Around the 15th of January the decorations from New Years celebrations are burned at bonfires often held at local shrines. People from the area bring their New Years decorations, usually made of paper or straw, to the shrine where they are all burned together. This is said to bring good luck and good health for the year to come. Visitors are free to attend and some bonfires even offer food such as rice cakes or mochi grilled on the fire.

Around the 15th of January New Year decorations are burned at local shrines to bring good luck and good health for the year ahead.

Rice that is freshly harvested is considered special and is often branded as 'new rice'. But some of this rice gets turned into sake, Japanese rice wine, appropriately titled as 'new sake'. The freshness of the rice can be felt through the clean taste and gentle fruitiness of this special drink. Kyotango has a number of excellent breweries which provide their own take on this traditional drink.

The first sake made with the previous autumns harvest of 'new rice'. Kyotango has many excellent breweries for tasting this traditional drink.

Kyotango Sake Brewers

When the weather gets colder and the sea gets choppy, we know crab season is right around the corner, The fishing grounds are very close to shore, allowing the boats to get there and back to port on the same day, making these some of the freshest crabs available in Japan. The small boats and limited numbers of licensed fishermen makes the number of crab caught lower than other varieties of snow crab. The crab auction is also a sight to behold. From the second floor viewing area you can get a birds eye view of the quick bidding.

The crabs in Kyotango are landed on the same day they are caught by a fleet of only 5 fisherboats, making them among the freshest and rarest of their kind.

Taiza Crab

Kumihama bay has the ideal conditions for growing oysters. The bay is cut off from the sea by the Shotenkyo sandbar, making the water calm and forests on the surrounding hills enrich the water with nutrients. This makes it the perfect place for plankton, which oysters feed on, to grow in large numbers. Kumihama brand oysters are famous in the Kansai area for their size and flavor.

Kumihama bay is very nutrient rich making it the perfect place for oysters to grow and thrive.

Kumihama Oysters

The Doll Festival in Japan is officially on the 3rd of March, but the Inaba Family Merchant House and Komachi Park display their doll collections from January until the start of April. In Kumihama there are a lot of shops which join the Inaba House and display their doll collections from January.

Officially held on the 3rd of March some historic properties display their doll collections from January.

Doll Festival

This local festival sees men run from the coast to a local shrine wearing only a loin cloth. It happens early in the morning but is worth seeing if you're in the area. It's a sight you're unlikely to see elsewhere.

Local men show off their strength by running from the coast to a local shrine in the early morning, wearing only a loincloth.

When the weather gets colder and the sea gets choppy, we know crab season is right around the corner, The fishing grounds are very close to shore, allowing the boats to get there and back to port on the same day, making these some of the freshest crabs available in Japan. The small boats and limited numbers of licensed fishermen makes the number of crab caught lower than other varieties of snow crab. The crab auction is also a sight to behold. From the second floor viewing area you can get a birds eye view of the quick bidding.

The crabs in Kyotango are landed on the same day they are caught by a fleet of only 5 fisherboats, making them among the freshest and rarest of their kind.

Taiza Crabs

Kumihama bay has the ideal conditions for growing oysters. The bay is cut off from the sea by the Shotenkyo sandbar, making the water calm and forests on the surrounding hills enrich the water with nutrients. This makes it the perfect place for plankton, which oysters feed on, to grow in large numbers. Kumihama brand oysters are famous in the Kansai area for their size and flavor.

Kumihama bay is very nutrient rich making it the perfect place for oysters to grow and thrive.

Kumihama Oysters

The Doll Festival in Japan is officially on the 3rd of March, but the Inaba Family Merchant House and Komachi Park display their doll collections from January until the start of April. In Kumihama there are a lot of shops which join the Inaba House and display their doll collections from January.

Officially held on the 3rd of March some historic properties display their doll collections from January.

Doll Festival

Strawberry picking is one of the great joys of early spring. You can feel winter coming to an end when you enter the warm greenhouses and gorge yourself on delicious, sweet strawberries. The strawberries grown in Kyotango are mostly the akihime variety they grow large and sweet, and are white in the middle.

Mark the end of winter with giant, sweet and delicious strawberries. All-you-can eat strawberry picking in Kyotango.

Strawberry Picking

The cherry blossoms are a special time of year that people look forward to all year long. The common tradition is to pack a picnic and enjoy it under these delicate blossoms. While the exact date varies year to year, and place to place Kyotango usually has the blossoms from around the last week of March to the first week or two of April. There are a lot of great places to view the blossoms in Kyotango, whether seaside, lakeside, mountainside, or in a shrine or temple.

Kyotango has so many beautiful places to see the cherry blossoms. Whether it's by the seaside, a gentle river, or lit up by lanterns they are a beautiful part of Spring.

Cherry Blossoms in Kyotango

Kyotango is known as the largest producer of Tango Chirimen Silk, a high quality silk used in making kimono. The kimono experience will let you try on one of these exquisite kimono, you'll even be helped into it. Then you are free to wander to a scenic spot and take lots of pictures to remember the occasion.

A great way to experience Kyotango's high quality silk and wear a gorgeos kimono at a picturesque setting.

Kimono Experience

The cherry blossoms are a special time of year that people look forward to all year long. The common tradition is to pack a picnic and enjoy it under these delicate blossoms. While the exact date varies year to year, and place to place Kyotango usually has the blossoms from around the last week of March to the first week or two of April. There are a lot of great places to view the blossoms in Kyotango, whether seaside, lakeside, mountainside, or in a shrine or temple.

Kyotango has so many beautiful places to see the cherry blossoms. Whether it's by the seaside, a gentle river, or lit up by lanterns they are a beautiful part of Spring.

Cherry Blossoms in Kyotango

One of the "Kansai 25 Flower Temples", Nyoiji Temple's speciallity is the three-leaved azalea. It bossoms early in April and has a deep pink color which contrasts nicely with the cherry blossom trees on the grounds. While April is the best time to visit, there are flowers in bloom all year round, making this a great spot to visit at any time of year.

A must see for flower lovers this 'Flower Temple' is gorgeous all year round. It is especially famous for its three-leaved azaleas in April.

Nyoiji "Flower" Temple

Rent-a-cycles are available from the larger train stations near scenic spots in Kyotango. There are quite a few electic assist bikes so even those not confident about going out on a bike can feel at ease. This is a great way to discover the area at your own pace, and makes it easy to pop into local shops without having to look for parking.

A great way to discover the area at your own pace. Electric bikes make it easy for everyone to get around.

Rent-a-Cycle

This flower park is only open for 3 months in spring but what a 3 months it is. In April there are incredible displays of tulips of all colors. In May the wisteria comes into blossom and you can walk through a gorgeously decorated trellis. June sees the roses blossom, adorned on arches and trellises around cozy tables and chairs perfect for a romantic sit down. There are lots of other flowers blossoming throughout the season to complement the main attractions.

Only open for 3 months of the year this flower park has impressive displays of tulips, wisteria, and roses.

Hanago OKADA Flower Park

Rent-a-cycles are available from the larger train stations near scenic spots in Kyotango. There are quite a few electric assist bikes so even those not confident about going out on a bike can feel at ease. This is a great way to discover the area at your own pace, and makes it easy to pop into local shops without having to look for parking.

A great way to discover the area at your own pace. Electric bikes make it easy for everyone to get around.

Rent-a-Cycle

This flower park is only open for 3 months in spring but what a 3 months it is. In April there are incredible displays of tulips of all colors. In May the wisteria comes into blossom and you can walk through a gorgeously decorated trellis. June sees the roses blossom, adorned on arches and trellises around cozy tables and chairs perfect for a romantic sit down. There are lots of other flowers blossoming throughout the season to complement the main attractions.

Only open for 3 months of the year this flower park has impressive displays of tulips, wisteria, and roses.

Hanago OKADA Flower Park

This important staple crop of Japan is planted in May every year. The whole process is quite interesting to watch from the flooding of the fields to planting the seedlings. With the fields being at different stages of readiness you're likely to see the whole process in a small area. While it is most common to see the planting done by machines you can still see some people planting by hand; usually a much smaller field, it's back breaking work.

All over Kyotango you can see farmers planting rice. Mostly by machines but sometimes you'll be able to see groups still planting by hand.

Rice Planting

This is the perfect time to drive along the coast of Kyotango. The gently winding roads are a pleasure to drive along, and the scenery constantly changing between beautiful beaches, dramatic rocky outcroppings, and quiet rural fishing villages. From the pine covered islands of Tango Matsushima to the dramaticly stepped rice paddies of Sodeshi it's a setting that never gets boring.

In May and June the gently winding coastal roads are especially beautiful and the weather is perfect for stopping for roadside picnics.

Coastline Drive

Rent-a-cycles are available from the larger train stations near scenic spots in Kyotango. There are quite a few electric assist bikes so even those not confident about going out on a bike can feel at ease. This is a great way to discover the area at your own pace, and makes it easy to pop into local shops without having to look for parking.

A great way to discover the area at your own pace. Electric bikes make it easy for everyone to get around.

Rent-a-Cycle

Whether there are a lot of waves or not a great way to enjoy the beaches of Kyotango is by hiring a surfboard or paddle board. Either can be hired at Yuhigaura beach and include all necessary equipment. Instruction can also be provided if needed. For those who want to go a bit further out from the beach sea-kayaks can be hired to explore the hidden coves and sea caves along the coast.

Waves or no waves there are boards or boats you can hire to get the most out of the sea in Kyotango.

Stand-Up-Paddleboard Sea-Kayaking

From Amino to Kumihama there are a lot of small fruit stands, these are mostly small businesses run by local fruit farmers. These sweet local fruits include melons, watermelons, peaches, grapes and more. Each fruit has their own ideal season but starting from June there will always be something delicious for sale. From July the Fruits Trail frozen smoothies are for sale, they are a great way to enjoy local fruits and keep cool in the summer heat at the same time.

Kyotango has a lot of fruit farms many of them selling their fruit from roadside stands. Some make delicious fruit smoothies to beat the summer heat.

The Barefoot Concert is a combination of beach cleaning and music festival. Inspired by community intiatives to keep the coastline clean the cost of admission is a piece of trash picked up off the beach, of course there is no limit to the number of times you can pay.

Part beach clean, part music concert; you'll pay your fare with a piece of trash picked up off the beach.

Whether there are a lot of waves or not a great way to enjoy the beaches of Kyotango is by hiring a surfboard or paddle board. Either can be hired at Yuhigaura beach and include all necessary equipment. Instruction can also be provided if needed. For those who want to go a bit further out from the beach sea-kayaks can be hired to explore the hidden coves and sea caves along the coast.

Waves or no waves there are boards or boats you can hire to get the most out of the sea in Kyotango.

Stand-Up-Paddle Sea-Kayaking

From Amino to Kumihama there are a lot of small fruit stands, these are mostly small businesses run by local fruit farmers. These sweet local fruits include melons, watermelons, peaches, grapes and more. Each fruit has their own ideal season but starting from June there will always be something delicious for sale. From July the Fruits Trail frozen smoothies are for sale, they are a great way to enjoy local fruits and keep cool in the summer heat at the same time.

Kyotango has a lot of fruit farms many of them selling their fruit from roadside stands. Some make delicious fruit smoothies to beat the summer heat.

Kyotango's emerald blue sea and white sand beaches will make you think you've travelled to a tropical paradise. In the summer the Sea of Japan is very calm making it the perfect place to splash about. Even if you're not a confident swimmer it's a great way to beat the heat. While most beaches are open for most of year lifeguards are only on duty during the summer.

Kyotango's beaches are covered with white sand and the emerald blue sea is lovely and calm, perfect for swimmers of all levels.

Beaches

The fastest way to get to the beach is camping at one of the many beach campsites in Kyotango. With both tent and car-camping options available it's a great way to get the most out of Kyotango's summertime. There are also more forested settings for camping, which provide a great retreat into nature away from busy town and beachscapes.

Campsites in Kyotango are either by the beach or tucked away near the forsest. Two excellent but different ways of relaxing.

Camping

Whether there are a lot of waves or not a great way to enjoy the beaches of Kyotango is by hiring a surfboard or paddle board. Either can be hired at Yuhigaura beach and include all necessary equipment. Instruction can also be provided if needed. For those who want to go a bit further out from the beach sea-kayaks can be hired to explore the hidden coves and sea caves along the coast.

Waves or no waves there are boards or boats you can hire to get the most out of the sea in Kyotango.

Stand-Up-Paddleboard Sea-Kayaking

Kyotango's emerald blue sea and white sand beaches will make you think you've travelled to a tropical paradise. In the summer the Sea of Japan is very calm making it the perfect place to splash about. Even if you're not a confident swimmer it's a great way to beat the heat. While most beaches are open for most of year lifeguards are only on duty during the summer.

Kyotango's beaches are covered with white sand and the emerald blue sea is lovely and calm, perfect for swimmers of all levels.

Beaches

The fastest way to get to the beach is camping at one of the many beach campsites in Kyotango. With both tent and car-camping options available it's a great way to get the most out of Kyotango's summertime. There are also more forested settings for camping, which provide a great retreat into nature away from busy town and beachscapes.

Campsites in Kyotango are either by the beach or tucked away near the forsest. Two excellent but different ways of relaxing.

Camping

Summer festivals are big in Japan, and Sennichi-e is one of Kyotango's biggest. Enjoy traditional festival foods such as yakisoba 'fired noodles' and takoyaki 'octopus batter balls' and games and music to entertain. Hundreds of candles are also floated out onto the bay carrying peoples wishes in the hope that they will come true. There is also a daimonji 'big character' lit up on Mt. Kabutoyama nearby . Finally the evening is capped off with a fireworks show which is sure to impress everyone.

One of Kyotango's biggest summer festivals, it's a great way to experience the local atmosphere. The evening is capped off with a fireworks show.

Rent-a-cycles are available from the larger train stations near scenic spots in Kyotango. There are quite a few electric assist bikes so even those not confident about going out on a bike can feel at ease. This is a great way to discover the area at your own pace, and makes it easy to pop into local shops without having to look for parking.

A great way to discover the area at your own pace. Electric bikes make it easy for everyone to get around.

Rent-a-Cycle

From Amino to Kumihama there are a lot of small fruit stands, these are mostly small businesses run by local fruit farmers. These sweet local fruits include melons, watermelons, peaches, grapes and more. Each fruit has their own ideal season but starting from June there will always be something delicious for sale. From July the Fruits Trail frozen smoothies are for sale, they are a great way to enjoy local fruits and keep cool in the summer heat at the same time.

Kyotango has a lot of fruit farms many of them selling their fruit from roadside stands. Some make delicious fruit smoothies to beat the summer heat.

This premium food festival brings the best roadside stations from all across Japan to "Tango Kingdom" to compete for the best dish. With lots of stalls and inexpensive pricing you can try a wide variety of foods and cooking styles all in one place. Don't forget to vote for your favourite dish.

This food festival features roadside stations from all across Japan competing to be voted the best dish.

This special festival celebrates the komaneko 'guardian cats' who helped keep rats away so Kyotango could become the foremost producer of Tango Chirimen Silk, an important fabric for Kyoto's kimono industry. This festivals has food stalls and hand-made crafts for sale by local artisans. There are also array of activities such as tea ceremony and painting cat figures and cat masks to keep the whole family entertained.

Celebrating the cats who protected silkworms from rats for hundreds of years, this festival has food, crafts and activities for all.

Rent-a-cycles are available from the larger train stations near scenic spots in Kyotango. There are quite a few electric assist bikes so even those not confident about going out on a bike can feel at ease. This is a great way to discover the area at your own pace, and makes it easy to pop into local shops without having to look for parking.

A great way to discover the area at your own pace. Electric bikes make it easy for everyone to get around.

Rent-a-Cycle

Kyotango is known as the largest producer of Tango Chirimen Silk, a high quality silk used in making kimono. The kimono experience will let you try on one of these exquisite kimono, you'll even be helped into it. Then you are free to wander to a scenic spot and take lots of pictures to remember the occasion.

A great way to experience Kyotango's high quality silk and wear a gorgeos kimono at a picturesque setting.

Kimono Experience

The hills around Kyotango come to life in the autumn with beautiful reds, yellows, golds and browns. To get a bit closer to the trees, at Tennyo no Sato you can enjoy a picnic under the beautifully colored trees and the always lovely Kotohira Shrine is made even more special thanks to the autumn leaves.

Whether you are visiting a shrine, a nature activity center or just gazing at the hills, there are a lot of great places to see the autumn leaves in Kyotango.

Autumn Leaves

Kamitani Shrine in Kumihama hosts an impressive autumn festival which includes an incredible display of strength and bravery from the local residents. Several groups of about 40 people each lift their own heavy drum platforms onto their shoulders and run around with them. They then lift them over their head, nearly toppling them, with the drummers aboard, before they are righted. The drummers never seem to miss a beat.

In a real show of strength and bravery, groups of 40 people lift drum platforms over their heads nearly toppling them. An incredible show.

Autumn Festival

When the weather gets colder and the sea gets choppy, we know crab season is right around the corner, The fishing grounds are very close to shore, allowing the boats to get there and back to port on the same day, making these some of the freshest crabs available in Japan. The small boats and limited numbers of licensed fishermen makes the number of crab caught lower than other varieties of snow crab. The crab auction is also a sight to behold. From the second floor viewing area you can get a birds eye view of the quick bidding.

The crabs in Kyotango are landed on the same day they are caught by a fleet of only 5 fisherboats, making them among the freshest and rarest of their kind.

Taiza Crab

Kyotango is known as the largest producer of Tango Chirimen Silk, a high quality silk used in making kimono. The kimono experience will let you try on one of these exquisite kimono, you'll even be helped into it. Then you are free to wander to a scenic spot and take lots of pictures to remember the occasion.

A great way to experience Kyotango's high quality silk and wear a gorgeos kimono at a picturesque setting.

Kimono Experience

The hills around Kyotango come to life in the autumn with beautiful reds, yellows, golds and browns. To get a bit closer to the trees, at Tennyo no Sato you can enjoy a picnic under the beautifully colored trees and the always lovely Kotohira Shrine is made even more special thanks to the autumn leaves.

Whether you are visiting a shrine, a nature activity center or just gazing at the hills, there are a lot of great places to see the autumn leaves in Kyotango.

Autumn Leaves

With the weather turning cold a soak in a natural hot spring is the perfect way to warm both body and soul. The mineral rich water is said to have healing and restorative properties, and is sure to relax you so you can get the most out of your holiday. Have a soak in one of the outside baths so you can enjoy the fresh, cool air while still keeping nice and warm.

A soak in a hot spring in the cold of winter is the perfect way to keep warm and relax after a busy day of sight seeing.

Hot Spring

When the weather gets colder and the sea gets choppy, we know crab season is right around the corner, The fishing grounds are very close to shore, allowing the boats to get there and back to port on the same day, making these some of the freshest crabs available in Japan. The small boats and limited numbers of licensed fishermen makes the number of crab caught lower than other varieties of snow crab. The crab auction is also a sight to behold. From the second floor viewing area you can get a birds eye view of the quick bidding.

The crabs in Kyotango are landed on the same day they are caught by a fleet of only 5 fisherboats, making them among the freshest and rarest of their kind.

Taiza Crab

Kumihama bay has the ideal conditions for growing oysters. The bay is cut off from the sea by the Shotenkyo sandbar, making the water calm and forests on the surrounding hills enrich the water with nutrients. This makes it the perfect place for plankton, which oysters feed on, to grow in large numbers. Kumihama brand oysters are famous in the Kansai area for their size and flavor.

Kumihama bay is very nutrient rich making it the perfect place for oysters to grow and thrive.

Kumihama Oysters

With the weather turning cold a soak in a natural hot spring is the perfect way to warm both body and soul. The mineral rich water is said to have healing and restorative properties, and is sure to relax you so you can get the most out of your holiday. Have a soak in one of the outside baths so you can enjoy the fresh, cool air while still keeping nice and warm.

A soak in a hot spring in the cold of winter is the perfect way to keep warm and relax after a busy day of sight seeing.

Hot Spring

While snow can't be guaranteed every year when it does fall in Kyotango the results are stunning. There are various scenes across Kyotango that are incredible to look at, but the traditional buddhist architecture and garden like styling of Nyoiji Temple make it a veritable winter wonderland when coated in snow.

When it snows in Kyotango it doesn't hold back, wherever you look it will seem like a winter wonderland.

Winter Scenery