Amanohashidate and Kinosaki Onsen

One of Japan’s three most scenic views with a stay at an onsen boasting a 1,300-year history

Duration: 2 nights, 3 days (departure from Kyoto, Day 1 starts at 9:00)
Price: On request
Departure: Departure from the hotel in Kyoto / Arrival at Itami or Kobe airport

Overview

Embark on a private journey by car with a chauffeur, starting from Kyoto and visiting Amanohashidate—one of Japan’s three most scenic spots—before heading to Kinosaki Onsen, a hot spring town with a history spanning over 1,300 years. Travel from the mythical, prayer-filled shores of Tango to the ancient springs of San’in, beloved by writers and aristocrats. Your accommodation is Nishimuraya Honkan, the finest traditional Japanese ryokan in the San’in region, established over 160 years ago during the Ansei era of the Edo period. Savor moments filled with Japanese elegance: an impeccably landscaped garden, tranquil baths within the ryokan, and exquisite kaiseki cuisine reflecting the seasonal flavors of Tajima.

Itinerary: hotel in Kyoto → Amanohashidate (Kasamatsu Park, Amanohashidate View Land / Amanohashidate Shrine, Iso Shimizu / Chionji Temple) → stay at Nishimuraya Honkan, Kinosaki Onsen → Itami/Kobe Airport

Key Features

Amanohashidate — One of the Three Most Famous Views of Japan. If you look from Kasamatsu Park in the "matanozoki" pose (through your legs), it creates the illusion that the sandbar is floating in the sky, and the sea and sky have switched places.
Kinosaki Onsen — A hot spring with a history of over 1,300 years. Put on a yukata and geta, stroll along the willow-lined Otani River, and experience the charm of a city designed as a single inn by visiting its seven bathhouses.
Nishimuraya Honkan — A ryokan with over 160 years of history. The buildings are registered as tangible cultural properties of Japan. Joining Relais & Châteaux in 2016, it is the finest traditional ryokan in the San'in region.
Chion-ji Temple — One of the three great Monju temples in Japan. Founded in 808 by imperial decree of Emperor Heizei. Highlights include the Tahoto pagoda, the Tango temple gate "Kogonkaku," and the famous "Chie no Mochi" rice cakes.
Seven Baths — Kinosaki Onsen`s concept: “the station is the entrance, the streets are corridors, the inns are guest rooms, and the public baths are grand bathhouses.” The entire town is like one ryokan, where guests in yukata stroll from one bathhouse to another.
Tajima Kaiseki — Each dish is carefully prepared using local seasonal ingredients, such as Matsuba crab from the Sea of Japan, the renowned Tajima beef known for its exceptional quality, and "Kounotori" rice grown in environmentally friendly fields.

Itinerary

Day 1 — Kyoto — Amanohashidate — Kinosaki Onsen

09:00 Departure from the hotel in Kyoto
After meeting your guide, set off in a private car north along the Tango Road, passing through the mountains to Miyazu Bay.
11:00 Amanohashidate / Kasamatsu Park / Amanohashidate View Land
Ascend to the top of the hill by elevator or cable car. Enjoy the view of the sandbar from the most famous vantage point, renowned since ancient times for its unique "matanotsuki" perspective.
12:00 Amanohashidate Sanctuary / Iso Shimizu
Proceed to the Amanohashidate shrine, located in the center of the sandbar. Pass through the torii gates, cherished as a wedding venue, and discover the famous freshwater spring that flows here, despite being surrounded by the sea on all sides.
13:00 Lunch
Enjoy seasonal seafood from Miyazu Bay and the Sea of Japan, as well as Tango vegetables and local ingredients, while admiring tranquil seascapes in a relaxed atmosphere.
14:30 Chion-ji Temple
One of the three great Monju temples in Japan. Stay at this sacred site dedicated to Monju, home to important cultural treasures such as the Tahoto Pagoda and the largest temple gate in Tango, and pray for wisdom. Here you can also taste the famous "Chie no Mochi" sweets.
15:30 In Kinosaki Onsen
Transfer to the Kinosaki, renowned since ancient times for its hot springs and regional cuisine.
17:00 Arrival at Nishimuraya Honkan and dinner
After check-in, relax and enjoy a kaiseki dinner that reflects the seasonal flavors of Tajima. The dinner showcases the bounty of Tajima’s fertile land at its seasonal peak. Savor local vegetables grown by natural methods, fresh seafood from the Sea of Japan, and other ingredients lovingly produced by local farmers and carefully prepared over an irori hearth. Discover the unique tastes of Tajima’s Japanese cuisine.

Day 2 — Kinosaki Onsen — Day of Leisure

9:00 Breakfast at the ryokan
A tranquil morning with a view of the garden. Start your day at a leisurely pace with a breakfast filled with regional delights.
A stroll along the Otani River in yukata and geta past seven baths
Kinosaki Onsen is built on a beautiful concept: "the station is the entrance, the streets are corridors, the inns are guest rooms, and the public baths are grand bathing halls." The entire town is perceived as one large ryokan, where guests in yukata and geta move from one bathhouse to another. The seven public baths of Kinosaki each have their own character, history, and symbolism, and the culture of strolling between the hot springs has long attracted Japanese writers and artists.
Hot spring retreat
Enjoy bathing in the Nishimuraya Honkan hot spring, indulge in massages and spa treatments, sample tea and sweets, or stroll through small shops featuring local artisan crafts. A visit to the workshop of the famous straw craft is also recommended.
19:00 Kaiseki dinner
Enjoy kaiseki cuisine that reveals the seasonal flavors of Tajima and the Sea of Japan. Delicacies such as Matsuba crab and Tajima beef, along with other carefully selected seasonal ingredients, are expertly prepared to convey the changing seasons and the refined aesthetics of Japanese cuisine in every dish.

Day 3 — Kinosaki Onsen — Airport

9:00 Breakfast at the ryokan
Enjoy a leisurely Japanese breakfast surrounded by traditional elegance.
10:00 Departure / Check-out
After check-out, you will be transferred by car to Itami Airport or Kobe Airport. Upon request, short stops can be arranged for a light snack or a walk along the way.
12:00 Itami / Kobe Airport
Your journey concludes at the airport.

Additional options

Private winery tour — Wine tasting of Tango region grapes at Amanohashidate Winery. Enjoy dishes made from local ingredients and picturesque views at the winery restaurant.
Extension in Ine Funaya — Extend your journey in Ine, a fishing village famous for its boat houses built along the sea.
Upgrade to crab kaiseki (available November to March only) — Dinner featuring seasonal Matsuba crab.
Tajima beef dinner — Enjoy a dinner of premium Tajima beef.

Kinosaki and Nishimuraya

About the Hotel — Nishimuraya Honkan

The Otani River flows through the heart of Kinosaki, lined with willows and stone bridges. At the very center of this atmospheric resort town lies Nishimuraya Honkan.

Six generations — over 160 years since its founding. The story began in the Ansei era of the Edo period, when the founder Saei Nishimura opened a small inn at the foot of Daishiyama. In the early Meiji era, the third generation acquired Kinosaki Jinya and established the ryokan. The majestic gates have been preserved since those times. The founding family served as village elders for generations, and the history of the inn is closely intertwined with the history of the town. Although the main building was lost during the Great Kita-Tajima Earthquake in 1925, the fourth generation, believing that “as long as the hot springs flow, Kinosaki will surely be reborn,” led the town’s restoration. The inn was rebuilt the following year, and for six generations has carefully preserved the spirit of Japanese hospitality.

The finest traditional ryokan in the San’in region. Passing through the elegant main gates, you are greeted by a subtle fragrance, and beyond the large windows unfolds a Japanese garden like a painting. There are just over 30 rooms, each overlooking the garden and imbued with refined Japanese aesthetics. In 2016, Nishimuraya Honkan became a member of Relais & Châteaux.

A masterpiece of sukiya architecture: “Hiratakan” The Hiratakan annex is a masterpiece created in 1960 by the eminent sukiya architect Masaya Hirata. The main gates, exterior walls, the grand hall “Senrei-no-ma,” and Hiratakan itself are listed as Registered Tangible Cultural Properties of Japan.

Baths The spring is a mildly saline bromide water. “Kichi-no-Yu,” filled with the scent of cypress, and “Fuku-no-Yu,” with striking Chinese-style walls, alternate between men and women in the morning and evening. *To conserve Kinosaki’s resources, private open-air baths in guest rooms use regular hot water. Natural thermal baths are available in the large public and private baths.

Kaiseki cuisine reflecting the bounty of Tajima’s mountains and sea. Each dish is carefully prepared from local ingredients such as Matsuba crab, Tajima beef, and “Kounotori” rice. Breakfast and dinner are generally served in your room (depending on the season and plan, meals may be arranged in the dining hall).

Please note: the inn where literary master Naoya Shiga wrote “At Kinosaki” is another historic ryokan in Kinosaki Onsen, “Mikiya.” Kinosaki has long been beloved by writers, and we can also arrange a literary walk through the town for you.

Practical Information

Schedule / Duration: Day 1 9:00 Departure from Kyoto / 2 nights, 3 days (Accommodation at Nishimuraya Honkan, Kinosaki Onsen for 2 nights)
Included in the price: ・Car with a personal driver
・A guide will accompany you on the Amanohashidate tour (full escort along the route available upon request)
・2 nights at Nishimuraya Honkan (with breakfast and dinner)
・Entrance tickets and fees
・Airport transfer with driver (Itami/Kobe)