Your list 
5 Souviners our local Miyazaki writer recommends.
Hey everyone! Did you enjoy your time in Miyazaki!?!?
Souvenirs are unavoidable when traveling. I always end up with lots to carry after doing last-minute souvenir shopping, but it does make it feel like I have come to the end of my trip as well, ultimately making it an important part of the trip.
It's not only a chance to buy things you can only buy here, but a great way to learn about the local history and culture as well. Miyazaki has many local souvenirs that are unique to each area. Let me, as a resident of Miyazaki, introduce a few of these souvenirs that I highly recommend you take home with you.
Writer introduction
My name is Shunpei Sato. I live in a town called Takachiho in Miyazaki Prefecture. I work as a writer and farmer in Takachiho, which is famous for the Takachiho gorge and Takachiho-no Yokagura, a village festival and traditional Shinto ritual. I have lived in Miyazaki since a young age and I am both a farmer and inheritor of the Takachiho-no Yokagura as well.
In this issue, I would like to introduce my favorite Miyazaki souvenirs, as a born and raised citizen of Miyazaki.
When talking about Miyazaki sweets, Cheese Manju is a must.
My first recommendation is the Cheese Manju from Okashi-no Hidaka. Cheese Manju is a twist on the traditional flour-based pastry that is usually filled with red bean paste, instead, it is packed full of cheese. These cheese manju are very popular in Miyazaki, with many shops boasting their original take on them. Although there are many variations, my favorite is the cheese manju from Okashi-no Hidaka. I have enjoyed this delicious manju from a young age because of my special connection with them. OKashi-no Hidaka started selling cheese manju in 1991 and I was born in 1991. These Manju are great with coffee or tea and even match well with white wine. When I visit Osaka or Tokyo from Miyazaki I always take some of these as souvenirs.
Where you can buy this souvenir: Miyazaki Station, Miyazaki Airport, Okashi-no Hidaka stores
Crunchy and delicious Gobochi
My next recommendation is Gobochi. These chips are crunchy and fragrant, made with thinly sliced burdock root. Burdock root is a popular ingredient in Japan and a great source of fiber. This may not be something you are familiar with, but it’s a great snack to enjoy with some alcohol and a great topping on your favorite dish to add texture. Just give it a go and I am sure you will be pleasantly surprised.
Where you can buy this souvenir: Miyazaki Station, Miyazaki Airport
Craft beer that lets you enjoy the climate of Miyazaki
There are plenty of shochu distilleries and wineries in Miyazaki, but a few craft beer breweries have opened up in recent years. Today, I would like to recommend one of these craft beer breweries. The name of the brewery is MiyazakiPhoenixBrewing. When the owner, Mr Adachi, visited Seattle and Portland, he found a kind and friendly brewery and wanted to make a place like that in Japan. This is why he started MiyazakiPhoenixBrewing.
You can drink the beers brewed on-site and you can take a tour of the brewery on request as well. And yes, they have beers that are perfect for souvenirs.
Where you can buy this souvenir: The MiyazakiPhoenixBrewing store
Miyazaki dialect T-shirt
This T-shirt I am wearing right now is also one of my recommended souvenirs. The Japanese characters written on the back read “paka paka”, which is the local Miyazaki dialect for the sound that traffic lights make when they are flashing. They also have T-shirts with other local phrases like “yodakii (I can’t be bothered)” and “tege (very)”. These T-shirts can be bought at P'MAS, which makes a wide range of T-shirts. There are around 10 different local dialect T-shirts available and the airport store has T-shirts with illustrations relating to Miyazaki as well.
Where you can buy this souvenir: Miyazaki Airport, P’MAS outlet store
Days off: 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month
Opening hours: 11:00 ~ 19:30 (10:30 ~ 19:00 on Sundays)
The soft aizome scarf, a way to experience a traditional craft
The scarf I am wearing at the moment is also a souvenir. This is the Aizome fuwafuwa scarf from Aya Town’s hand-weaving and silk dyeing workshop (AYANOTE) we introduced in our rainy day series. Each one of these 100% cotton scarves is handcrafted and dyed using natural indigo by master craftsmen. A distinct characteristic of these handcrafted scarfs are the patterns which come out slightly differently each time. They have a wide range of indigo-dyed items such as blouses at their workshop. Please check them out.
Where you can buy this souvenir: ayanote's STORE
Special mention: An item you need to enjoy at the store, Nanjakora-daifuku
The last special mention I want to make is the Nanjakora-daifuku. This treat can be found at Okashi-no Hidaka which I mentioned above in the cheese manju section. The name Nanjakora means “what the hell?” in the Miyazaki dialect. Take a bite and you will understand why, you will find yourself saying “nanjakora” when you see what is inside.
Inside you'll find red bean paste, chestnut, strawberry, and cream cheese. It is quite a mouthful. “Nanjakora!”. This is another flavor from my childhood and a food item I hope you will try when you visit Miyazaki.
Where you can buy this souvenir: Okashi-no Hidaka stores
Conclusion
When a vacation is coming to an end, I find myself feeling relieved to be returning home, but also a little sad that the end is near. However, souvenirs are memories that you can take home with you. If you can’t decide what a good souvenir might be, the snacks and T-shirts I have recommended today won’t disappoint, so please keep an eye out for them.
Alright, well, it’s time for me to head home with my souvenirs.
I hope to see you in Miyazaki again soon!