The New Japan – Issue 03: Miyazaki

The New Japan is a bilingual magazine exploring regional culture across Japan beyond the familiar centres of Tokyo and Kyoto.

Issue 03 travels to Miyazaki Prefecture in southeastern Kyushu, a subtropical region shaped by a growing surf culture and a new generation of people building businesses, communities and creative practices around local life.

The issue looks at the revival of Aoshima, once famous across Japan as a honeymoon destination, and explores new approaches to regional design in the historic castle town of Obi. It also follows craftspeople keeping local traditions alive, including Sadowara dolls and the large-catch fishing flags of Yoshida Hataten.

Surfing runs through the issue as both sport and culture, including a story on board builder Kaitō Morizono and the broader community of migrants drawn to Miyazaki’s coastline. The result is a portrait of a region where inherited traditions and new ideas are developing side by side.

About The New Japan
Published by NOT A HOTEL, The New Japan is a biannual bilingual magazine dedicated to regional Japanese culture. Edited by W. David Marx, it focuses on local traditions, food, craft, nature and new cultural movements, with the aim of giving readers a reason to explore parts of Japan that receive less international attention.