Day Tour from Kyoto: Ine Funaya Boathouses, Amanohashidate & Miyama Thatched Village

From Kyoto to the Sea of Japan: Three Highlights in One Day

This group day tour departs from Kyoto and takes you by private bus to three places: the funaya boathouses of Ine, Amanohashidate, and the Miyama Thatched Village. The whole trip takes about 10 hours. All three are far from central Kyoto, and it is hard to combine them in a single day using public transport alone.

Because you travel by private bus, you can stay seated all the way to each destination, even over long distances. Staff speak Chinese, English and Japanese, so the tour is easy to join even if you are worried about the language barrier.

The charm of this tour is the chance to enjoy three very different landscapes in one day: a spectacular coastal view, a fishing village on a quiet inlet, and a farming village in the mountains. The destinations are the Ine funaya boathouses, Amanohashidate and the Miyama Thatched Village. The order of visits and the time spent at each stop may change depending on traffic and weather on the day.

Amanohashidate, One of Japan's Three Great Views, from Above

Amanohashidate is a sandbar about 3.6 km long in northern Kyoto Prefecture, separating Aso Sea from Miyazu Bay. Lined with pine trees and white sand, it is a famous scenic spot. Together with Matsushima in Miyagi Prefecture and Miyajima in Hiroshima Prefecture, it is counted as one of the "Three Great Views of Japan."

From Kasamatsu Park on the north side of Amanohashidate, you can look out over the sandbar stretching into the sea and its line of pines from above. The viewpoint also has a "matanozoki" platform. The traditional way to enjoy the view is to turn your back to Amanohashidate and look at it upside down from between your legs.

The cable car fare up to Kasamatsu Park is not included in the tour price. If you would like to enjoy the view from the observation point, check the fare and the tour's meeting time before heading up.

Walking Through Ine, the Town of Waterfront Boathouses

Ine is a fishing village on the Tango Peninsula. Along the shore of Ine Bay, funaya, traditional houses with a boat garage on the ground floor, line the water for about 5 km. The quiet townscape, nestled between mountains and sea, was once selected as one of the 18 "Most Beautiful Villages in Japan."

On the tour, you stroll at an easy pace through the small town along Ine Bay and walk to Ineura Park, where you can see the boathouse architecture up close. You will see wooden houses standing right at the water's edge, nets hung to dry under the eaves, and buildings reflected in the clear water, a series of scenes full of the feel of everyday life.

The funaya are still people's homes. When taking photos, be considerate of the quiet fishing community, for example by not entering private property.

Miyama: Meeting a Farming Village of Thatched Roofs

The Miyama Thatched Village is a settlement in Nantan City that preserves the traditional rural scenery of Japan. It is designated an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings. Along with Shirakawa-go in Gifu Prefecture and Ouchi-juku in Fukushima Prefecture, it is one of Japan's best-known thatched-roof villages.

In a mountain valley surrounded by cedar forest, houses with thick thatched roofs are scattered about, with narrow paths winding between them. Near the entrance to the village stands a red round postbox, adding to a view that recalls old Japan.

Part of the village's charm is how its impression changes with the seasons: wrapped in fresh green in early summer, or soft, muted colours before the buds open in early spring. Visiting after the coastal scenery lets you appreciate the wide variety of landscapes within Kyoto Prefecture alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

■ Are the cable car and the Ine Bay sightseeing boat included in the price? No. If you use the Kasamatsu Park cable car or the Ine Bay sightseeing boat, you will need to buy tickets separately. Food and drink are also at your own expense.

■ Do I walk with a guide at each sightseeing spot? Free time to explore is the basic format at each spot. Make sure you check the meeting point and meeting time the staff give you before heading off.

■ Does the tour return to Kyoto? There are two plans: one that departs from and returns to Kyoto, and one where you board in Kyoto and the tour ends in Osaka. When booking, choose the plan with the drop-off point you prefer.

What to Check Before Booking

• Which plan you are booking: round trip from Kyoto, or board in Kyoto and get off in Osaka
• The meeting point, meeting and departure times, drop-off point and expected return time
• That the Kasamatsu Park cable car, the Ine Bay sightseeing boat, and food and drink cost extra
• The free time at each sightseeing spot and the time to meet back
• Itinerary changes due to weather or traffic, and the cancellation and refund conditions

Please check the booking page for the latest prices and plan details. The return time may vary depending on traffic, so leave some flexibility in your plans after the tour.

Summary

This day tour leaves Kyoto by private bus to visit the Ine funaya boathouses, Amanohashidate (one of Japan's Three Great Views) and the Miyama Thatched Village.

Boathouses lined up along the water, a pine-covered sandbar stretching into the sea, and a thatched-roof village in the mountains. You can visit three places with different scenery and ways of life in a single day, without the hassle of changing trains.

Staff who speak Chinese, English and Japanese accompany the tour. If you would like to add the landscapes of Kyoto's sea and mountains to your travel plans, check availability and the latest prices on the booking page. You can find it here: Day Tour from Kyoto: Ine Funaya Boathouses, Amanohashidate & Miyama Thatched Village.