Hey guys! I hope my last post in Kyoto is useful. I’m going to introduce other place, not in central Kyoto, but still reachable from central Kyoto. So, there are 3 most beautiful view in Japan. One in Matsushima, one in Hiroshima, and one in Kyoto. Amanohashidate is a sandbar located in the Northern Kyoto, connecting the two side of Miyazu bay.
The morning
We dropped by Shimogamojinja near Demachiyanagi station. We stay at our airBnb around there and it was the last day of 2016, so my friend want to check what kind of event they have in the temple for the first visit (hatsumode).
The temple is famous for its bright red color. I did not take much photos here.
Breakfast
The plan to go to Amanohashidate was on 31st of December, the last day of 2016. We went to have breakfast in Kyoto first before heading to Amanohashidate by car.
The place where we had breakfast is called Iyemon Salon Kyoto. This place offers Japanese style breakfast with a little of western touch. Iyemon Salon is really famous for breakfast and you might expect a lot of people lining here in the morning.
Iyemon Salon Kyoto
京都市中京区三条通
烏丸西入御倉町80番地
They serve breakfast until 10:30, I think you should go earlier to queue.
Amanohashidate
You can reach Amanohashidate by train. It takes around 2 hours from Kyoto or Osaka Station and get off at Amanohashidate. The train cost around 4000, alternatively, you can take highway bus for 2800, but they only operates 3 route each day.
To see the entire sandbar, you need to take a cable car that takes you to the observation deck. I think it cost around 1200 for round trip cable car.
Amanohashidate literally means bridge to heaven. It does look like a bridge that connecting earth and heaven. This scenic view is considered as the three views of Japan (日本三景).
They said if you look at the sandbar from between your legs, the shape of sandbar will look like the shape of dragon. We tried it, but we can’t see the dragon shape. lol
There’s some attraction on the observatory deck, but I think they are mainly for kids. We just took a lot of photos up there.
Can we pass the sandbar? Yes you can.. but as far as I know, cars can’t pass through the sandbar. You can take cruise along the sandbar or you can explore the sandbar on foot or rent a bike at either end of the sandbar.
There are several restaurants near the entrance of the sandbar. I think access to the sandbar is not allowed at night and most shops and restaurants, and even the rental bike close around 5 PM.
(We passed this rotating bridge. It rotates when a ship or yatch go through)
Beside the beach, there are several temples and Ine (village of boat house) than you can see around the sandbar
It was a long 3-hour drive from Kyoto to here (because we did not take the highway road, should be only 2-hour drive). It was a little bit too late to explore the entire sandbar, but we had fun. Definitely one of the best way to spend the last day of 2016.
TL;DR I really recommended this place if you are visiting Kyoto. They did not call this the three view of Japan with no reasons.
Less crowded and the transport is not so bad (not too expensive and not too time consuming). Also, there are a lot of things you can see here. Cons? Maybe none. hehehe.
And that’s conclude this post. I hope you find it useful and see you in the next post. As usual, your comments are always loved <3