We reserved the last two seats on the bus from Kyoto to Amanohashidate at the beginning of the week. To travel on the first weekend of Golden Week, you either need to plan well in advance or be a bit lucky. Departing from the station around 9am, we arrive at Amanohashidate Station 2h later. We have lunch nearby and then visit Chionji Temple. We rent bikes in front of the Kaisen Bridge and pedal to cross the lagoon. The path along the sandbar is very pleasant: shaded and bordered by water on both sides.
We return the bikes upon reaching the other side. After a visit to the Motoise Kono Shrine, we take the funicular to the viewpoint. It’s customary to view the bay upside down, so the sky and sea blend together, and allowing you to see the shape of a dragon in the sandbar. Well, the dragon shape is not very convincing. We walk a few minutes up the road to the lovely Nariaiji Temple. We descend by bus and take the funicular back down to sea level. A boat takes us back to Amanohashidate Station.
The next stop is at Shiizaki Inari Shrine. We enjoy the last rays of the sun and walk back to the center of Miyazu. We have dinner at a popular seafood restaurant, considering how crowded it is. We end the day at the hotel: tatami mats, yukatas, and onsen.
The next morning, after another visit to the baths, we have breakfast at the hotel. We take a train East to Tango-Kanzaki Station, then stroll between the sea and countryside. We return to Miyazu and have lunch on the pier, after passing several other restaurants that were either closed or packed.
We set off towards Kanabiki Waterfall, a bit further South. It’s one of the 100 most beautiful waterfalls in Japan, and the area is indeed remarkable, both for the size of the waterfall and the lush surroundings. And it’s almost cold!
Back in Miyazu, we refresh ourselves with ice cream and head to the station. The 6pm bus is slowing a bit due to traffic and drops us off at Kyoto Station a little before 9pm.
