BEYOND KYOTANGO
Kyotango is also the perfect central location for travel & sightseeing around Northern Kansai
The Bridge to Heaven
Amanohashidate
“Amanohashidate” located in Miyazu Bay in the Sea of Japan, in northern Kyoto Prefecture, together with “Matsushima” in Miyagi Prefecture and “Miyajima” in Hiroshima, is one of the three most scenic spots in Japan. A rare landform with about 8,000 pine trees along a sandy beach of about 1.6 km in length.
Named “Amanohashidate” with the Chinese characters for “Heaven” and “Bridge” because it looks like a bridge over the heavens.
You can enjoy Amanohashidate by walking or riding a rental-cycle across the land bridge, taking a bay cruise around the bay, swimming at the beach, enjoy the area’s nature, as well as take in the view from the observatory. (It takes about 50 min. to walk the length of Amanohashidate and about 20 min. to bike it.)
Amanohashidate has been chosen as one of Japan’s top 100 places.
ACCESS: From Amino Station take the Kyoto Tango Railway to Amanohashidate Station, takes about 30 minutes.
National preservation area
Ine - Funaya Boat Houses
Ine Bay, in the northern part of Kyoto Prefecture, is a quiet cove facing the Sea of Japan, a scene that replaces the image of the Sea of Japan’s rough seas. About 230 boat houses line Ine’s bay, the first floor of these buildings are garages for boats. Because of its unique scenery, Ine has been selected as a national preservation area of important traditional buildings.
Take photos with this photogenic town in the background, enjoy a ride around the bay on a pleasure boat, and also, enjoy sake tasting at a sake storehouse.
ACCESS: From Amino Station take the Kyoto Tango Railway to Amanohashidate Station, then take the Tankai Bus for Ine. Takes about 1 hour.
Japan’s original landscape
Miyama
Miyama, also called Japan’s original landscape, is a quiet village surrounded by beautiful mountains and “Miyama” means “Beautiful Mountain”. The picturesque “Kayabuki-no-Sato” or “village of thatched roof houses” is highly rated for their preservation of historical landscapes, including traditional buildings and their techniques. Miyama was selected as a national preservation area of important traditional buildings in December of 1993.
As a place where you can find the Japan’s original scenery throughout the year, the town of Miyama has become a popular tourist destination.
ACCESS: Miyama is about 2 hours from Kyotango Omiya IC by car.
Best hot spring town
Kinosaki Onsen
Hyogo Prefecture’s premier hot spring town with a history of 1300 years. A small river with arching stone bridges, lined with willow trees is a classic scene found in Kinosaki Onsen. The hot spring town is dotted with 7 public hot spring bathhouses, and you can enjoy each one’s unique style. Guests staying in Kinosaki Onsen at a local hotel or ryokan are given a free pass to all seven, and it is tradition to walk the town in a yukata. There are also various shops in the town, a good place for dining and strolling. Have a pudding or local beer after a soak in the hot springs.
ACCESS: From Kyotago take the Kyoto Tango Railway to Toyooka Station, then transfer to the JR line for Kinosaki Onsen. Takes about 50 minutes.
The castle in the sky
Takeda Castle Ruins
Takeda in Asago City of Hyogo Prefecture is where you will find Takeda Castle Ruins, also known as “The Castle in the Sky”. The castle ruins gets it name for the sea of clouds that forms below the ruins and creates the illusion the castle is floating in the sky. You can see this in the early mornings from October to winter when weather conditions are just right, preferably a morning following a sunny day.
ACCESS: From Amino Station take the Kyoto Tango Railway to Toyooka Station and transfer to the JR Line. Then take the train to Takeda Station. Takes about 2 hours.
Tottori Sand Dunes
Tottori
Tottori Prefecture is most known for “Tottori Sand Dunes”. The sand dunes are a specially protected area of the San’in Kaigan (coastal) National Park, cover a large area from the Sea of Japan to Tottori City and are representative of the area.
In addition, Sakaiminato City in Tottori Prefecture, the hometown of the manga artist Shigeru Mizuki of the anime “GeGeGe no Kitaro” and the local shopping district called “Mizuki Shigeru Road” are popular tourist destinations visited by many.
ACCESS: From Amino Station take the Kyoto Tango Railway to Toyooka Station and transfer to JR San’in Line at Toyooka Station.
For the Tottori Sand Dunes take a train from Toyooka to Tottori Station, then transfer to a city bus for the sand dunes (砂丘). Takes about 3 hours.
For Sakaiminato take a train from Toyooka to Sakaiminato Station. Takes about 3 hours.
