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Two Misaki horses on a grassy slope at Cape Toi with hazy hills behind

Cape

Cape Toi

Cape Toi, at the southern tip of Miyazaki, is home to the Misaki horses, a small native breed that has lived here, largely left to itself, since the late 17th century. About a hundred of them graze on open grassland above the sea, and they are protected as a national natural monument.

Why visit

The Misaki horses were first put out to graze on Cape Toi by the lords of the Takanabe domain in 1697. Unlike most horses in Japan, they have been left to live much as they please ever since, finding their own food and shelter. Seeing them grazing on the green slopes, with the Pacific behind them, is a wonderful and peaceful sight, and it feels a world away from the rest of Japan.

What to see

  • The horses: they are usually easy to find on the open grassland near the road. Foals are born in spring.
  • Cape Toi Lighthouse: a white lighthouse on the cliffs at the end of the cape, with wide views over the ocean.
  • Koshima: a small island off the coast nearby, famous among scientists for its Japanese macaques, which learned to wash sweet potatoes in the sea in the 1950s.
  • The coast road: the drive from Nichinan to the cape passes quiet bays, fishing ports and cliffs.
Several Misaki horses grazing on a green hillside at Cape Toi under a blue sky
Misaki horses grazing on the slopes of Cape Toi.

Seeing the horses responsibly

The horses are wild animals. Do not touch or feed them, keep a few metres away, and never stand behind them, as they can kick. Drive slowly, as they often walk along and across the road.

Tips

  • There is a small fee to enter the horse area by car.
  • Public transport to the cape is very limited. You will need a car or a tour.
  • Allow a full day from Miyazaki city, or break the journey in Obi.
  • Combine the cape with the rest of the coast in our guide to driving the Nichinan coast.
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