How do we get from Kyoto to Amanohashidate?

Take the limited express Hashidate from Kyoto Station to Amanohashidate Station. It takes about 2 hours, with no change. All seats are reserved, and we prepare your tickets.

What should we do with our suitcases?

We suggest leaving large bags at your Kyoto hotel before or after the tour, and bringing a small bag for 2 nights. You can then move easily on the trains, boat and taxi. Please check first that your Kyoto hotel can keep your bags.

Are there days when the Tango Akamatsu train does not run?

The train usually runs only on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. It does not run on public holidays or inspection days. If you start on a Sunday or Monday, you ride it on day 3. If you start on a Tuesday or Wednesday, you ride it on day 1. Days without the train cannot be chosen in the calendar. If it is full, we book the other service that day and change the order of your day. If it is suddenly cancelled, you travel between Kyoto and Amanohashidate on the limited express Hashidate, with no change.

Once your booking is confirmed, please pay a 20% deposit within 10 days. The balance is due 60 days before you start. If you book less than 60 days before you start, please pay in full at once. If the balance is late, we send a reminder. If it is still unpaid a week later, we treat the booking as cancelled. You can pay by credit card or bank transfer, in Japanese yen.

What if we need to cancel?

It depends on when you cancel. 60 days or more before you start: the deposit only. 59 to 42 days: 30% of the tour price. 41 to 15 days: 50%. 14 days or less: 100%.

Kyoto by the Sea: Amanohashidate, Ine and the Tango Akamatsu Train

Self-guided, 3 days / 2 nights

Three days on the Kyoto coast, about 2 hours from Kyoto Station by express train. You visit Amanohashidate and the boathouses of Ine, and ride a red sightseeing train. See a view long called a "bridge to heaven", and a fishing town that still lives with the sea.

Duration: 3 days, 2 nights from Kyoto Station
Style: Self-guided (guide optional)
We arrange: Hotel, train tickets, routes
When: All year, on Akamatsu train days
Price: From ¥140,000 (US$880)

Seasonal pricing

Start date	Price
November 2026	¥155,000 (US$980)
December 2026 to February 2027	¥140,000 (US$880)
March to May 2027	¥155,000 (US$980)
June to August 2027	¥140,000 (US$880)
September to November 2027	¥155,000 (US$980)

Price per person, based on 2 people sharing a room. Travelling alone: +¥40,000.

Highlights

See Amanohashidate from above, then upside down through your legs.
Cycle the pine-lined sandbar across the bay, end to end.
Sail with seagulls to an ancient shrine linked to Ise Grand Shrine.
Walk among the 230 boathouses of Ine, then see them from the water.
Ride the red Tango Akamatsu train by the sea and over the Yura River.

Amanohashidate and the blue sea from above

The Tango Akamatsu train on a bridge over the water

The pagoda of Chion-ji Temple and blue sky

Few people think of the sea when they hear "Kyoto". But Kyoto Prefecture reaches north to the Sea of Japan. About 2 hours by express train from the temples of Kyoto, there is another Kyoto. Here, a road of pine trees crosses the sea, and houses line the water.

Amanohashidate is one of the Three Views of Japan, the country's most famous scenic spots. This long sandbar crosses a bay, with sea on both sides and pines overhead. You see it three ways: from a hilltop, by boat and by bicycle.

Ine is about 40 minutes away by car. Boathouses ring its bay, each with a boat garage on the ground floor, and fishing life carries on.

We arrange your hotel, tickets and daily routes. You explore with your map, at your own pace.

Want to hear about Japanese history and daily life? Add an English-speaking guide for 1 to 3 days.

Map of the route from Kyoto to Amanohashidate and Ine, with photos of Ine, Amanohashidate and Kyoto Station

Amanohashidate View Land

Amanohashidate and the sea beyond the chairlift

The viewpoint with the most famous view of Amanohashidate. Ride the chairlift up, then bend over and look through your legs. Upside down, Amanohashidate looks like a bridge in the sky. On a clear day, it is a view you will remember.

A two-seat pedal car on its track, with Amanohashidate behind

At the top is a small amusement park with a Ferris wheel and two-seat pedal cars on a track. The views are wide, so adults enjoy it as much as children.

Chion-ji Temple

A temple at the entrance to Amanohashidate, dedicated to the Buddhist figure of wisdom. Paper fortunes shaped like fans are tied to the pine branches like flowers. It is far quieter than the temples of Kyoto city, so you can take your time.

Boat to Kono Shrine

A sightseeing boat in the channel at Amanohashidate

Cross the bay by boat to the far shore. Seagulls follow the boat and fly right up to you when you hold up a snack. On the other side is Kono Shrine, said to be the origin of Ise Grand Shrine.

Cycling the Pine Avenue

A bicycle by a blue railing along the sea

You can also cycle along Amanohashidate. There is sea on both sides and pine branches overhead. In the sea breeze, end to end takes about 20 minutes. It is a simple way to leave daily life behind and feel close to nature.

The Boathouses of Ine

Boathouses and a cruise boat along the water in Ine

A town where about 230 boathouses line the water around the bay. The ground floor of each is a garage for boats. Open the doors, and the sea is right in front of the house.

A lane between boathouses leading to the sea in Ine

A small boat on the clear water in front of a boathouse

Walk down a narrow lane between the houses, and it always ends at the sea. Small boats float quietly on the clear water. Around every corner is a spot you will want to photograph.

Ine Bay Cruise

Hiroko waving from a boat in front of the boathouses of Ine

A 25-minute boat trip to see the row of boathouses from the sea. From the water, the whole town seems to float. Seagulls fly around the bay with you.

Lunch in Ine

Lunch in a converted boathouse, right on the bay. Sashimi and grilled fish, caught that morning. Now and then, a fishing boat passes the window.

Tango Akamatsu Train

A red sightseeing train. Inside are wooden panels and patterned sofas. Outside, the Sea of Japan and the mouth of the Yura River roll by. It runs only on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, which makes it special. We arrange the tickets for you.

The aisle and sofas inside the Tango Akamatsu train

Pointing at the sea from the window of the Tango Akamatsu train

Japan has many sightseeing trains. This one sells drinks and snacks on board, so the ride itself becomes part of the trip.

This tour is planned in detail, so you see the best places without wasted time. If you are visiting Kyoto, these 3 days fit easily into your trip.

Where You Stay

A sea-view Western-style twin room at Amanohashidate Hotel

You stay both nights at Amanohashidate Hotel, a hot spring hotel. It is a 1-minute walk from the station and has a large hot spring bath. Rooms are Western-style twins. Breakfast and dinner are included.

You can upgrade to a special sea-view room with a private open-air bath on the balcony (+¥60,000 per person, 2 people sharing, subject to availability).