Horikiri Pass

Miyazaki's climate is relatively mild due to the warm Japan Current. It is a sun-filled region that enjoys many clear days and long daylight hours. The average annual temperature is 17.0 degrees Centigrade (63 degrees Fahrenheit), the third warmest in Japan. The hottest month is August, at an average 31.6 degrees Centigrade (89 degrees Fahrenheit) and the coldest month is January with an average of 2.3 degrees Centigrade (36 degrees Fahrenheit) (monthly average temperatures for 1997). Miyazaki enjoys an average 57 clear days a year (the third greatest number of clear days nationwide).

Miyazaki Prefecture is the second largest prefecture in Kyushu with a total land area of 7,734 square kilometers (2,986 square miles). The prefectural population is approximately 1.17-million, of which approximately 300,000 people reside in Miyazaki City. The prefecture's administrative offices and commercial functions are centered on Miyazaki City, and the city has developed as the largest in the prefecture.