Summary
Most Kyoto itineraries stick to the city's famous temples and shrines, but there's a whole other side to Kyoto Prefecture waiting just a couple of hours north. This time, I explored Miyama, often referred to as the "Forest Kyoto," Amanohashidate, known as the "Sea Kyoto," and ventured into Maizuru and Ine. I traveled by bus tour from Kyoto Station and enjoyed incredible food along the way — wild game cuisine, fresh-from-the-port seafood, French cooking with local ingredients, and organic sweets.
If you've already visited Kyoto's classic sights like Kiyomizu-dera, Fushimi Inari, and Arashiyama, this northern Kyoto route makes a perfect follow-up trip. You'll get to see traditional thatched-roof villages, one of Japan's three most famous views, lively fish auctions, and fishing villages where boats are parked under people's houses.
*Please note that information and prices listed are subject to change.
How to Get to Northern Kyoto
Northern Kyoto (referred to as "Umi no Kyoto" or Sea Kyoto and "Mori no Kyoto" or Forest Kyoto) is not as easily accessible as the city center, but the trip is well worth the effort.
By Bus Tour (Recommended for First-Timers)
Bus tours departing from Kyoto Station are the easiest option. They handle all the transportation logistics so you can focus on sightseeing, which is how I did this trip.
By Car
Renting a car gives you flexibility. Miyama is about 90 minutes from Kyoto city via Route 162, and Amanohashidate is roughly 2 hours via the Kyoto-Jukan Expressway. Parking at Kayabuki no Sato costs around 500 yen.
By Train + Local Bus
To reach Miyama by public transit, take the JR Sagano Line from Kyoto Station to Hiyoshi Station (transfer at Sonobe, about 1 hour total), then ride the Nantan City Bus to Kita stop (about 45 minutes, 600 yen one way). Note that IC cards are not accepted on the Nantan bus — bring cash. For Amanohashidate, take the JR limited express Hashidate from Kyoto Station (about 2 hours).
Travel Itinerary
Day 1
10:00am Kyoto Station
I'm going to take on a bus tour this time.
Meet up at Kyoto station and let's start the trip!
Located in Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Station is a major transportation hub serving JR West, JR Central (Tokaido Shinkansen), Kintetsu Railway, and the Kyoto City Subway. It's the only Shinkansen stop in Kyoto Prefecture, making it the main gateway for visitors arriving from Tokyo, Osaka, or other cities. The station also offers a luggage delivery service to and from accommodations in Kyoto City, which is handy if you're heading out for a multi-day trip like this one.
12:00pm Kitchen Yururi
Here is lunch on the first day.
A restaurant where you can enjoy seasonal ingredients from Miyama.
The restaurant has an adjoining cutting area for deer and wild boar called "ichimoudajin" so that you can enjoy a variety of wild game meats at the restaurant.
Reservations are required for both lunch and dinner. Lunch courses start from 5,500 yen and dinner courses from 8,800 yen.
The building is 150 years old.
The atmosphere was very nice and I could feel the great nature!
The third largest roofed house in Miyama
It looks amazing.
Here's the processing area for game meat
The quality of the game meat is safe and secure, as the entire process from hunting to sale is handled in-house.
Wild boar
It was shocking to see deer and wild boars actually being captured.
Interior
Interior
The atmosphere was warm and cozy!
Course meal
Deer, wild boar, and Kyoto vegetables were used in abundance in this meal!
Here's what the food looks like
With stylish decorations
Wild boar meat
It was wonderfully tender and flavorful, with no discernible smell at all!
Lovely couple
The restaurant is run by a nice couple.
Kitchen Yururi is a restaurant located in Miyama-cho, Nantan-shi, Kyoto. At this restaurant, you can enjoy dishes using seasonal ingredients from Miyama. Since a deer and wild boar processing area is adjacent to the restaurant, you can also try fresh gibier (wild game) cuisine — something rarely available in Kyoto city. Reservations are required for both lunch and dinner, with lunch courses starting from 5,500 yen and dinner courses from 8,800 yen. The restaurant is open from 12:00 pm for lunch and 6:00 pm for dinner (limited to one group only). This is a place where you can spend a relaxing time while savoring dishes beautifully presented on fashionable plates.
2:00pm Kayabuki-no-Sato
I took the bus again and next destination is Kayabuki-no-Sato.
Miyama is famous for its Kayabuki roof (thatched roof)!
There are still some villages with Kayabuki roofs. Some of these houses were built 150 to 200 years ago, and people are still living in them!
Map
The site is not that very large and you can go around in about an hour.
There were also cafes and museums!
Time travel !?
It felt like a time travel back in time to the world of an old Japanese tale! Simply walking around was so much fun.
In the village
Landscape
Miyama Kayabuki no Sato is a mountain village full of historical atmosphere located in Miyama-cho, Nantan City, Kyoto Prefecture. A total of 39 thatched-roof houses stand in a row, offering a sense of the original Japanese landscape. It is registered as a national Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings and is visited by many tourists throughout the year. The village looks different in every season — green rice paddies in summer, snow-covered roofs in winter, and autumn leaves surrounding the houses in November.
5:00pm Hashidate Bay Hotel
This is the hotel for tonight. The hotel stands on a hill and you can see Amanohashidate!
It's a western style hotel and very beautiful.
The hotel houses a restaurant serving French cuisine.
I enjoyed French cuisine using Kyoto ingredients!
Amanohashidate
In the back, there is Amanohashidate, one of the three most scenic spots in Japan! Beautiful.
The observation deck (Amanohashidate Viewland) is about 20 minutes away by car. From there, you can try the famous "matanozoki" — bending over and looking at the sandbar through your legs, which makes it look like the pine-tree-lined sandbar is floating in the sky.
Let's eat course meal!
Crab
Radish soup with foie gras on top
Main dish: yellowtail steak
Plenty of fat and plump!
There's also breakfast.
Room
Calm atmosphere
A crane welcomes you!
Bathroom
Hotel exterior
Hashidate Bay Hotel is a resort hotel located in Yosano-cho, Yosagun, Kyoto Prefecture. Located on a hill, it offers a view of Amanohashidate, one of the three most scenic spots in Japan. The hotel is western style, very beautiful, and has a restaurant which serves French cuisine using Kyoto ingredients.
Day 2
08:30am Maizuru West Port
I gathered at 7:30 am and am heading to Maizuru!
At the port in Maizuru, you can view seafood auction! They are said to have the largest catch in Kyoto Prefecture. The crab season runs roughly from November to March, so if you time your visit right, you can watch the crab auctions firsthand.
Maizuru crab
The biggest Maizuru crab of the day.
Very big!
Crab Auction
A powerful auction right in front of you!
From large to small sizes
They're getting sold more and more.
Smaller ones are also available.
wholesale market
In addition to crab, many other seafood items were brought in.
Maizuru West Port is a market located in Maizuru City, Kyoto Prefecture. It is known as the place with the largest catch of fish in Kyoto Prefecture, and visitors can observe the auctions. Arrive early — auctions typically start around 7:30-8:00 am and wrap up within an hour or so.
12:00pm Seafood Deli TOTOMART
Just a few minutes from the port, I came to a tourist facility with several stores to eat seafood!
At this time, three stores were opened.
You can taste freshly caught seafood and buy souvenirs.
There is a food court in the center of the facility.
Lunch at Restaurant Gyoren
Enjoyed the taste of Kyoto seafood!
Soup
Sashimi
Octopus, black sea bream, Japanese spanish mackerel, yellowtail
Menu
Drink
Interior
Seafood Deli TOTOMART is a tourist commercial facility with restaurants and a market in Miyazu City, Kyoto Prefecture. Visitors can taste freshly caught seafood dishes and purchase souvenirs. The sashimi platters here use fish brought in that same morning from Maizuru port, so the freshness is on another level compared to what you'd find in Kyoto city.
2:00pm Ine Bay Area
The next stop was the town of Ine, a fishing village known for its "funaya" — traditional boat houses where the ground floor serves as a garage for fishing boats and the family lives on the upper floor. About 230 funaya line the shore of Ine Bay, and the whole area is designated as a national Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings.
I visited the area around Urashima-kan, situated in front of Urashima Shrine, where the Japanese old tale of Urashima Taro is passed down.
Inside Urashima-kan
The building sits right on the waterfront and offers views across the bay.
Terrace Seat
Cute dog
Cute dog healed me
Interior
Zenzai set 950 yen
The beans are so sweet and delicious
Azuki beans
Menu 1
Menu 2
Ine is one of the most photogenic spots in all of Kyoto Prefecture. If you take a sea taxi or sightseeing boat, you can see the funaya from the water — it's a view you won't find anywhere else in Japan. The bay is calm enough that it almost looks like a lake, and on a clear day the reflections on the water are really something.
5:00pm Bio Sweets Capocapo
The final destination is all about savoring a delicious cake.
Came to a confectionery shop with a small cafe in Kyotamba.
You can enjoy organic sweets made with natural ingredients!
The cafe offers meals such as plate lunches of local vegetables and pasta, as well as fresh cakes and other confections made from seasonal fruits!
They offer sweet deliveries within Japan.
Chestnut cream cake (780yen) and coffee
The chestnut cream cake made with the finest chestnuts from Tamba was so rich and delicious!
Interior
Coconut Macaroon
Cookies and other confections are also available.
Entrance
Menu 1
Menu 2
Drink
The food looks good too.
There was also a set meal
Bio Sweets Capocapo located in Kyotamba, Kyoto, is a confectionery shop with a small cafe. Here, visitors can enjoy organic sweets made with natural ingredients. The cafe serves meals such as plate lunches of local vegetables and pasta, as well as fresh cakes and other confections made from seasonal fruits. Tamba is famous for its chestnuts, black beans, and matsutake mushrooms, so the sweets here use some of the best local produce in all of Kyoto Prefecture.
7:00pm Kyoto Station
Came back to Kyoto station and it's the end of the travel.
It was a memorable two days of travel — enjoying delicious food and drinks while exploring new places!
Best Time to Visit Northern Kyoto
This route works year-round, but each season has its highlights:
- Spring (March–May): Cherry blossoms at Amanohashidate and around the villages. Late April is usually peak bloom for this area, a bit later than Kyoto city.
- Summer (June–August): Deep green surrounds Miyama and cool sea breezes along the coast. The green rice paddies at Kayabuki no Sato are at their most beautiful.
- Autumn (October–November): Fall foliage turns the thatched village into a postcard scene. Kayabuki no Sato is particularly popular during this season.
- Winter (December–March): Snow-covered thatched roofs look like something out of a fairy tale. Crab season is in full swing at Maizuru port, making this the best time for seafood.
More Kyoto Experiences
Back in Kyoto city, there's plenty more to explore. If you're spending extra nights before or after this northern trip, consider these:
For a taste of Kyoto's nightlife, try a guided bar-hopping tour through the city's traditional neighborhoods:
Want to capture your Kyoto memories? Book a private photo session at some of Kyoto's most scenic spots:
For sake lovers, a Kyoto sake brewery tour covers the Fushimi district where some of Japan's most famous sake is brewed:
If you're looking for more things to do in Kyoto, check out our other guides:
