Amanohashidate: Culture and Coastline

📍 Travel Time Kyoto Station to Amanohashidate Station: Approx 2 h 10 min

Today is a self-guided day.

Depart from Kyoto Station on a morning train and arrive at the Sea of Japan coast, disembarking at Amanohashidate Station. Welcome to Kyoto by the Sea, a delightful destination famous for tranquil coastal views and tasty seafood.

The rest of the day is at leisure to explore the seaside town. Guests will receive an all-inclusive Amanohashidate Day Pass granting access to boat rides, rental bikes, and cable cars.

Suggested Sightseeing Itinerary:

Explore the town, starting with the Amanohashidate sandbar, a 3km-long stretch of forested parkland and beach that cuts through the Miyazu Bay. This has long been counted among the Three Most Beautiful Views in Japan, and is said to have been used as a ladder by the gods when they descended to our earthly realm for mischief in ancient times. 

Walk the sandbar and enjoy the feeling of being in a pine forest while only mere meters from the sandy beach and lapping water – a memorable experience only possible here. Bicycle rentals are available as part of the included Amanohashidate Day Pass.

Visit the beautiful grounds of Chionji temple and browse local shops and cafes in the quaint town seaside town. 

Ascend to one of the lookout points at either end of the sandbar via cable car. The rather amusing local custom is to bend over and view the sandbar upside down while looking through your spread legs. This angle is said to make the island look like a dragon flying towards heaven. Give it a try and see!

Check into the hotel and enjoy a dinner featuring Miyazu Bay’s famous seafood.

Overnight in Amanohashidate
 

Inclusions:

🍗 Dinner

Today is a self-guided day.

This morning, board a bus for a ride to Ine village, a one-of-a-kind community on the north end of the Kyotango Peninsula. This charming fishing village features over 200 waterside boathouses, and is the only spot in Japan to experience this kind of rare scenery. Still unknown to most travellers, this is a truly special destination where sustainable travel is carefully managed to prevent overtourism.

Additional Transportation Options Between Amanohashidate and Ine

For guests who prefer to travel in speed and style, a private speedboat is available as one way or round trip transport between Amanohashidate and Ine. The captain knows all the best scenic coastal spots to slow down for photos.

Inquire with your Travel Consultant for more information.

Arrive in Ine, an active fishing hub that works hard to maintain a sustainable community. Learn what it’s like to live here on a self-guided walk of the town. Stroll the quaint streets – rustic boathouses on one side, traditional wooden homes on the other – and discover the special charm of this quiet village. Enter preserved boathouses and see what life has been like in Ine for generations. Stop in at a local sake brewery – one of only a handful in Japan with a woman as the master brewer – to taste their famous pink tinted sake.

Hop in a boat operated by a local mariner and enjoy a sea taxi tour of Ine bay. This is a fun chance to see the town from a waterside perspective and learn the history of how this amazing village developed.

After a day of sightseeing and meeting the locals in Ine, board the bus again to return back to Amanohashidate for a cozy evening at the hotel.

Overnight in Amanohashidate

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🍗 Dinner

Greet the morning and consider a morning stroll on the sandbar before enjoying one of the following cultural activities:

 Local Activity (1): Chirimen Silk Experience and Weaving Tour

For centuries, northern Kyoto was a major hub for silk production – specifically chirimen silk, a delicate fabric praised for its texture. Learn more about this historic industry in a neighbourhood of preserved merchant homes. Enter a former silk merchant’s mansion and see how the wealthy lived in the late 19th century. Try on a high quality chirimen silk kimono and visit the workshops who are keeping this local craft alive.

Time
Start: 10:00
Duration: 2 h 45 min

 Local Activity (2): Tatami Mat Hands-On Lesson and Workshop Tour

Tatami mats were once the standard flooring in Japanese homes, but are slowly disappearing as western home design become more popular. However, there are still craftsmen creating these beautiful mats by hand with time-honoured precision. Witness the sustainable craft of tatami making in a family workshop in a former castle town. Use traditional weaving techniques to create your own mini tatami coaster, and gain a new appreciation for the effort that goes into this disappearing craft.

Time
Start: 10:00
Duration: 2 h 

 Local Activity (3): Local Food Cooking Workshop

This region is famous for the long lives of its residents, and it’s no secret that the local diet plays a role in this longevity. Fermented foods such as miso paste and soy sauce are popular here, and today guests will discover what makes these ingredients so special in a hands-on cooking lesson that includes lunch.

Meet a friendly local food expert who speaks fluent English and lean about key elements of Japanese cooking. Prepare lunch in a stylishly renovated kitchen and savour the flavours of this region’s life-granting food. (L)

Time
Start: 12:10
Duration: 2 h 30 min

Enjoy a final few hours in town for lunch and shopping before boarding a train back to Kyoto.

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast