Amanohashidate

Amanohashidate (Japanese: 天橋立, lit. 'Heaven's bridge') is one of Japan's three scenic views. The sandbar is located in Miyazu Bay in northern Kyoto Prefecture. It forms part of the Tango-Amanohashidate-Ōeyama Quasi-National Park.

Amanohashidate view from Mt Monju

Amanohashidate view from a terrace near Kasamatsu Station

Amanohashidate in an ukiyo-e by Hiroshige

"View of Ama-no-Hashidate" by Sesshū Tōyō On the right, torii of Kono Shrine is seen. And on extreme right, Kanmurijima and Kutsujima are also painted.

Location

A thin strip of land connects two opposing sides of Miyazu Bay. This sand bar is 3.3 km (2.1 mi) long and covered with about 7,000 pine trees.

It can be viewed from mountains on either side of the bay or it can be traversed on foot. Near the northern end is Kono Shrine, Shinto Shrine and the southern end is Chion-ji, a Buddhist temple.

On the bar is the Isoshimizu fresh water well cherished since the Heian period, which was selected as one of 100 best springs and rivers in Japan by the Environmental Agency in 1985.

Miyazu Bay and Amanohashidate view from Nariai-ji Temple Observatory

Access

Amanohashidate Station on the Miyazu Line railway, about two hours from Kyoto Station or Osaka Station, is located within walking distance from the southern end of Amanohashidate.

See also

• List of Special Places of Scenic Beauty, Special Historic Sites and Special Natural Monuments
• The 100 Views of Nature in Kansai

External links

• Amanohashidate Tourist Association (English page)

Media related to Amanohashidate at Wikimedia Commons