Photo: Shiro_KUROGI / CC BY 4.0Checked · Researched, not yet visited · times from official timetables and our estimates · Takumi Yamada
Umagase and the Hososhima Lighthouse
The tip of Cape Hyuga, over the Pacific. From the car park a path leads to Sukeruccha, a glass-floored deck over the cliff opened in 2022, and two minutes on to the Umagase lookout. The white Hososhima Lighthouse, first built in 1910 and rebuilt in 1941, is on the same path. Free and open all day; car park for 70 with toilets. No taxis wait here, so keep the car.
Taxi from the quay to the Umagase car park, 5.5 km, about ¥2,200 each way, our estimateGoogle MapsSea of the Cross
A rock reef split 200 m east to west and 220 m north to south, so that the sea makes a cross; the name is from the Portuguese cruz. With the rock beside it the shape reads as 叶, “to come true”, and the lookout has a bell to ring for a wish. Free, open all day; car park for 22.
Taxi from the quay, 5.1 km, about ¥2,100, our estimate; 1.3 km from UmagaseGoogle MapsOmi Shrine and the Udo cave
A shrine on columnar rock beside Isegahama beach, known locally as Hyuga’s Ise. The grounds hold a sazare-ishi boulder, the rock named in the national anthem. Udo Shrine is in the sea cave next door: from the small shrine inside, the cave mouth has the outline of a rising dragon. Free, open all day, free parking.
Taxi from the quay, 3.1 km, about ¥1,400, our estimateGoogle MapsTakachiho Gorge and Manai Falls
Columnar cliffs 80 m high on average along the Gokase River, with the 17 m Manai Falls dropping into the water. A path of about 1 km follows the gorge to the lookout over the falls; it needs no ticket. With 2.5 hours of driving it fits a call of nine hours or more in port: Seabourn Encore’s and Seven Seas Explorer’s ten-hour calls, and Asuka III’s nine.
Hired car or taxi, 62.9 km, about 1 h 15 min each way, our estimate; or a ship’s tourGoogle MapsRowing boat under Manai Falls
Thirty minutes on the river under the falls, up to three people a boat, ¥5,100 a boat on the November 2026 calendar. Book online, from 9:00 two weeks ahead to 9:00 two days ahead; slots sell out within minutes, and same-day tickets are sold at the desk only if any remain. Boats run 8:30–17:00, last reception 16:30, and stop when the river is high or for safety checks in January, April, July and October.
Takachiho Gorge, boat desk at No. 1 Oshioi car park; 62.9 km from the quayGoogle MapsMimitsu old town
The port of the Takanabe Akizuki domain. Its Tachinui quarter is a national preservation district of shipping agents’ houses from the late Edo and Meiji periods. The Machinami Center and Mimitsu-ken are free, the History and Folklore Museum ¥220; all open 9:00–16:30 and close on Mondays, or the next day when Monday is a holiday.
Taxi from the quay, 13.9 km, about ¥5,200 each way, our estimateGoogle MapsSeafood bowl at Umi-no-Eki Hososhima
The Hyuga fishing cooperative’s own restaurant and shop at Hososhima’s commercial harbour. The bowl is bonito and tuna from the boats, with fish soup. Restaurant 11:00–14:30, last order 14:00; shop 10:00–17:00. Closed Mondays and the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays.
Taxi from the quay, 2.2 km, about ¥1,100, our estimateGoogle Maps
Hebesu soft-serve at Umagase Chaya
Hebesu is a green citrus that began in Hyuga. Umagase Chaya, the shop and information desk by the car park, sells it as soft-serve, its best seller, with local sake and sweets. 8:40–17:20 October to March, 9:10–17:50 April to September; closed 31 December.
Beside the Umagase car park, 5.5 km from the quay by taxiGoogle Maps
The Hyottoko send-off on the quay
Hyuga’s own dance: dancers in red with comic fox, okame and hyottoko masks. On the February 2026 calls they danced on the quay an hour before sailing, with taiko drummers half an hour before, and the city set up a local product fair for the day. Whether it is held for a given call is not published, and it can change with the weather; if it is, be back early enough to see it.
On the quay, a short walk from the gangway, before sailingGoogle MapsCape Hyuga by taxi in three hours
Umagase, the Sea of the Cross and Omi Shrine are 1.3 km and 3.8 km apart, and the shrine is 3 km from the quay, so one taxi kept for three hours covers them all. The tourism association gives ¥5,560 an hour and warns that taxis run short when a ship is in: phone one of the five companies before the call.
Taxi by the hour from the quay: ¥16,680 for three hours on cruise daysGoogle Maps
