Amanohashidate Sandbar 天橋立

Amanohashidate is a pine-covered sandbar famous for having one of Japan's three scenic views, along with Matsushima in Miyagi Prefecture and Miyajima in Hiroshima Prefecture . This natural bridge links both sides of Miyazu Bay in northern Kyoto Prefecture, and is part of a national park.

Amanohashidate Sandbar is accessible by train followed by a short walk.

From Kyoto Station , take the Hashidate Limited Express to Amanohashidate Station. The ride takes about two and a half hours. The sandbar is a 20-minute walk from the station.

Amanohashidate translates to “bridge to heaven” because it appears to be a pathway connecting heaven and earth when viewed from the mountains that rise above it on either side. The sandbar is quite thin—just 20 meters wide at its narrowest point. Most of it is occupied by pine trees.

You'll get wonderful views on either side of the bay, or you can walk along the scenic road that threads through the trees on the isthmus. This takes about 45 minutes on foot or 15 minutes by bike, which can be rented from shops and hotels by Amanohashidate Station.

There are not just views on offer at Amanohashidate. On the east side are beautiful white sand beaches, which locals flock to in the summer. Surrounded by the lush pines, the beaches are a lovely sight.

If it's history you're after, you can visit Kono-jinja Shrine on the northern side and Chionji Temple on the southern end.

Various sightseeing cruises offer tours of the bay around the sandbar. Tickets can be reserved at the dock where the cruises depart next to Chionji Temple on the southern end of the island.

A pair of parks provide the best views on either side of the bay. On the south side behind Amanohashidate Station you can find a cute theme park, Amanohashidate View Land. You can take a chairlift or cable car to the park, which has a skywalk, Ferris wheel, and even go-karts.

On the other side of the bay is Kasamatsu Park, also accessible by chairlift or cable car. From here locals say that the sandbar looks like a dragon rising into the sky.

For over one thousand years, locals have been striking the same pose to view the bay best: bending over with their head between their legs. This stance has a name: matanozoki. You'll be sure to see many people in this position, following the local tradition.