"Sea Kyoto": Amanohashidate and the boat houses of Ine

About the route

The “Sea Kyoto” tours go to the north of the prefecture. The main points are Amanohashidate, Chion-ji Temple and the boat houses of Ine. In one of the tours the price includes tickets for the Amanohashidate cable car and for a sightseeing boat on Ine Bay. The day lasts about 10.5 hours, with departure possible from Kyoto and Osaka.

How to get there and what to see by the bay

“Sea Kyoto” is the north of the prefecture by Wakasa Bay: the sandbar of Amanohashidate, the boat houses of Ine (Ine no Funaya) and Chion-ji Temple. Getting here on your own takes a long time, so most people go on a tour.

• On your own. From Kyoto a limited express runs to Amanohashidate station in 2–2.5 hours, and from Osaka there are an intercity bus and trains with a change. From Amanohashidate station to Ine takes about another hour by bus, whose timetable is sparse, so it is better to plan in advance.
• A tour. A guided tour includes the journey there and back and stops at the sandbar, Chion-ji and Ine. The day is long, about 10.5 hours, but with no changes. In some tours tickets for the cable car and the boat on the bay are included; see the card of the chosen tour.

Amanohashidate, Chion-ji and Ine

Amanohashidate is a sandbar about 3.6 km long, one of the three scenic views of Japan (“Sankei”). The classic ritual: go up to the Viewland viewpoint or Kasamatsu Park by cable car or chairlift and look at the bar bending over and looking between your legs: the bar “turns into” a bridge to the sky. Below you can walk along the bar or ride a rented bicycle. Nearby stands Chion-ji Temple, known for its “Jizo of Wisdom” and a stall selling fortune slips.

Ine is a fishing village where about two hundred boat houses (funaya) stand right on the water. The best way to see them is by sightseeing boat round the bay: it takes about 25–30 minutes. The houses are lived in, so do not walk onto private piers and do not push a camera at windows.

Which tickets and tours are available

Prices are as of 10 October 2026. Check the contents, language and conditions on the page of the offer you choose.

What else

Compare with Kyoto and Nara in a Day. All offers: excursions in Kyoto and Nara.

Restrictions and tips

• Season. It is best to go from April to November; in autumn the maples are beautiful, in winter there may be snow, and the cable car may suspend operation in wind. In summer it is hot, so bring a hat and water.
• What to bring. Comfortable shoes and a light jacket: it is windy on the bay. Cash yen for the bus and the kiosks in Ine will come in handy, as cards are not accepted everywhere.
• Passport. Needed for arranging tickets with the tour operator; take the original with you.
• Boats and rough water. Sea trips depend on the wind: in a storm the sailing is cancelled. See the cancellation and rescheduling terms on the tour card.
• Choose the right day. This destination is not suitable for the first day after arrival: the journey is tiring. Put it on the second or third day of your holiday.
• Drones. Flying over the residential village of Ine and the sandbar is not allowed, and the locals do not forgive it.

The description is based on Trip.com cards; opening hours and the contents of offers may change.