Amanohashidate is one of the “Nihon Sankei” or the Three Scenic Views of Japan, located in the Miyazu Bay of Kyoto’s west coastline.
As one of the Three Scenic Views of Japan, alongside Miyajima and Matsushima Bay, Amanohashidate is located on Kyoto’s western seaside town of Miyazu. The area is home to incredible scenery of Japan’s seaside and the beautiful Miyazu Bay, where the iconic dragon-shaped sandbar curls across the ocean.
Taking the Tour Bus!
While you can take the bullet train to Amanohashidate, I recommend taking a tour bus instead.
Using GetYourGuide, you can hop on a 2-hour bus and enjoy intimate views of Kyoto’s countryside along the way.
You also don’t need to worry about getting lost along the way, as the friendly and entertaining tour guide is there to help every step of the way.
Up Up & Away!
Arriving at Miyazu city, the next step is to jump on the chair lift to the viewing point of Amanohashidate.
Quite intimidating at first, as there are no seatbelts on these chair lifts, you’ll soon realize it doesn’t stray too high off the ground, so falling off won’t be enough to kill ya!
A good time for a selfie indeed, as the view behind you gets progressively more impressive, just make sure not to drop your phone!
The Three Scenic Views of Japan
When you reach the top, there’s no questioning of where you are, so long as you can read Japanese. The sign read “Nihon Sankei Amanohashidate” or “Three Views of Japan Amanohashidate.” The wide open sea in the background, with the famous sandbar connecting the islands of Miyazu Bay is everything you need to see to know you’re in the right place!
Doing “The Pose”
You’ll notice everyone doing this famous pose on the photo platform at Amanohashidate. Why you ask? I’m honestly not too sure. Apparently, when you look at the sandbar upside down, it resembles a bridge floating in the sky, though I didn’t think it was too impressive. No, I much rather appreciate it as is, but I’ll admit it makes for a comedic photo!
Spectacular Scenery
It may have been a cloudy day during my visit to Amanohashidate, but that didn’t stop the views from being absolutely spectacular! The ocean stretches as far as the eye can see, while the surrounding mountains of Miyazu Bay provide a beautiful backdrop to the iconic dragon-shaped sandbar connecting the two islands.
Enjoying the Atmosphere
There are surrounding cafes and even a restaurant at this viewpoint. This particular pudding cup has gained quite some traction on social media. While delicious indeed, I believe it’s the design of the glass cup that really made it go viral, offering cute artwork of Amanohashidate and the surrounding theme parks of Miyazu city.
Coming Down
If you’ve been on TikTok lately, you’ve probably seen countless short videos of this chair lift coming down from the Amanohashidate viewpoint.
This is perhaps the best opportunity to get really good photos and videos, but again, watch out for your phone dropping!
It feels like you’re flying high when you descend toward the grounds of Miyazu city, like a seagull returning to the shore after soaring over the grand blue Sea of Japan!
Of course, if you are planning to visit Japan, you’ll need a way to get around the country as efficiently and affordably as possible. Japan Rail provides an abundance of travel passes to suit your travel needs. So whether you are traveling individually or as a group, the JR Pass is every traveler’s go-to for getting around and making the most of your time in Japan!