Kyoto to Amanohashidate and Ine Day Trip Guide

Hi friend, if you are staying in Kyoto and thinking about taking a sightseeing trip to Amanohashidate, this guide may be of some help.

Amanohashidate is located in Miyazu Bay on the Sea of Japan side of northern Kyoto Prefecture. Together with Matsushima in Mutsu and Miyajima in Aki, it is known as one of the Three Scenic Views of Japan.

What are the Three Scenic Views of Japan? -> https://www.nihonsankei.jp/about.html

Three Scenic Views of Japan

Use Passes

JR Kansai Wide Area Pass + Amanohashidate-Ine 2-Day Pass

Klook link: https://s.klook.com/c/awRZzp_v1B

Choose the 5-day pass, then under Add-ons select 5-Day Pass + Kyoto Amanohashidate Ine Sightseeing 2-Day Pass.

This means you can buy the Amanohashidate-Ine Sightseeing 2-Day Pass, worth 3,500 yen, for only about 39 RMB.

Schedule

The Amanohashidate-Ine Sightseeing 2-Day Pass covers both local buses and express buses. Express buses stop at fewer places than local buses and get to Ine faster.

If you do not buy the pass, you need to pay bus fares in cash. Suica and Icoca are not accepted. Local bus fares vary by distance, while the express bus has a fixed fare of 1,000 yen.

Kyoto Round Trip

Train

From Kyoto, take a JR train to Amanohashidate Station.

Direct train, recommended: The JR Hashidate Limited Express has only a small number of departures, but it runs directly between Kyoto and Amanohashidate. The one-way trip takes about 2 hours, and the fare is around 4,800-5,400 yen depending on your travel date.

Please note: JR trains to Amanohashidate are reserved-seat only, so you must reserve a seat. I recommend reserving your round-trip seats at the ticket machines in the first-floor hall of Kyoto Station the day before departure.

Enter Kyoto Station with your pass. When leaving Amanohashidate Station, show both your pass and reserved-seat ticket to the staff.

Bus

Tankai Bus operates several highway buses each day between Kyoto Station and Amanohashidate. The one-way trip takes about two hours, and the fare is 3,200 yen or 3,400 yen depending on the travel date. Online reservations are available through the Willer website.

Book online

Arriving at Amanohashidate

Inside Amanohashidate Station, exchange your voucher for the Amanohashidate-Ine 2-Day Pass at the Amanohashidate Information Centre. You can also pick up English and Japanese sightseeing brochures there.

The Kyoto Amanohashidate Ine Sightseeing 2-Day Pass covers the following:

• Admission to Nariaiji Temple
• Round-trip mountain bus to Nariaiji Temple
• Kasamatsu Park clay-disc throwing voucher
• Amanohashidate sightseeing boat: round trip between Miyazu Pier, Amanohashidate Pier, and Ichinomiya Pier
• Amanohashidate Kasamatsu Park cable car and chairlift: round trip between Fuchu Station and Kasamatsu Station
• Ine Bay sightseeing boat, Hikaribune: boarding ticket for the Ine Bay cruise
• Tankai route buses: route buses within Miyazu City, Kyotango City, Ine Town, and Yosano Town, excluding community buses
• Nariaiji shuttle bus: round trip between Kasamatsu Station and Nariaiji Temple

Sightseeing Route

Take the bus toward Ine to visit these places.

Bus stops:

1. Amanohashidate Station
   I recommend taking the express bus. The fare is 1,000 yen and is covered by the Amanohashidate-Ine 2-Day Pass. Just show your pass when boarding.
2. Ine Bay Meguri / Hide
   Take the sightseeing boat here. The boat fare is 1,200 yen and is covered by the Amanohashidate-Ine 2-Day Pass. Just show your pass. The cruise takes about 30 minutes. You can buy snacks at the pier before boarding and feed the seagulls on the boat.
3. Ine
   Walk around Ine’s funaya boathouses and enjoy the calm atmosphere of this seaside village. You can also climb up to Satsuki Park, near Roadside Station Funaya no Sato Ine, for a view over Ine. There are several cafes by the sea where you can sit down and rest.
4. Amanohashidate Motoise Kono Shrine
   Get off here and walk to the Kasamatsu Park cable car station. The cable car fare is covered by the Amanohashidate-Ine 2-Day Pass. Just show your pass. There are two options: chairlift and cable car cabin, and you can choose freely. One thing to note is that the chairlift stops earlier in the evening than the cabin-style cable car.
   After reaching the Kasamatsu Park observation deck, you can take the Nariaiji bus from the deck directly into the Nariaiji Temple area. The fare is covered by the Amanohashidate-Ine 2-Day Pass; show your pass when boarding. The one-way bus ride takes about 5 minutes. Before boarding, remember to ask the staff for a bus timetable so you can confirm the return bus time. Nariaiji Temple has a magnificent five-story pagoda, and there is also an observation deck overlooking Amanohashidate.

For related photos, see: Kansai Trip (2025)#Day 8 - Amanohashidate - Ine

Ine Hide sightseeing boat
Ine funaya boathouses

Kasamatsu Park observation deck
Nariaiji five-story pagoda

This guide is for reference only. It is most useful if you only have one day and need to rely on public transportation. If you have enough time and can drive, I highly recommend going by car. The beaches at Amanohashidate are also very beautiful.

There is no need to fear missing the beautiful scenery others once saw; the most beautiful moment may simply arrive when you casually look up.

Have a wonderful trip. The scenery outside the train and bus windows is beautiful too.