Miyazaki is located southeast of Kyushu, a fertile, lush place, one of the places with the heaviest rainfall each year in Japan. If you are a beach lover like me then the rainfall can sometimes disappoint you. However, the benefit of rain is that it keeps many forests, mountains and valleys beautiful green.
One of the places that never ceases to amuse visitors is Kaeda Valley (加江田渓谷) about a 30-minute drive south of Miyazaki city. This is a forested area lined with roads that you walkable, from easy to difficult If you want to spend an hour or a whole day exploring the wild beauty, this is the choice for you.
You can park your car in the free parking lot at the entrance to the valley (see pinned location on the map) and start your hike from there. There is a large map of the different walks that you can refer to in the car park or if you want to take a map with you you can pick up a free map in the little hut on the left as soon as you arrive. you enter the parking lot.
After parking your car, you can relax before heading to the valley, where there are outdoor meat areas and a swimming pool on the left hand side about 500 meters away. Many families and children gather here, especially during the summer months, because it is cool and convenient for cooking. Furthermore, the natural freshwater lake there is friendly to users of all ages and levels.
The main walk through the valley follows a single path along the river. It's almost completely finished so anyone can go. The beauty of the trip is that you get a perfect view of the various rock formations along the river, including the incredible cobalt blue water that awaits you about 1.5 km further. Following this main trail, you will find many hikers of all ages, all of whom will greet you with the friendly Japanese greeting 'konnichiwa'.
From start to finish, the main walk will take up the lion's share of the 4-5 hour walk. If you stop along the way to take photos, rest, chat or just to admire the beautiful surroundings, it may take even longer! From the main road you can find waterfalls of different sizes, many different types of birds and if you are lucky you can see cyclones crossing the rocks.
There are many small paths off the main road that you can explore, some taking you down to the river, or others taking you up into the mountains. If you choose the latter, it's best to go with someone who knows the path and has been there before. No matter which route you choose, and how far you walk, Kaeda Valley is a trip that anyone can enjoy, any time of year.
