Amanohashidate (Kyoto Prefecture): How to Visit, When to Go and What It Costs
天橋立 · Amanohashidate · Ama no Hashidate · 天の橋立
Amanohashidate — Kyoto Prefecture
| Also known as | 天橋立 · Amanohashidate · Ama no Hashidate · 天の橋立 |
| Region | Kyoto Prefecture, Japan |
| Coordinates | 35.569561, 135.192008 |
What it is
Amanohashidate is a sandbar in Miyazu Bay in northern Kyoto Prefecture, forming part of the Tango-Amanohashidate-Ōeyama Quasi-National Park. It is one of Japan's three scenic views. The strip of land is 3.3 km long and covered with about 7,000 pine trees. A visitor can view the sandbar from mountains on either side of the bay, or walk across it on foot. Near the northern end is Kono Shrine, a Shinto shrine, and the southern end is Chion-ji, a Buddhist temple. On the bar itself is the Isoshimizu fresh water well, cherished since the Heian period and selected as one of 100 best springs and rivers in Japan by the Environmental Agency in 1985.When to go
The sandbar is outdoors and open year-round. Walking the full length takes a few hours at a relaxed pace; if you also want to view it from the mountains on either side of the bay, allow a full day.Getting there
Amanohashidate Station on the Miyazu Line railway is within walking distance of the southern end of the sandbar. The station is about two hours from Kyoto Station or Osaka Station.What it costs
There is no admission fee to walk along the sandbar or to view it from the surrounding mountains. Transport costs (railway fares, mountain lift or chairlift if you choose to use them) are separate.Frequently asked questions
What does the name mean?
The name Amanohashidate is written in Japanese as 天橋立, which literally means "bridge standing towards heaven".
How long is the sandbar?
The sandbar is 3.3 km (2.1 mi) long and covered with about 7,000 pine trees.
What is at each end of the sandbar?
Near the northern end is Kono Shrine, a Shinto shrine. The southern end is Chion-ji, a Buddhist temple.
Is there anything special about how the name is written?
The location is notable for having at least four locally created placename kanji with an unusually high number of strokes. Two of these, "" and "", were encoded in Unicode in September 2025; the other two are not yet encoded as of Unicode 17.0.
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Reference: Wikidata · Wikipedia (ja) · Wikipedia (zh) · Wikipedia (en)