Discover Kobayashi

Kobayashi brings together a strong connection to its train station, festival traditions, and nature. Key landmarks include Kobayashi Shinwa Road, KITTO Kobayashi, and the area around the station. The town of Kobayashi also features Sannomiya Gorge, Kirishima Mine Shrine, and seasonal events. This offers a variety of ways to plan your stay: around the central area, around a festival date, or with an outing into the countryside.

Getting around Kobayashi Station

Kobayashi Shinwa Road runs from Kobayashi Station to Hinamori Auto Campground. If you plan to travel this route, check the route conditions and those of the facilities along it before your visit.

KITTO Kobayashi is located north of JR Kobayashi Station. It serves as a center for tourism, transportation, and community exchange. E-bikes are available for rent at the tourist information office there, and bicycles are also available for touring Kobayashi. If you would like to use either option, check availability and terms in advance.

Restaurants, cafés, and shops cluster around Kobayashi Station. The station area and KITTO offer different points of reference: dining and shopping are the focus around the station, while KITTO connects tourism, transportation, and community exchange.

Festivals and seasonal events

At the “Kobayashi Autumn Festival,” people pray for a good harvest and give thanks for the harvest. Participants parade through the central area of Kobayashi. Both the harvest theme and the procession through town are defining features of this traditional festival. Dates and traffic restrictions may vary from year to year. If you are planning your trip around the festival, check the specific dates and local notices.

In the town of Kobayashi, Makiba no Sakura is a road about two kilometers long, lined with around 1,000 Somei-Yoshino cherry trees. The “Makiba no Sakura Festival” is held annually around late March and features stage performances and fireworks at night. The blossoms and program may vary from year to year. If you are planning your stay around the cherry blossoms or festival, take this into account and check the relevant dates.

During the “Idenoyama Firefly Festival,” a walking path that is normally closed is opened for four days. Around 3,000 Genji fireflies can be seen. Access to this path is therefore limited to the festival period. If you are planning to include this activity, check the festival dates and conditions before your trip.

Gorge and cultural heritage

Sannomiya Gorge, in the town of Kobayashi, has a hiking trail about one kilometer long with eleven tunnels. In 2002, the trail was selected as one of Japan’s 100 best walking trails. The gorge is also home to Byobuiwa, a rock formation about 32 meters high and 60 meters wide. The trail, tunnels, and rock formation each offer their own point of interest in the gorge.

Kirishima Mine Shrine in the town of Kobayashi was merged with Himonori Shrine in 1874. The shrine is also home to the Unryū Makibashira Pillar, which was designated a tangible cultural property of the city of Kobayashi in 2020. These are two distinct cultural points of interest: the historical merger of the shrines and the later designation of a specific cultural object.

Discover more destinations: Saito, Miyazaki, Nichinan, Gokase, Ebino, Sankasho, Nobeoka, Hyūga

For the main travel overview: Miyazaki Prefecture.