Miyazaki Prefecture ■Horikiri Pass ■The Prefecture at a glance 　Miyazaki is situated in the Southwest of Kyushu island, bordered to the North by Oita Prefecture, to the West beyond the Kyushu ranges by Kumamoto Prefecture, and to the Southwest by Kagoshima Prefecture. The Prefecture faces on to the Pacific Ocean to the East. The mountainous topography means that agricultural land is comparatively limited and mountain forest regions make up 76% of the total area of the Prefecture. Along the coastline, which runs for a total of 400 kilometers, are three major ports: Hososhima in the North, Miyazaki in the center of the prefecture, and Aburatsu to the South. Miyazaki Prefecture is home to a population of 1,152,865 (as at January 1, 2006), many of whom are engaged in the agriculture and forestry industries. This part of Japan enjoys a temperate climate all year round. In Spring, as cherry trees and azaleas burst into bloom, festivals are held all over the Prefecture ? including the Miyazaki Flower Festa at the Kodomo-no-Kuni theme park. The mild winters attract many professional sporting teams to hold intensive training camps in the Prefecture, a phenomenon which attracts many visitors to Miyazaki from throughout Japan. ■Miyazaki Flower Festa ■Kyomachi spa district   Misato Town ■A sea of clouds viewed from Mikado ■The Town at a glance 　On January 1, 2006, the villages of Saigo, Nango and Kitago merged to create the new town of Misato. 　Misato Town is situated almost at the center of the county of Higashiusuki-gun, in the Northern part of Miyazaki Prefecture. Most of the town’s total area of 449.26 square kilometers consists of heavily wooded mountains. Eight other municipalities share borders with Misato: Hyuga City and Kadokawa Town to the East, Shiiba and Morotsuka Villages to the West, Saito City and Kijo Town to the South, and Hinokage Town and Nobeoka City to the North. The area is framed by picturesque mountain ranges and the clear streams of the Omarugawa, Isuzugawa and Mimigawa rivers. The people fortunate enough to call this superb natural environment their home are simple, strong-hearted and gentle in character. 　Misato is also blessed by many cultural and historical relics and attractions including the legends of Kudara (Baekje), the Onda Festival and the Unama Jizo image. ■Onda Festival ■Nakagoya Astronomical Observatory