Sun Messe Nichinan (Seven Giant Replicated Moai Statues Overlooking the Pacific Ocean)

Category: Seaside Megalithic Parks, Pacific Ocean Vistas & Iconic Photo Spots | Location: 1 hr 15 min via Miyazaki Kotsu Bus from JR Miyazaki Station to Sun Messe Nichinan stop (5 minutes north of Udo Jingu Shrine).

Perched upon rolling green coastal slopes high above the cobalt expanse of the Pacific Ocean along the Nichinan Coast, **Sun Messe Nichinan** is a one-of-a-kind open-air cultural park fusing South Pacific mythology with Kyushu's subtropical splendor. The park's world-famous centerpiece is a monumental lineup of **Seven Giant Moai Statues**, standing 5.5 meters tall and weighing between 18 and 20 tons each, gazing stoically toward the open sea. Incredibly, this is the only location on Earth granted official authorization by the Council of Elders of Easter Island (Rapa Nui) to replicate the sacred Moai monoliths—a gesture of profound gratitude for Japanese restoration teams and industrial crane engineers who painstakingly rebuilt the ruined Ahu Tongariki megaliths following the 1960 Chilean tsunami. Each of the seven statues at Sun Messe Nichinan is widely celebrated as a potent spiritual "power spot," believed to bestow specific blessings upon pilgrims who touch their weathered volcanic stone surfaces. From left to right, the monoliths channel luck in: business enterprise, health and vitality, love and marriage, overall dream fulfillment, financial wealth, family fertility, and academic achievement. Standing amidst these monolithic stone giants while ocean breezes sweep in from the vast Pacific horizon evokes a surreal feeling of being transported to a remote Polynesian archipelago. Ascending the terraced amphitheater behind the statues leads to manicured flower gardens, breezy scenic pavilions, and playful contemporary art installations. At the hill's apex stands the **Moai Exhibition Center**, detailing Easter Island's rich anthropological history, alongside the whimsical rainbow-colored "Voyageurs" sculptures seated perpetually overlooking the infinite horizon. Visitors can rent motorized golf carts to explore the park's scenic crests, indulge in sweet local Miyazaki ripe mango soft-serve, and capture breathtaking panoramic photographs across one of southern Japan's most unique oceanfronts.