The largest entertainment district in Miyazaki Prefecture Nishitachi, the city where night life thrives: a guide to hang out in the local way

Miyazaki Prefecture is known as the kingdom of livestock farming. The "Miyazaki Jitokko chicken" is one of the brands that boasts tremendous popularity in the prefecture.
It is a native breed of chicken called "Jitokko" that was originally raised at the foot of Mount Kirishima (in the western part of the prefecture).
The prefectural government has independently improved the breed and created it as a chicken for food.
Raised in a spacious poultry house in a relaxed way, the Miyazaki Jitokko is characterized by its moderate muscle mass and healthy internal organs.
You can taste it with various cooking methods such as chicken namban, a representative of Miyazaki's gourmet dishes, as well as charcoal-grilled chicken.

''Gunkei Honten Kakushigura'' is located on a small street off the main street, creating an atmosphere of hideout.
“Gunkei” is also particular about the breeding method of their jidori chicken, and has an established reputation for quality.
The chicken sold here is a brand of chicken called "Miyazaki Jitokko," , which is characterized by its softness and moderate elasticity.
The restaurant is filled with the savory smell of Jidori chicken being grilled over a charcoal fire.

The most famous dish is "Sumibi-yaki," which is "Miyazaki Jitokko Chicken" dynamically grilled over charcoal. It is grilled slowly to blend the aroma of the charcoal, and is served to the table in its best condition in terms of both aroma and texture. Another secret to the delicious taste is the original roasted salt, which is made by slowly roasting natural coarse salt. Although it is a simple dish, you can feel its profoundness and craftsmanship of the chef. It is delicious on its own, but the local way is to taste it with yuzu kosho (Japanese pepper with yuzu citrus).

Other local dishes on the menu include chicken namban and cold soup. This is one of the first places you should visit when you arrive in Miyazaki.

This is a unique type of eatery business in Japan where a barkeeper serves customers over a counter.
Generally, a female barkeeper called "Mama" serves customers. Another characteristic of this type of eatery is that customers tend to "enjoy conversation and drinks" rather than to enjoy the food.
The fee structure varies depending on the store, but many offer a fixed price and all-you-can-drink by the hour (3,000 to 4,000 yen/2 hours).
Most of them are also equipped with karaoke machines. Nishitachi is one of the most "snack-dense" areas in Japan 　with many unique snack bars scattered throughout the city.
If you enjoy snacks, "bar hopping" is recommended. It is common to visit not only one but two or three snack bars.

Ms.Tomoyo Toriyama, the Mama of "OTENBar," says, "We welcome everyone as long as you open the heavy door. At first glance, the atmosphere looks hard for you to casually drop in, but if you have the courage to open the door, you will find yourself in a relaxed atmosphere where regular customers and Mama enjoy friendly conversation while sipping a glass of shochu.
The toast is made with "shochu", the most standard liquor in the Kyushu region. There are many types of shochu, including Imo (sweet potato) shochu, Mugi (barley) shochu, and Kome (rice) shochu, but Imo shochu is the most popular in Miyazaki. It is recommended to taste it with water, on the rocks, or with hot water.

Many of the regular customers who have been coming to the bar for many years are friendly, and the atmosphere that naturally creates the communication with each other by sitting side by side at the counter, is also appealing.

"OTENBar" has an easy-to-understand price setting for all-you-can-drink and all-you-can-sing for 4,000 yen for 2 hours, so first-time visitors can also feel at ease.. There are many kinds of "shochu" available, so it is fun to compare different brands in your favorite way.

Since you are coming to Nishitachi, let’s make the most of it and enjoy “bar hopping culture”.
It is a great joy to open the door to the next snack bar with the afterglow of the shochu and pleasant conversation.

Udon, one of Japan's noodle dishes, has taken root in Miyazaki.
Unlike the firm udon noodles of the Shikoku region, the locals love "kamaage udon," which is softer udon noodle dipped in sauce.
Miyazaki's kamaage udon is served in a bowl with some of the hot cooking water.
The locals drink dipping sauce diluted with the hot cooking water.
In Japan, there is a custom of "shime," or finishing off a meal with ramen or other food after enjoying sake, but in Miyazaki, kamaage udon is often the final dish.

One of the most popular restaurants in the Nishitachi area is “Kamaage Udon Togakushi Main Store.”
The spacious interior is a remnant of a former ballroom dance school. When the school served udon to its students, it quickly became popular, and the udon store was established in 1967.

The noodles are made from a proprietary blend of several types of wheat to create a soft and chewy texture. The noodles are thinly made so that they can be easily coated with the sauce.

The sauce is made from kombu (kelp) and katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes), and has a simple, clean taste. The sourness and aroma of the yuzu adds to the flavor and increases one's appetite. After finishing the noodles, it is the local way to finish off the soup by diluting the sauce with hot cooking water.

Miyazaki Prefecture is one of the leading producers of Kuroge Wagyu beef in Japan. Only the highest quality beef is allowed to bear the name "Miyazaki beef". Miyazaki beef is served at the after-party of the Academy Awards ceremony, and its rich flavor attracts people from all over the world. The high quality of its fat makes it ideal for barbeque and steaks.

"Tachibana-dori Miyachiku APAS" is a restaurant directly operated by Miyachiku, which processes beef, pork, and other products produced in Miyazaki Prefecture and supplies the meat within Miyazaki Prefecture and throughout Japan. As a company that is in very close proximity to the growers, they have absolute confidence in the quality of their products.

We also recommend spending an elegant moment at the counter where you can immerse yourself in a VIP atmosphere. The chef grills Miyazaki beef on a large iron plate to your liking. You will be enchanted by the gorgeous handiwork and the dynamic flames when flambéing which is full of live feeling.

Once the steak is cooked, you will be surprised to taste the sweetness of the fat in addition to the flavor of the meat. You can enjoy it with onion sauce or garlic sauce, or simply with wasabi or Miyazaki salt to appreciate the original quality of the ingredients. The shop also has a wide variety of Miyazaki wines, which are a perfect match for the Miyazaki beef.

In addition to the teppan counter, there is also table seating with a yakiniku grill in the center, allowing diners to enjoy the delicious taste of Miyazaki beef in a more casual setting.

Miyazaki is a fruit kingdom blessed with a mild climate and abundant sunshine. Miyazaki boasts one of the nation's largest harvests of mangoes, Hyuganatsu and kumquats, which are harvested only when perfectly ripe. In addition, many other various fruits, such as passion fruit and papayas, are harvested in abundance and are in season one after the other as if following the seasons.

"Fruit Ohno Annex" is a fruit parlor run by "Fruit Ohno", a fruit store established in 1982. You can enjoy parfaits that use plenty of fruits produced in Miyazaki, a southern land.
Among them, the parfait using "Miyazaki ripe mangoes" is one of the most popular items. Miyazaki ripe mangoes of Irwin cultivar is characterized by its rich sweetness and melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Fruits such as kumquat, kiwi, grapes, dragon fruit, Hyuganatsu, and persimmons are used as the base of the parfait (contents vary according to season). The homemade milk gelato, made without eggs, is also a perfect match for the fruits.

Other seasonal parfaits starring seasonal fruits such as Hyuganatsu and kumquat are also available. The fruit store's unique cocktails, which lavishly use fruit, are also very flavorful and make for a wonderful evening spent at "Nishitachi".