When talking about Kyoto, the first thing that came into your mind might be Kiyomizu Temple or Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion).

In fact, popular sightseeing spots, such as Amanohashidate and boat houses at Ine Bay are also located in Kyoto. There is also an area rich in nature in the northern part of Kyoto called the “Tango Peninsula”.

This time, I am going to introduce a model course to those who want to utilize the weekend on a place full of rich nature and sightseeing spots.

 

Where are Amanohashidate and Ine located?

Amanohashidate and Ine are located on the Tango Peninsula in the north of Kyoto Prefecture. It takes only about 2.5 hours to go from Osaka by highway bus, making it an ideal destination for weekend getaway.
Travelling from Amanohashidate to Ine is convenient too, as it is served by a local route bus service. ◎

▼Amanohashidate〜Ine
・Ride at the bus stop “Amanohashidate Station” and get off at “Ine-wan-meguri Hide”
・One way about 50 mins ride
・400yen / per adult

Amanohashidate↓

Funaya (boat house) at Ine↓

▼Osaka Station〜Amanohashidate Station

	Highway Bus	Train	Car
Travelling time	About 2.5 hours	About 3 hours〜	About 2-3 hours
Fare	3,000 yen	6,000 yen〜	5,400 yen〜
Transfer	0 (Direct access)	One〜	0

You can enjoy a stress-free trip as highway bus is reasonable-priced and takes you to the destination directly without any transfers.

>> Learn more on Osaka – Amanohashidate, Mineyama, Miyazu Liner

Recommended route to enjoy Amanohashidate and Ine to the fullest

I am going to introduce a sample route that will allow you to enjoy Amanohashidate and Ine to the fullest.

You can see below for the schedule of my trip.

—【Day 1】12:30 Arrived at Amanohashidate Station and lunched at “Umisen Yamasen”

I took the Hankyu Bus from Osaka and headed to Amanohashidate Station.
The bus arrived at Amanohashidate at 12:30 which was just about time for lunch. I decided to go straight to “Umisen Yamasen” which is a restaurant famous for its seafood rice bowl.

I got off the bus at Amanohashidate Station and transferred to a local route bus to the restaurant. In fact, it is more convenient if you get off the highway bus at Miyazu Station and go straight to the restaurant.

“Umisen Yamasen” opens for breakfast as early as 7:00 a.m. They offer seafood rice bowl and set menus using fresh fish which are caught from Miyazu Bay daily.

A transfer for train or bus is needed if you get there from Amanohashidate Station, however, the freshest seafood they offer makes it worth for a visit.

This is the rich bowl (named umimeshi) that I ordered with fresh fish topping varies depending on the fish species caught on that day. It just costed 900 yen.

Other choices in the menu include:

・”Miyazu donburi” filled with local fish at 1300 yen
・”Burikkodon”, winner of the Miyazu B-Grade Gourmet Contest at 950 yen.
・”Set lunch” with either grilled fish or simmered fish at 1,850 yen〜

There are varieties of items in the menu, all offer the freshest taste with good value for money.

By no doubt, it is such a satisfying lunch.

◎Basic information of “Umisen Yamasen”

Business hours:	7:00〜15:00
Holiday:	水曜日
Google map	https://goo.gl/maps/Zkigo1qmDZPKqRAX9?coh=178573&entry=tt
Tel	090-1228-3737
Homepage	https://yamaichi-suisan.jp/umisen_yamasen.html

—14:00 Rotating Bridge (Kaisenkyo)

After lunch, I rode on the Kyoto Tango Railway from Miyazu back to Amanohashidate Station.

My next place of visit was the Rotating Bridge (Kaisenkyo) which rotates 90 degrees to allow

ships pass through the waterway.

It is rare to see a bridge that turns!

The bridge built in 1923 was hand-operated but was later made electric in May 1960 due to an increase in the number of ships passing by.

◎Basic information of Rotating Bridge (Kaisenkyo)

Opening hours	—
Holiday	—
Google map	https://goo.gl/maps/BpMFsKLSc9xtcCV88?coh=178573&entry=tt
Tel	—
Homepage	https://www.uminokyoto.jp/spot/detail.php?sid=56

—14:30 Sightseeing boat to Ichinomiya

Next, I was getting to Ichinomiya and planning to visit Amanohashidate Viewland with a “matanozoki”, i.e. bending over to view the land bridge through the legs.

There are 3 main ways to enjoy the landscape of Amanohashidate.

①By sightseeing cruise（About 12mins）
②By walking (About 50mins)
③By cycling (About 20mins)
※Times indicated above are one way.

This time, I decided to take the sightseeing cruise.

▼Amanohashidate sightseeing boat

Route	Miyazu〜Amanohashidate〜Ichinomiya
Fare	One way 700yen per adult (Amanohashidate〜Ichinomiya）
Travelling time	One way 12 mins
Operating hours	First departure 9:00 / Last departure 17:45（Click here for more information）

In addition to cash, they offer other convenient payment methods like credit card and QR code payments.

You can enjoy the natural landscape from the sightseeing boat. In addition, a lot of seagulls fly close to the boat, if you are lucky enough, you can also feed them with snacks.

Prawn crackers are for sale at the boat dock. I bought the prawn crackers and went to the upper deck…

A seagull flied towards me and tried to catch the crackers. It was so close!

Everyone on the boat laughed and got very excited seeing this scenery. It was just so fun, please buy a pack of prawn crackers and try feeding the seagulls. 

If you have plenty of time, cross over the Daitenkyo to Amanohashidate…

and enjoy the unique terrain and the scenic views on both sides.

You can even go on foot and return by taking a boat. Make sure you wear sneakers which makes your walking easier.

◎Basic information of Amanohashidate Sightseeing Boat (Amanohashidate Boat Dock)

Operating hours:	9:00〜17:30
Holiday	—
Google map	https://goo.gl/maps/C46cY34TYNrqai9S9?coh=178573&entry=tt
Tel	0772-22-2164
Homepage	https://www.amano-hashidate.com/sightseeingboat/

—14:45 Cable car to Kasamatsu Park

I took the boat from Amanohashidate and got off at Ichinomiya boat dock. After that I headed to Fuchu Station.

Fuchu Station is a cable car and chair lift station where you can ride to Kasamatsu Park, which is at a height of 130 meters above sea level.

I took the cable car on the way up and the chair lift on the way down. It was absolutely a right decision to take the lift on my way back as I was impressed by the stunning scenery looking down on Amanohashidate and enjoyed the cool breeze on the ride.

▼Lift/Cable Car

	Lift	Cable Car
Route	Fuchu Station〜Kasamatsu Park	Fuchu Station〜Kasamatsu Park
Fare	Round trip 680yen/adult	Round trip 680yen/adult
Time required	Approx. 4mins	Approx. 6mins
Operating hours	First departure 9:00 / Last departure 16:00	First departure 9:00 / Last departure 18:00 （Leaves on the hour and runs at every 15-min interval）

 

I immediately headed to the viewing platform (called the matanozoki platform) once arriving Kazamatsu Park.  If you bend down at this vantage point and look at Amanohashidate between your legs, the sandbar of Amanohashidate resembling a dragon seems to be flying up to heaven.

When the weather is good and the sky is clear, it is amazing to view from above.

There is a game called “throwing ceramic tile” at the left side of matanozoki platfrom.

You can purchase ceramic tiles (3 pieces) at 200yen for one play. People throw tiles at rings. A legend says that if you get the tiles into the rings, your dreams come true and your bad luck will go away. Let’s take the challenge but definitely, it is not that easy as you thought.

—15:30 Shopped for souvenirs at AmaTerrace 

Inside the Kazamatsu Park, there is a building called AmaTerrace.

1^st floor …… With shops and cafes selling light meals and snacks

2^nd floor …… Restaurant with panoramic view of Amanohashidate

It is a great place for souvenir shopping as you can find a collection of selected specialty produces as well as snacks which are unique in the region.

Moreover, credit cards and other cashless payments such as QR code are accepted. ◎

Moreover, credit cards and other cashless payments such as QR code are accepted. ◎

The observatory restaurant at 2/F offers a variety of menu from cakes to rice dishes, so it is perfect no matter if you are taking a rest or looking for a meal. 

I ordered the Izushi soba noodles, which is a famous and local dish of Hyogo Prefecture. It offered me an exceptional dining experience with a spectacular view of Amanohashidate.

By the way, I just finished a seafood rice bowl for my lunch.

◎「AmaTerrace（アマテラス）」の基本情報

Business hours:	8:30～17:00
Holiday	—
Google map	https://goo.gl/maps/EQPrAuWhfF3hGYmy7?coh=178573&entry=tt
Tel	0772-27-0898
Homepage	https://www.amano-hashidate.com/amaterrace/

 

—16:30 Route bus to Ine

After visiting Kazamatsu Park, I took the chair lift and back to Fuchu Station.

I had a reservation tonight at a boat house at Ine Bay, therefore, I headed to Ine with a local route bus.

You could take a bus to Ine at either a bus stop “Amanohashidate cable car-shita” or “Amanohashidate Motoisekonojinja”, which is about 3-minute walk from Fuchu Station.

After riding for about 30 minutes, I got off the bus at “Inewan meguri・hinode”.

▼Fuchu Station 〜 Bounds for Ine（Local route bus）

Route	Amanohashidate cable car-shita /Amanohashidate Motoisekonojinja 〜 Inewan meguri・hinode
Fare	200yen
Travelling time	About 30mins (Refer to the bus route “Ine Line” here) Even if it is your first time riding on a local route bus, you do not need to worry as it takes you directly to the destination without any transfers.

—17:00 Tea time at a Taiwan tea shop, “Chinzao”

I arrived in the evening, so I decided to do the sightseeing at Ine in the next day.

At the end of the first day, I spent a relaxing time at a Taiwan tea shop *Chinzao* while enjoying the natural scenery of Ine town.

The tea, which was purchased directly from farmers in Taiwan, has a deep flavor that makes you wonder, “What have I been drinking so far…!?”

The beautiful view from the boat house calmed my mind and prepared me for the second day of sightseeing.

◎Basic information of Taiwan tea shop, “Chinzao”

Business Hours	10:00〜18:00
Holiday	Irregular
Google map	https://goo.gl/maps/eCWCyo5vcFaKb2SR6?coh=178573&entry=tt
Tel	090-8528-3518
Homepage	http://www.chinzao.com/

—【Day 2】9:00 Ine bay cruise in the early morning

The first thing to do the next day morning is a tour of Ine bay.

The first bay cruise departs at 9:00. I recommended taking the tour in the morning when there are relatively fewer people and when the air is clear.

▼Ine bay cruise tour

Route	tour around Ine bay
Fare	1000yen / adult
Time required	25 minutes
Schedule	First departure: 9:00 / Last departure: 16:30                                                                           （Leave on the hour and at 30-min intervals）

 

Same as Amanohashidate sightseeing boat, seagulls are flying close to the boat for food hunting and you can feed them with snacks.

As it was the first cruise in the morning, there were lots of hungry seagulls flying close for food. I climbed to the upper deck.

While I indulged myself in the interaction with seagulls, I was getting closer and closer to the Funaya, a spectacular view point of the boathouses at Ine.

It was fun to join the tour. Not only can I listen to the history and stories from the tour guide, but also make new discoveries while enjoying the cruise!

Then, the stunning scenery which I often see on SNS or post card, is just right in front of me!

No matter how many times you visit, you will never get tired of this stunning landscape, as it looks different depending on the time of a day and season.

The upper deck is exposed to direct sunlight, so please do not forget to do proper sun protection such as wearing a hat with elastic band.

◎Basic information of Ine bay cruise tour

Business Hours	9:00〜16:30
Holiday	—
Google map	https://goo.gl/maps/kx3ztz4NWG9Skamu5?coh=178573&entry=tt
Tel	0772-32-0009
Homepage	https://www.inewan.com/

 

—9:30 Walked around the Funaya, boat houses

After the cruise tour, I took a leisurely walk around the Ine town until the route bus leaves for Amanohashidate Station.

 

Everywhere is picturesque inside the Ine town.

Needless to say, seagulls are everywhere.

The colors of sea and mountain change with the time of a day, let’s make a comparison on the photos taken on the first day evening and second day morning.

—10:30 Route bus to Amanohashidate Station

Time flies when you are having fun. I left Ine at around 10:00 in order to catch the highway bus leaving Amanohashidate Station at 12:45.

▼Ine〜bounds for Amanohashidate（Route bus）

Route	Inewan meguri・hinode 〜 Amanohashidate Station
Fare	400yen
Travelling time	About 50 minutes (Refer to the bus route “Ine Line” here)

—11:30 Took a rest at “Café du Pin”

There are many souvenir shops and cafes around Amanohashidate Station. Why not stroll around if you have spare time before getting on a bus.

Among the cafes there, I strongly recommended stopping by the Cafe du Pin.  It is located along the bay side overlooking the lush pine forest and the rotating bridge from its windows.

You can enjoy all kinds of sweets that can only be found in Amanohashidate, such as Maru Tea, a black tea made from grapes and peels used for wine, and Chie-no-mochi rice cake, a local specialty.

I had a great time at Cafe du Pin and it made my trip unforgettable.

◎Basic information of Cafe du Pin

Business Hours	9:00〜18:00
Holiday	—
Google map	https://goo.gl/maps/SBuXJTTyHSXCyJi38?coh=178573&entry=tt
Tel	0772-22-1313
Homepage	https://instagram.com/cafedupin?igshid=1g78ij1bd7fzz

—12:45 Departed from Amanohashidate Station

This trip filled with lots of happy memories, yet it’s time to go back home. I took the bus at 12:45 p.m. from Amanohashidate Station back to Osaka.

Before getting on board, I told the bus attendant my name and reservation number.

The bus was operated by Tango Kairiku Koutsu Co., Ltd, I was surprised because the bus and its interior looked so clean and tidy.

What made the bus of Tango Kairiku Koutsu Co., Ltd amazing?

・The large windows make indoor room appear bigger
・Spacious legroom with front seats
・Curtains are installed between seats
・On board WIFI and power supply (USB) is available
・Foot rest is equipped

To ensure privacy among passengers, curtains are installed between seats.

There is also a footrest that allows you to stretch your legs comfortably (it makes so different as to prevent swelling of feet!)

On board WIFI and power port is equipped where I can get my phone charged. I couldn’t believe how comfortable the ride was as it just costed 3,000yen.

Bus driver is an attentive person and he drove us back to Osaka safely. Thank you for the ride.

Major modes of transport to get around in Amanohashidate and Ine

At the end, let me summarize the means of transport I took in this trip.

You may refer to the fares and travelling time of each mode of transport. Please make a comparison and pick the one that best fits you.

Sightseeing boat / cruise ferry

When crossing Amanohashidate, apart from walking or renting a bicycle, you can also take a sightseeing boat.

The Ine bay cruise is also recommended as you can enjoy the landscape of Funaya from the sea.

	Amanohashidate sightseeing boat	Ine bay cruise
Route	Amanohashidate -Ichinomiya	Along Ine bay
Fare	One way 700yen / adult	1,000yen / adult
Time required	One way 12 mins	25 mins
Operating hours	First departure 9:00/Last departure 17:45	First departure 9:00/Last departure 16:30

※Please refer to the official homepage of Amanohashidate sightseeing boat for detailed information on schedule and fares.

Liftchair / cable car

The liftchair / cable car services connect Fuchu Station with Kasamatsu Park.

	Lift	Cable Car
Route	Fuchu Station〜Kasamatsu Park	Fuchu Station〜Kasamatsu Park
Fare	Round trip 680yen/adult	Round trip 680yen/adult
所要時間	Approx. 4mins	Approx. 6mins
運行時間	First departure 9:00 / Last departure 16:00	First departure 9:00 / Last departure 18:00

※Please refer to the official homepage of Amanohashidate cable car for detailed information on schedule and fares.

Route bus

Taxi or route bus is an option for getting between Amanohashidate and Ine, and between Fuchu Station and Ine.  

Route bus takes you directly to the destination at reasonable price, therefore, it is widely used by visitors.

	Ichinomiya 〜 Ine	Ine〜Amanohashidate Station
Route	Amanohashidate cable car-shita /Amanohashidate Motoisekonojinja〜Ine-wan-meguri Hide	Ine-wan-meguri Hide〜Amanohashidate Station
料金	200yen	400yen
所要時間	Approx. 30mins	Approx. 50mins

※ Bus schedules are subject to change. Please refer to the official homepage of Tango Kairiku Kotsu Co.,Ltd. for the most updated information of the Ine Line

Highway bus to Amanohashidate & Ine was good value for money

I have introduced a model course for sightseeing in Amanohashidate and Ine to you.

I hope the information contained in this article helps you explore and enjoy the natural landscape and sightseeing spots in Amanohashidate and Ine.

Particularly, I recommended taking a highway bus which just costs 3,000yen per way but offering you a direct access to destination. Seats are limited, please make a reservation as soon as possible.

>> Learn more on Osaka – Amanohashidate, Mineyama, Miyazu Liner