Tag Archives: hyogo

Hyogo, Kyoto

From Kyoto to Hyogo

Kyoto is arguably one of the world’s most famous tourist destinations and is particularly popular for Japanese tourists, for its stunning scenery, ancient history and relative convenience for travel for any visitor in Japan. In my time in Japan, I have explored and seen much of Kyoto several times but I hadn’t previously explored north of the prefecture, up towards the coast of the Sea of Japan. After reading about some of the small townships in this area including Ine and Amanohashidate, I was particularly excited at the prospect of driving around the area. It should be noted that whilst Kyoto is very easy to reach by bullet train, going towards the further north of the city is indeed a rarity for international tourists as it is rather tricky to reach this area without a vehicle.

We visited Kyoto during the coronavirus crisis of 2020, and the city was indeed very quiet in comparison to normal and we felt that we could enjoy the more famous temples and sights without the hustle and bustle of tourists bumping in to us. It was a particularly pleasant way to start the trip and we visited our favourite temple, Kiyomizudera, before settling in for the night for our long drive north.

Venturing North of Kyoto

What is most interesting about our little trip, is the journey up towards our first stop, Amanohashidate, has very little along the way other than a few interesting places to eat a quick bite. I was rather surprised that the roads are nowhere near as comfortable or modern to drive in comparison to other cities in Japan. Of course the roads are still fantastic for the average European traveler, but these were noticeably less well looked after than other parts of the country.

Amanohashidate
Amanohashidate

The journey from Kyoto towards Amanohashidate takes at least two hours, and from there we spotted a stunning sandbar that sprawls out across the bay. There is a cable car from which you can visit the top of a small mountain and overlook a wonderful view down to the sea and spot the impressive sand bar. It’s worth noting that this stop can be achieved in less than an hour, as there’s plenty more to see elsewhere.

North Kyoto

Our destination was to be Kinosaki Onsen, one of Japan’s most famous hot spring resorts, and this is still quite some way away from Amanohashidate, so time is short.

One of my most favourite things to do when driving in Japan, is to take the scenic coastal route and the view over the ocean here is beautiful, with several beautiful spots to stop along the way.

Kinosaki Onsen

Kinosaki Onsen river lights
Kinosaki Onsen river lights

Kinosaki Onsen, a beautiful hot spring resort surrounded by sea and the mountains, is a 1300 year old village with dozens of public baths that each has a certain superstitious meaning, for example, hot springs for successful business and safe pregnancy can be found on your travels here. One of the most charming things about Kinosaki is that it is not uncommon to see people roaming the streets from bath to bath wearing a yukata (a light cotton kimono that is very comfortable in hot weather) as they reach their next hot spring.

There are several affordable accommodation options here, which often include food, but if you are to venture out to the city at night you can also pick a great value dining option.

Hyogo

In my previous visits to Hyogo, I had only really been away of Himeji and Kobe, so my knowledge of the prefecture was rather limited to the south. I was particularly excited to view some cities in the centre of the prefecture including the stunning town Izushi, famous for its clock house. I planned to take in the famous Takeda Castle – surely an inspiration for several anime films – and this was all achievable on the route down to Kobe for where we were to spend our evening.

takedacastle takedacastle2

Hyogo

This is a highly recommended route to take as it gives ample opportunity from morning to evening to stop off, rest, see some interesting sights and still reach Kobe by evening to enjoy the world famous cuisine in a lively, modern city.

The journey south takes 3 and a half hours, so it’s certainly not a short drive but the roads are noticeably better than the other side towards the north in the Kyoto prefecture.

Izushi is a quaint little town to stop and have some soba noodles, explore the local castle and chat with friendly locals. The clocktower is particularly famous and the locals are very proud of it.

Izushi
Izushi

 

Akashi Kaikyo Ohashi
Hyogo, Kansai

Awajishima

Awajishima, famously known for being an island between Kansai and Shikoku, makes for a beautiful journey by car and a fantastic way to break up a journey traveling around the major cities of Kansai; for example Kobe, Osaka and Kyoto.
A drive to Awaji Island will still take the best part of an hour plus from Osaka and 30 minutes from Kobe, but when arriving at this island that is a part of Hyogo Prefecture, you will be able to cruise along the longest suspension bridge in the world, Akashi Straits Suspension Bridge (Akashi Kaikyo Ohashi).
From one end of the bridge to the other takes around 10 minutes and is rarely that busy so you will have a relatively quick journey across. If traveling from Kansai to Awajishima, immediately on the other side of the island is a small port with numerous excellent seafood restaurants and even a Starbucks if you need a quick coffee fix.
The area is well known for earthquakes and Awaji is believed to be the epicentre of the great Kobe earthquake of 1995 that killed thousands of people. The bridge itself is believed to have moved more than a metre during the quake and was actually in the middle of construction during this time.
When on Awaji Island, there is plenty to see and do and the area is known for its agriculture and beaches. There is the famous Ohama Beach on the east alongside Goshiki Beach, and both can be reached quite easily by vehicle.
If you are in Kobe for a day trip, a ride along the bridge to Awaji is highly recommended – a must do!

Hyogo

Around Kobe to Himeji and back

One of my favourite trips in Japan so far has been a trip to Hyogo and the cities within the prefecture. Hyogo, for many, is well known for the city of Kobe (which is thus famous for beef and for the 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake), and the neighbouring Osaka prefecture.

Kobe itself is a beautiful city. The Harbour (Harbourland, Mosaic, Kobe Port) area is easy to drive around and there is plenty of parking on offer. In addition, driving through the centre of Kobe couldn’t be easier. The roads are designed in a typical American standard (blocks) and thus are well organised and less busy. The most famous part of Kobe city is probably Sannomiya, this area is generally where you’ll find most restaurants, bars and general entertainment.

Kobe
Kobe

On my trip to Kobe, I decided to venture from around the Kobe-shi area and head to the famous Himeji Castle, before heading back along the coast to view the world’s longest suspension bridge, Akashi Kaikyo.

The first option you can take is the Sanyo Expressway. This road is generally quiet, expensive and there is little to see in the way of scenery. That will set you back more than 2,500 yen but is a sure fire way to avoid the traffic.

Once you arrive in Himeji, the most famous sight, of course, is the castle. This is Japan’s biggest and most famous castle and was actually closed for renovation at the time of writing. Still, it was stunning and worth the visit.

Himeji Castle
Himeji Castle

From there, it was decided to visit the stunning suspension bridge, the Akashi Kaikyo. This connects Hyogo with Awajishima island, which in turn connects to Shikoku prefecture. As you’ll see from the pictures, this bridge absolutely blows the San Francisco Golden Gate bridge out of the water, it is that stunning. The journey along the coastline back to Kobe (and through the suspension bridge area), takes you through countryside areas and there is again not much in the way of scenery, but it is worth it once you get to the bridge. From the bridge, a swift 20-30 minute journey should put you back in Kobe.

Akashi Kaikyo bridge
Akashi Kaikyo bridge

All in all, if you have time to visit Hyogo, I would indeed recommend Himeji. I would also recommend finding time to visit another prefecture to make the most of your trip.