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gel0p2 · 3 years

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Japan S2, Day 7!

(Editor’s note: Please note that this was originally written back in November 2019, right after the actual trip. Some details have been updated, but the overall content remains the same.)

——

For Day 7, we’re back again at Kyoto Station bound for Amanohashidate!

According to this actual PSA, you should be careful not to get your snake stuck between the train doors.

Limited Express Hashidate / Maizuru! ^_^

That day I learned what 自由 - “freedom” - means. It means you don’t have to reserve a seat for that car - first come, first serve :p

Also, notice how the train is called “Hashidate / Maizuru” ? They’re actually two separate trains, travelling together until a certain point where they separate (I believe it’s at Miyazu Station). Hashidate goes to Amanohashidate, while Maizuru goes to Higashi-Maizuru. If you’re travelling on an unreserved seat, be goddamn sure you’re on the correct train when they separate.

I didn’t have a reserved seat, so I had to fall in line. ^_^ I was first to the platform, but only second to the train, because I didn’t know where the train cars would stop. >_>

Inside the train. Passing along Sonobe!

That day, I learned another thing: Japan is far enough from the equator that the sun practically rises from the south. No, this is not some flat-earth bullshit. The train was travelling northwest, and, thinking that the sun would rise from the east (you know, like normal), I sat on the left side of the train (facing southwest). I was blinded by the sun, while the passengers on the other side of the aisle weren’t. Thankfully there were still empty seats on the right side, so I definitely transferred. Hooray non-reserved seating!

More snaps of the scenery as we whizzed by. ^_^

The lone yellow tree.

Demons on a train!? Is this a Kimetsu no Yaiba reference!?

Oh. A note to JR Pass users.

Riding the Limited Express Hashidate is free until Fukuchiyama station. This is made clear by many articles, but one thing that was never made entirely clear to me was how to pay for the remaining distance. From Kyoto station, once the staff checks your JR Pass, they will explain to you that there will be a train staff change at Fukuchiyama station. After the train leaves Fukuchiyama station, once the new train staff checks your seat, you pay 1500 yen in cash. It’s simple as that.

I’m not sure how the reserved seats work (I’m not sure you can reserve a seat at Kyoto Station for the Fukuchiyama-Amanohashidate trip), so uhhh good luck on that! :v

Umi daaaa!

Once you get to Miyazu station, the train reverses until Amanohashidate. I’m not kidding. It’s a short trip, so you might not want to bother flipping your seats (yep, you can flip seats!)

Amanohashidate! ^o^

A small map. I honestly didn’t know that Amanohashidate is still considered part of Kyoto :O

I wanted to go to the sandbar already, but that’s not my first stop!

To Amanohashidate View Land!

The entrance fee is normally 900 yen (was it…?) but if you have a JR Pass, they knock it down to 700 yen. The roundtrip chairlift is already included in that fee. ^_^

Aww man, I was planning to take off too :(

As we got higher up, the sandbar started coming into full view. ^_^

Oh hey I can take off now! XD

THERE IT IS! The Amanohashidate sand bar! ^o^

It’s… hmm. How do I say this?

It’s not as picturesque as I thought it would be. Or I just suck at photography? Don’t get me wrong, it’s pretty AF while you’re looking at it in person, but looking at my photos now, I can’t seem to find one I particularly like. And I took lots of them.

Does a wider view work better?

(Editor’s note: Photo blog entry)

What about a tighter one?

In any case, I decided to move on to other activities while I pondered this mystery.

At that point I asked the staff if they could take a photo of me. It’s free, but once you talk to them they would pester you into buying an official photo souvenir (they use a DSLR), printed and framed for 1300 yen >_> I thought it would make a nice souvenir, so fine, I got one anyway. :P

Also makes for a very good funeral photo. “He’s on a bridge to heaven~”

There wasn’t much to do in View Land, other than, well, view Amanohashidate. There are a few attractions for kids, but for adults, there’s almost nothing.

There was an archery range though. ^_^ For 500 yen, you get to shoot 10 arrows. I couldn’t get a bullseye because the targets were hearts. :P

(Editor’s note: Wasn’t a Love Live fan yet at this point, so let me say it instead. *ehem* Love Arrow Shoooto~!)

For 700 yen, you can get a hot cup of choclet, and some karaage. I’d say it’s a fair price for an amusement park.

The mountain sides are all starting to bloom with color. :)

I finally realized what the photos were lacking - a punch of color. I thought this was better, but I still didn’t like those houses being there.

(Editor’s note: It’s a crap photo. *sips tea*)

There’s a ferris wheel as well! It’s on the small side though.

Pottery throwing! This was pretty popular among the older visitors. ^_^

For 300 yen, you get three clay discs. If you can get them through the hoop, your wish would be granted! Here’s an onee-san buying some discs.

Just to give you an idea of how far the hoop is from the throwing area. ^_^

I tried it, of course. I completely missed my first shot, my 2nd shot almost made it. Nailed my 3rd shot completely though. Yatta!

“Japan’s Three Sceneries - Amanohashidate - Amanohashidate View Land”

It was time for me to leave. I had seen everything.

Riding back down!

Still taking pics on the way down. :P

Oh right. There’s also a monorail, but the chairlift is way more fun.

Once back down, I passed by this madly-colored tree on my way to the sandbar.

Oh hey, I haven’t seen one of these in a while ^_^

Uhhh it seemed safe, so I stopped to take this picture. :D From the looks of it, that seems to be the Limited Express Hashidate. The station isn’t too far from View Land, as you can see.

Entering the sandbar area!

Chionji! I didn’t go inside anymore, though. I’ve been to waaaay too many temples and shrines already.

More madly colored trees.

Crossing the rotating bridge! I didn’t get to witness it rotate, but apparently it can :o

The view from the bridge. Clean and simple.

There are cafes on the left side of the bridge. I took this picture after already having crossed, so don’t cross yet if you plan on visiting them. ^_^

You can also get on some speed boats. … Are those speed boats?

The actual entrance to the sandbar. I can’t describe how beautiful being on Amanohashidate really is. Being there is better than viewing it from View Land, IMHO.

YOU CAN BIKE ACROSS THE SANDBAR! It’s 2.6Km long, so it’s not very difficult to do so. The rates vary depending on the shop - there’s 500 yen for the entire day, while this one is 400 yen for two hours. If you’re staying in the area, the 500-yen one might sound better, but if you’re only here on a daytrip, 2 hours is plenty.

I had to leave a 2000-yen security deposit, on top of the 400-yen rent. I got the 2k back once I returned the bike.

Biking around Amanohashidate~ Aww yiss~ I’m actually glad I still remember how to ride a bike. I don’t think I’ve ridden once since… 2012?

After the bike rental area, you have to cross another bridge to get to the actual sandbar.

Good job, bike-kun! My butt sorta hurt while riding this one though. ^_^; the seat shape wasn’t a good fit for my sexy ass butt.

You really need to experience biking around the sandbar. If you ever plan a visit to Kyoto, try to set aside a day for this. Half a day also works (the trains are rare…), just skip View Land and go directly here.

There are benches and rest houses throughout the sandbar.

I’d go there again once I have the chance.

(Editor’s note: Photo blog entry)

Two roads diverged on a yellow wood~ Take the left one!

Oh hey birbs! I have no time for birdwatching though. ^_^;

Once you’ve completely crossed the sandbar, umi daaaa! (◕‿◕✿)

It smelled like fish in there. :))

I travelled a bit more to find the entrance to Motoise Kono Shrine. I had the bike with me though, so I didn’t visit it anymore and decided to head back.

There’s a ferry station on the other side as well!

More birbs in Amanohashidate!

TBH I’m starting to feel tired having to write Amanohashidate :))

Almost back at the rental area. (If you’re starting from the other end of the sandbar, there are bike rentals there as well!)

We did it, bike-kun! Otsukaresama-deshita. ^_^

After I returned the bike (and got my 2000 yen back!), the old lady asked me why I was travelling alone. Thanks for rubbing salt, obaa-san. :P

One last photo of the bridge. This was such a beautiful place. Truly worthy of being called The Bridge to Heaven. ^_^ (that’s literally what Amanohashidate means)

With nothing else to do while waiting for the train (I told you guys it’s rare), I wandered around the station.

I found another mini-map. ^_^

THERE WAS A TYPE R ON A NEARBY PARKING LOT HNGH

That ass. (づ￣ ³￣)づ

Kimochi warui

One last shot of the station. ^_^

Riding from platform three! There were a lot of passengers, so I was lucky to be able to snag the the last free seat.

Also, remember when I said the train reversed from Miyazu to Amanohashidate? Well, the train was moving forward from Amanohashidate to Miyazu this time… and then reversed, for more than an hour, all the way to Fukuchiyama. We could have flipped the seats, but the train was filled with standing passengers, we didn’t bother.

From Fukuchiyama, I caught the Limited Express Kinosaki back to Kyoto. We only had 6 minutes to transfer trains, which everybody thought would be a problem (everyone was running! XD), but it turned out to be adequate. Thankfully, I reserved a seat for Kinosaki the day before, so no need for me to fight for seats. Just a relaxed ride back to Kyoto. ^_^

CRAZY NOISY BAZAAR TOWN~♪ ♫

I actually saw that sign earlier that morning but couldn’t couldn’t take a pic, so I made sure to get one on my way back. :P I think this was around Ayabe station.

After making it back to the hotel, I had a light dinner before heading out once more for my final night in Kyoto.

As is customary by now, a night of drinking on my final night at a city! Hachi Record Shop and Bar! ^_^

And that’s it for Kyoto! Thanks for having me! It was really fun! ^^

Tomorrow, we Osaka! :P

Day 7 in Japan S2, complete! ^_^

<< Day 6 . . . Day 8 >>

#japan #travel #kyoto #japan s2

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