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In March 2026, after stopping by Aoshima Shrine, I drove south along the Nichinan Coast toward Udo Jingu.
Udo Jingu is located in Nichinan, Miyazaki Prefecture. It is known for its main shrine building, which stands inside a sea-facing cave on a cliff above the Hyuga-nada Sea.
- Udo Jingu (Japanese only): https://www.udojingu.or.jp/
This time, I headed for a parking lot very close to Udo Jingu.
From National Route 220, I followed the signs onto a side road, then turned onto a narrow road marked by a torii gate at the entrance. The road through the residential area around the fishing port was fairly narrow, but after driving along the coast for a while and crossing over a hill, I reached the parking lot near the shrine approach.
The parking lot sits on a hill facing the sea.
After walking through an area lined with souvenir shops, I arrived at the Shinmon gate of Udo Jingu.
Beyond the Shinmon gate, the next gate is a two-story Romon gate.
After passing through the Romon gate, there is a row of torii gates on the left leading up to Udo Inari Shrine.
After visiting Udo Inari Shrine and returning to the main approach, I came to a bridge with bright vermilion railings.
Across the bridge, stone lanterns and a line of rabbit statues with a distinctive, charming look stand along the path.
A short walk from there, the bridge, the cave, and the open area facing the sea came into view.
In front of the open area, waves crash hard against unusually shaped rocks.
The main shrine building of Udo Jingu is inside the cave.
After praying, I followed the passage around the back of the main shrine building.
Inside the cave, there is a rock called “Ochichi-iwa,” or the Breast Rock, which seems to be connected with a legend about water dripping from the rock.
The area behind the main shrine building is dimly lit and surrounded by damp rock, giving it a distinctive atmosphere.
After finishing my visit, I headed back the way I came.
On the way back, I stopped at a cafe attached to one of the souvenir shops. I had coffee and a lemon-flavored cream puff, then wrapped up my walk around Udo Jingu.
The whole visit took about an hour.
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Change History #
- 2026/07/05: First version.
