KYOTO (Tango Peninsula, Amanohashidate, Ine-no-Funaya)
Tango Peninsula: where Kyoto meets the sea
Tango Peninsula is located in the northern end of Kyoto Prefecture and it extends about 20 km into the Sea of Japan. It is renowned for its delicious seafood, rice and Japanese sake production. The inner part of the Peninsula is dotted with farm villages, mountains and narrow roads while along the coast are scattered many ryokan andnatural hot springs. If you like exploring and experience rural Japan and its unspoiled nature by renting a car, then this is the right place. Moreover, the breathtaking coastline together with the white sand beaches and its geological formation will leave you speechless.
Amanohashidate, a bridge to Heaven
Amanoshidate sandbar looks like a pathway connecting heaven and earth, hence the name “Aamanoshidate” which literally means “Heaven`s Bridge”. It is a three km long isthmus located in northern Kyoto and it takes around one hour to cross it on foot and 20 minutes by bycicle. This beautiful sandbar is one of the most picturesque places in Japan, it features a stunning scenery and it is covered with 8000 pine trees. Since some of them have a particular shape, they have been named such as “Meoto Matsu” (Couple Pines), “Nakayoshi no Matsu” (Friendly Pine) and “Chie no Matsu” (Friendly Pine). If you want to admire Amanoshidate from the top, you can take a cable car to Kasamatsu Park observatory deck, which is also the bus stop for Naria-ji Temple built in 704 and dedicated to Kannon, the Deity of compassion.
Ine-no-Funaya, “the Venice of Japan”
Ine is a seaside traditional fishing village located in Ine Town, in the North of Kyoto Prefecture and it stretches 5Km along Ine Bay. The unique architecture of the wooden bathouses together with the surrounding landscape, reminds the city of Venice in Italy, this is why Ine-no-Funaya is also called “the Venice of Japan”. Ine-no-Funaya scenery is so popular that it appears in various movies. The bathouses features two floors, the bottom one stores boats and fishing gear, while the second one features their lodges.