Amanohashidate/Ine 2-Day Standard Course

An Amanohashidate specialty piled with clams harvested in Amanohashidate. Amanohashidate clams are large and very flavorful. Clam rice bowls use simple seasonings of kelp and soy sauce to let you enjoy the flavor of the clams themselves, and their aroma and flavor are brought out with every bite. Gaze out at Amanohashidate, which is one of Japan's three most famous scenic places, while enjoying a clam rice bowl is a special treat.

With the largest temple gate in the Tango region, Chion-ji Temple is a sacred location of the bodhisattva of wisdom, Monju, and the temple known as one of three Monju Buddhist temples in Japan. It's famous for bestowing wisdom upon those who worship at the temple. You often see students visiting in hopes of gaining an extra edge on their tests. The main temple gate, which faces Chaya Street, is a designated cultural property of the city, and is the largest Zen Buddhist temple gate in the Tango region.

Amanohashidate is one of the “Three Most Famous Views in Japan.” The Amanohashidate sandbar is a natural land bridge described in legend as having been created by the deity Izanagi-no-mikoto as a path from the heavens to visit the deity Izanami-no-mikoto. Amanohashidate is a natural work of art created by the Sea of Japan and the Noda River, flowing from its source on Mt. Oe. The mysterious beauty, the white sands and green pine trees present a truly superb view. Some 8,000 pine trees grow in the sand along the roughly 3.6-kilometer bridge. The shrine Hashidate Myojin (Amanohashidate-jinja Shrine), a famous freshwater well called Isoshimizu, and a road bridge that swings 90 degrees to allow ferries and barges to pass are among its additional points of interest. Visitors can walk or cycle from one end of Amanohashidate to the other. There are benches and rest areas along the way. Amanohashidate is included in many “Best 100” lists: 100 Famous Pine Trees of Japan, 100 White Sand and Green Pine Sites of Japan, 100 Roads of Japan, 100 Beaches of Japan, 100 Famous Waters, 100 Historic Parks of Japan, 100 Beautiful Historic Landscapes of Japan, and 100 Geological Features of Japan.

This shrine stands in the center of Amanohashidate, a naturally occurring land bridge that cuts across two salt water bays. It is a popular spot for couples and families out walking the Amanohashidate land bridge or going to the white sand beaches in the summer. Amanohashidate is known for its multiple dragon legends, and at this shrine eight great dragon kings are enshrined. Right next to the shrine is a purifying spring, which is actually one of Japan's 100 famous water sources.

Amanohashidate Viewland is located on top of Mt. Monju, and can be reached via cable car or chair lift. The cable car chair lift is only a short walk from Amanohashidate Station, making it an easy way to catch panoramic views of Amanohashidate, one of Japan's Three Scenic Views. Amanohashidate Viewland is on the south side of the Amanohashidate land bridge. When you get to the top, you will see people bending over to view the land bridge through their legs. This is called "matanozoki" and people do it because when upside down, the bays look like the sky and Amanohashidate becomes a green dragon flying across it. There are also a variety of family friendly attractions, such as a ferris wheel, sky-rail with pedal-cars, a sky walk, and many other rides and activities.

Get up close and personal with Amanohashidate at Monjusou, where all the guest rooms are designed for the best view possible overlooking the Amanohashidate sandbar with its pine trees. The story of this building follows the history of Amanohashidate: since 1690 it was known as the Kanshichi Tea House, which sold famous "wisdom rice cake" sweets in front of the Chion-ji Temple gates. Throughout its 13 generations, this ryokan has been called by various names, including Taikyorou, Shourotei, and now Monjusou. There is plenty to see in the area surrounding the inn, including many famous historical temples and shrines, such as Chion-ji Temple, Motoise Kono Shrine, Nariai-ji Temple, and Amanohashidate Shrine, as well as places to view Amanohashidate, like Amanohashidate Viewland and Kasamatsu Park. In the summer, you can also enjoy Amanohashidate Beach. Also very popular here is the ishigama (stone oven) cuisine that showcases the fresh and seasonal Tango produce.

Located to the northern side of Amanohashidate, one of Japan's "Three Famous Scenic Views," the ancient Motoise Kono Shrine is so called (literally, "former Ise") because before the deities were moved to Ise-jingu Shrine in Mie Prefecture, the sun goddess Amaterasu and the goddess Toyo-uke Daijin were enshrined here. In front of the main hall, you'll see shining, five-colored "suedama" (a kind of traditional Buddhist orb, representing a sacred jewel), an object only allowed to be placed in Ise-jingu Shrine and here in Kono Shrine.

Kasamatsu Park is one of the two overlooks perfect for viewing Amanohashidate, one of Japan's Three Scenic Views. The park is located halfway between Motoise Kono Shrine and Nariai-ji Temple, and is accessible via chairlift or cable car. At Kasamatsu Park, there is a gift shop, Ama Terrace Restaurant with excellent views of the Amanohashidate land bridge, as well as photo spots and places to view the land bridge upside down (by looking between your legs). This inverted view is famous and meant to look like a green dragon flying through the sky. From the park, visitors can also catch the mountain bus that runs between Kasamatsu Park and Nariai-ji Temple (one of the 33 temples on Japan's western pilgrimage route).

Nariai-ji Temple is located on a mountainside overlooking Amanohashidate” which is considered one of the three most scenic spots in Japan. There is an endless line of visitors to the temple, as it is the 28th temple of the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage. Autumn leaves around the five-story pagoda turn a spectacular red in autumn, and the scenery here looks just like a picture scroll. A light-up event will be held on November 10th and 11th.

Funaya Shokudo is run by a long-established local inn and restaurant with lots of experience cooking local cuisine. The restaurant itself is located on the 2nd floor of the Ine Town Tourism Association, right in front of Ine Bay, so you can enjoy seasonal fish while looking out over the historic boat houses. Since opening in April 2018, it has become a popular spot for domestic and overseas tourists who want to try Ine’s hometown gourmet food. The town of Ine is a treasure trove of delicious ingredients: in addition to seafood, this area's vegetables and rice are also excellent.

Ine is a seaside village in the "Kyoto by the Sea" area, which is in the north of Kyoto Prefecture. Ine lies on the coast of the Sea of Japan and is famous for its wooden boathouses, or "funaya.". Ine's boathouses are famous for their unusual architecture: the bottom story stores a boat and fishing gear, while the second story comprises the living quaters. The floor of the bottom story nearly lines up with the waterline, making the houses look like they are floating on the bay and making a unique way to enter a home. The boathouses of Ine are a designated Group of Historic Buildings, a category under Japan's Historic Preservation Act. The beautiful scenery at Ine makes it a popular place for filming TV shows and movies. There are a range of tours with which to enjoy Ine. For example, the Ine Bay Cruise is a popular way to see the boathouses from the water, or you can book tours to enter inside the boathouses, experience fishing, or learn about the history of Ine on a cycling tour.

Founded in 1754, Mukai Sake Brewery is a small sake brewery with an annual production of about 5 million bottles. Ms. Kuniko Mukai has served as head brewer since 1999 and is the eldest daughter of this family business. At the time of her appointment, there was a lot of buzz about her because she was the first female head brewer in Japan. Because of her perseverance in making wholly unique sake, "Ine Mankai" (their ancient red rice sake) was served during the G20 Osaka Summit held in 2019.

This is a park that overlooks Ine Bay and the Funaya (boat houses). In addition to restaurants and dining establishments that cook and serve fresh live fish that are caught at Ine Fishery Port, there are also souvenir shops and lounges here.