Kyoto by the Sea
Kyoto's North Shore
An escape from the cities, but still close enough to make traveling here a breeze.
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car: 90 min from Kyoto / 2 hrs from Osaka
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train: 2 hrs from Kyoto / 3 hours from Osaka
A slight detour from the Golden Route will take clients to the origin of Japan's culture. Rich in history, stunning beaches and green spaces, enchanting fishing villages and wellness as a way of life. Key highlights include:
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Ine Bay: The village of Ine is like nowhere else in the world, and that’s not hyperbole. The village is built on the waters of Ine Bay, one of UNESCO’s World’s Most Beautiful Bays, and the 230 “funaya” (boat houses) that line the bay trace their origins back to the Edo period.
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Amanohashidate: Where is the most beautiful place in Japan? Well, Japan has narrowed it down to three. Japan's "Three Scenic Views" are comprised of Matsushima in Miyagi, Miyajima in Hiroshima, and Amanohashidate (here in Miyazu, Kyoto).
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The San’in UNESCO Global Geopark: Located in Kyotango, an area well-known throughout Japan for its unparalleled quality of seafood, silk heritage, and stunning beaches. It is becoming better known internationally as a mecca of longevity, as it is home to Japan’s highest concentration of centenarians.
Japan-san's recommended itinerary inclusions for the area are listed below. Please select "CONNECT" in order to contact Japan-san for more information.
Kagiya Funaya
Ine Bay Boathouse stay
Stay in a renovated boat house right on Ine Bay. Ine is an active fishing village, and the only one of Japan’s “Most Beautiful Villages” built on the water. Activities in the village include visiting the world famous Mukai Sake Brewery, taking an intimate tour in a sea taxi, fishing, e-bike tours, and more. You may even want to visit the local harbor in the morning as the fishing boats return, pick out your favorite fish among the day's catch, and have it grilled fresh for you.
A typical stay at Kagiya Funaya (pictured) includes half board, replete with local seafood and seasonal produce. The boat house itself is two floors. The first floor is for dining and has a private walk out to the water. The second floor has two rooms, a living room and a tatami bedroom. The architecture of the boat house has been preserved, while adding modern amenities and a clean atmosphere. The inn offers complementary yukata that you can wear while dining as well. The owners of the inn own their own sea taxi, and visitors can be taken on a tour of the bay and picturesque boat houses that line the bay.
E-bike Tours
Up-close and unexplored
E-bike rentals are extremely popular in Kyoto by the Sea. With so many gorgeous photo spots, small villages, terraced rice fields, roadside farm stands, wildlife, flowers, scents, colours, not to mention fresh ionized air that is the combination of the mountains, mist, and sea, you will want to explore this area a little slower to uncover all of its secrets. Electric-assisted bikes allow you to experience all this, get some exercise, while still relaxing a bit when you feel like letting the bike do the work for you.
Farmstay
Reconnect with natural living
Located in the countryside of Fukuchiyama (home to Fukuchiyama Castle, the Oeyama mountain range, demons and ogre legends, sacred power spots, and cliff-side shrines), this farmhouse is an excellent way to escape the city and experience a slower-paced Japan.
This farmhouse, Furumaya, is run by a Japanese/French couple and accommodates guests from all over the world. The area offers a plethora of ways to learn about sustainability and local cuisine. The misty mountains produce incredibly clean air, water, produce, and mystical photographs!
"Pichi Pichi"
Fish market & fishing village tour, sushi making
Follow the sushi, from Sea to Plate by visiting a fishing village to pick out different fish. Tour the village as the sun rises. Return to a cooking space where you’ll don the garb of traditional sushi vendors and learn how to make sushi from an expert. Brunch includes various sashimi, sushi, and local sides.
The Art of Miso
Japanese Food Culture – Malted rice and Miso making
Unlock the Japanese secret to longevity; fermented products like malted rice and miso date back centuries. In this workshop, learn different ways to cook with these ingredients, as well as the get opportunity to make your own miso to take with you. Bring the knowledge of traditional Japanese cuisine home.
More than just good for your health, fermented foods are a way of life and extremely delicious in the hands of artisans. Learn the secrets of miso, soy sauce, and sake from Japanese experts.
Hiking Mt. Oeyama
Exclusive Autumn Experience
The concept behind this tour is to see the “two seas” of Kyoto by the Sea, including sunrise and sunset, in a single day. Visitors will start their journey in the Oeyama Mountain Range to find on your way up to the overlook where the first “sea” will become visible as the sun rises out of the sea of mist. This is the famed sea of clouds; mist rolls into the mountains, making them appear as if they were islands in the ocean.
The tour will head towards the Japanese Sea, where visitors can visit Ine Bay, where 230 boat houses line the bay. This is officially one of Japan’s Most Beautiful Villages, and rare because it is built right on the water. Following the Tango Peninsula, visitors will eventually arrive at Yuhigaura, “land of eternal sunsets,” where you can watch the sun complete it’s journey back into the sea, completing the natural cycle. Yuhigaura sits on a UNESCO Global Geopark coastline, and the nights accommodations will not only have fresh local food but natural hot springs as a reward for the adventure.
