Day Trip to Amanohashidate & Ine – from Kyoto

In summer, it gets very hot in Japan. So what’s better than escaping to the coast for a bit? Just two hours from Kyoto, you’ll find Amanohashidate - ranked as one of the three most beautiful scenic spots in Japan- and Ine, a small fishing village. If you have the time, I highly recommend visiting these places. It’s a great way to experience a different side of Japan.

Amanohashidate

The highlight of Amanohashidate is its breathtaking view. It’s a 3.6 km long sandbar stretching across the blue sea, lined with pine trees - a stunning sight.

To really enjoy the view, you can take a chairlift up the mountain. A round trip costs ¥850 per person. The lift has single seats without a safety bar, but you’re never very high above the ground. If you’d rather not take the chairlift, there’s also a monorail to the top.

Once at the top, you’ll naturally take in the view - but you may quickly get distracted by… an amusement park? At the summit sits a small park called Viewland. It has a Ferris wheel, pedal-powered rail carts, a carousel, and a go-kart track for kids, plus a small café. We skipped the rides, enjoyed the scenery, took some photos, and headed back down on the chairlift.

From the lift entrance, you can walk toward the waterfront, where you’ll find a small shopping street with a few eateries. You can also rent bikes here. It’s possible to cycle all the way across the sandbar to the other side - a great option on a sunny day. In our case, it was far too hot, so we chose to stroll across at a slower pace instead.

Ine

Ine is about 15 km from Amanohashidate, and it’s absolutely worth the trip. Stepping into Ine feels like walking into a fairytale. This charming fishing village sits on a quiet bay, lined with dozens of traditional funaya - fishermen’s houses that are still in use today. You can take a sightseeing ferry or a sea taxi to get out on the water for a closer look at the houses. Just beware of the cheeky seagulls flying around. Near the village entrance, there’s a small tourist office where you can book tickets for the ferry or boat taxi.

We enjoyed a leisurely walk through the village, taking in the views. We had hoped to grab a drink at one of the waterfront cafés, but they were all too busy, so we skipped it. I won’t say much more about Ine - the photos speak for themselves.

Where are Amanohashidate and Ine?

On the map of the Kyoto–Osaka region, these cities are roughly in the middle. The red dot in the upper left marks Amanohashidate, and the yellow dot marks Ine.

How to get to Amanohashidate and Ine?

You can reach the villages in three ways: by public transport, by car, or by tour bus.

By public transport from Kyoto

• From Kyoto Station, a direct train runs to Amanohashidate: the JR Hashidate Limited Express. The trip takes two hours and costs between ¥4,800 and ¥5,400 one way. Seat reservations are mandatory, and you can only book them at the station - not online.

• Alternatively, take the JR Kinosaki Limited Express to Fukuchiyama, then transfer to the Kyoto Tango Railway to Amanohashidate. This takes about 2.5 hours. A seat reservation is also required for the JR Kinosaki trains.

• From Amanohashidate to Ine, there’s one direct bus per hour. The ride takes about an hour and costs roughly ¥400. To return to Kyoto from Ine, take the bus back to Amanohashidate, then catch the train.

By public transport from Osaka

• There’s no direct train from Osaka to Amanohashidate. From Osaka, take the JR Konotori Limited Express to Fukuchiyama, then transfer to the Kyoto Tango Railway to Amanohashidate. This takes about 2.5 hours. A seat reservation is required for the JR Konotori trains.

• As from Kyoto, there’s one direct bus per hour between Amanohashidate and Ine.

By car

We made a road trip out of our visit to Amanohashidate and Ine. The highways here pass through beautiful, hilly landscapes - you’ll be treated to great views just during the drive. Having a car gave us the freedom to stop wherever we wanted.

We rented our car in Kyoto via booking.com with Nissan Rent A Car. Make sure to book in advance—on the day itself, availability can be limited. Prices vary by season; in September, we paid € 75,-. Gasoline is cheaper in Japan than in the Netherlands.

The drive from Kyoto to Amanohashidate takes about 1.5 to 2 hours. From Amanohashidate, it’s about a 30-minute drive to Ine. We used Google Maps for navigation, which worked perfectly. Parking is easy to find, and usually just a few euros.

Things to keep in mind when driving in Japan:

• An International Driving Permit is required. In the Netherlands, you can get one at the ANWB for about €15,-. Check in advance where to get one in your home country, because you can't get it once you're in Japan.

• Japan drives on the left, which may take some getting used to, especially in busy cities.

• Speed limits are low—on highways, we often drove at 80 km/h. Keep an eye on road signs.

• Highways have tolls—just a few euros per trip. You can’t always pay by credit card, so carry some cash.

By tour bus

From Kyoto, there are also day tours to Amanohashidate and Ine. You’re picked up at an agreed time, spend a set amount of time in each location, and return to Kyoto together. It’s convenient because everything is arranged for you. You’ll be traveling with a larger group in a tour bus. Most tours can be booked via GetYourGuide or Klook.