the Bell of Gratitude to Earth
Climbing higher from Center Plaza, you’ll find the Stairway to the Sun extending straight up the hill.
At the top of the stairs stands the Bell of Gratitude to Earth.
This area is lined with monuments dedicated to prayers for peace.
This is the highest point in Sunmesse Nichinan, at an elevation of 120 meters, offering exceptional views.
Sun Deck Overlooking the Park and the Pacific Ocean
From here begins the return route. The Sun Deck offers sweeping views of the entire park.
Stone Artwork on the Hillside: The Butterfly Geoglyph
The last stop is the Butterfly Geoglyph, drawn across the slope of a hill.
Up close, each stone is placed carefully to form the butterfly pattern, giving the artwork a mysterious charm.
The ocean view from this point is also refreshing and beautiful.
Descend the stairs from here to return to the parking area.
The True Appeal of Sunmesse Nichinan Is the Place Itself
Walking through Sunmesse Nichinan, the greatest appeal felt here is simply spending time on its wide, green hillside.
There are many photogenic spots, and the enormous Moai statues are the only replicas in the world officially permitted by Easter Island to be restored—an extremely valuable feature.
Looking around, families and couples can be seen enjoying their walks throughout the park.
And then it strikes you.
A hillside of endless green, the blue ocean stretching before your eyes, and the vast sky above.
It makes you wonder when you last spent time in such an open, natural space.
If you plan to visit Miyazaki, consider adding Sunmesse Nichinan to your itinerary.
It offers a moment to reconnect with the simplicity of nature that we often take for granted.
