Miyama Thatched-roof village walk – Miyama Folk Museum – Chihachiman Shrine ～
Cafe Milan～Kaya-no-sato Souvenir Shop – Miyama Nature & Culture Village Kajikaso Inn～
Furatto Miyama

The northern village of the Miyama area in Nantan City is known as “Miyama Kayabuki-no-sato” or Miyama Thatched-roof Village, and features 38 hip-and-gable roof structures, making this a spot that feels just like olden day Japan. This area is registered as one of Japan’s Important Preservation Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings, and here visitors can enjoy views unspoilt Japanese landscapes. Visitors will never tire of the views here no matter how many trips they make. The surrounding mountains and fields offer scenery that changes throughout each of the four seasons, the gardens outside the village homes are filled with colorful flowers and trees.

The structures here are farmhouses built in the area around 200 years ago and moved to this location, and include main houses, barns, and storehouses. These houses feature nostalgic hearths and ovens, and many implements used for daily life are on display. Visitors can even climb up to the upper floors of these structures to see the thatched-roofing up close from the inside. These houses are unique for having cow stables inside next to the living quarters. In Miyama which receives heavy snowfall, it was important to keep the cows warm, and their treatment as members of the family show the warm spirit of the village.

Chihachiman Shrine was built in the year 1071. According to legend the shrine’s origins may date back as far as 713. The legend says that the shrine was built in appreciation of a divine blessing when a large eight-headed deer that frightened the people was successfully warded off. Due to its location along the Wakasa Kaido road, it prospered as a shrine that bestowed visitors with safe travels. Be sure to look at the many detailed carvings on the main shrine building. In front of the torii gate is a spot offering a scenic view out over the thatched-roof village.

Take a short rest here while enjoying Miyama sweets. Cafe Milan also serves as an egg shop for Nakano Chicken Ranch, which has been operating in Nantan City for 30 years. These eggs fresh laid by free range hens are rich and full of flavor. The cafe’s handmade pudding (JPY 300, tax included) is not available for takeout, so this is the only place this delicious dessert can be had. The chiffon cake and gelato made with Miyama Milk are also popular.

If you’re looking to buy souvenirs, look no further than Kaya-no-sato Souvenir Shop, which has its own bus stop and parking lot, and is located along Kyoto Prefectural Route 38. This shop is easy to spot as it also has a thatched roof. The shop sells locally grown rice and vegetables, as well as mochi, dango, cookies, and other products made with raw ingredients grown in the area such as mochi rice, millet, and foxtail millet. Craft items and original post cards featuring vivid images of the four seasons in Miyama are also popular.

For lunch, head a bit east along the Yuragawa River to Miyama Nature & Culture Village Kajikaso Inn. It is about 2 km away, so we recommend enjoying a pleasant walk. Look for the large log-house style building. This is a sightseeing and accommodation facility equipped with large communal bathing areas with open-air baths, restaurants, shops, and more, as well as outdoor grounds, a camping area, log house, and more. Restaurant Kajikaso serves meals prepared with local seasonal ingredients.
Particularly noteworthy are the Kyojidori free range chicken raised at Kajikaso’s partner farm, the lean venison which is savory without any off-putting odor, the wild boar, and wild caught ayu sweetfish. The Kaede Set Meal (JPY 1,890, tax included) lets guests try two main dishes: grilled venison and roasted venison. The Miyama Venison Curry (JPY 970, tax included) features an original curry made with deer from Miyama and is another popular choice.

Furatto Miyama, located inside Michi-no-Eki Miyama Fureaihiroba, is a shop offering a wide range of specialty goods from Miyama and the surrounding area. The shop was created with the support of investments from local residents, and sells fresh vegetables, processed goods, and other products from farmers and producers in the area. There are no products from large businesses. The only rice sold here is grown in the immediate surrounding area, and can be purchased fresh after it is polished. Other popular products include raw milk, cheese, and other dairy products from Miyama Milk, sweets, and sausages made with no added ingredients.

Choro Brewery

Follow the Yuragawa River west from Miyama and enter Kyotamba Town. Part of this road is registered under the Scenic Byway Japan initiative as “Miyama Kayabuki Yurari Kaido Way”. Enjoy traveling along this road which offers sprawling scenic beauty of untouched Japanese nature. Choro Brewery is located nearby JR Wachi Station.
This brewery was founded in 1903. Fourth generation brewery master Mr. Terai is passionate about brewing local sake for local consumption. Choro Brewery’s “Tan” sake (JPY 1,630 for a 720 ml bottle, tax included) combines their ‘gohyakuman-koku’ sake rice grown in partnership with local farmers with water flowing from Kyotamba’s Mt. Chorogatake. Everything that contributes to the making of this sake—from the rice, to the water, to the brewmaster—is local. The brewery recommends drinking this sake at room temperature without refrigerating, to enjoy the flavor as it is, showing how much they treasure their sake and their confidence in their product. Tours of the brewery are popular and are held from mid-January to mid-Februrary (inquire for dates).

Michi-no-Eki Kyotamba Ajim no Sato – Fairfield by Marriott Kyoto Kyotamba

Michi-no-Eki Kyotamba Ajim no Sato is located adjacent to Kyotamba Parking Area along the Kyoto Jukan Expressway. It’s large triangular roof in the image of an old traditional-style house is a landmark that is well known by those who travel between the city of Kyoto, Tamba, and Tango. At the large shop Kyotamba Marche you can find all manner of specialty goods including Tamba chestnuts, Tamba black beans, black bean edamame, and “Tamba Dainagon Azuki" red beans, as well as fresh picked vegetables, rice, sweets, and other specialty processed goods. Nearby in an open area that overlooks Shiotani Kofun Park is Tamba Satoyama Restaurant Bonchi, which serves seasonal Tamba ingredients, and Tamba Cafeteria, known for its noodles that are made on site.

Accomodation is at Fairfield by Marriott Kyoto Kyotamba, which is located next to Kyotamba Ajim no Sato. This hotel by world-renowned chain Marriot offers accommodation only, and is located adjacent to the roadside station. There is no restaurant in the hotel. Instead, there is a shared kitchen where guests can cook their own meals. The kitchen is stocked with fresh ingredients harvested the same morning by local farmers, various processed goods, alcoholic beverages and more. Plenty of shared spaces including the dining room and lounge mean that groups staying in multiple rooms can enjoy time cooking and having fun together.

Cycling through the picturesque countryside of Yagi Town

Kototaki Park – Kyoto Country Cycling
From Fairfield by Marriott Kyoto Kyotamba it takes about 15 min by car to Kototaki Park. Take the walking path through the forest and you’ll arrive at the basin of Koto Falls. At Koto Falls, which stands 43 meters tall, many fine strands of water fall down a single rock face, similar to a koto stringed instrument, which is where the waterfall got its name. Nearby is Gyokuunji, a temple of the Soto School (Buddhist sect), and one of Tamba’s best temples. It is known for its beauty in the autumn leaf season, and its picturesque grounds are adorned with rhododendrons, French hydrangeas, Japanese anemones, Japanese camellias, and other seasonal flowers.

From Kototaki Park take the Kyoto Jukan Expressway to JR Yagi Station. Kyoto Country Cycling, which is offered by Woodland Kyoto DMO (Kyoto Regional Promotion Company Woodland Kyoto), is a mini-trip that allows participants to experience the nature and culture of the mountain foothill areas over an approximately 3-hour itinerary. Ride by temples, shrines, and workshops and enjoy idyllic countryside scenery along the way. The highlight is touring a local workshop. Participants will be able to view the craftsmanship that lives on in this area, and the precious equipment that is used for crafting here. Priced starting from JPY 12,000 (tax included). Includes the experience fee, tax, insurance fee, guide charge, rental charge (for a bicycle and helmet), and admission fees for each facility.

Sagano Romantic Train

Return the bicycle at JR Yagi Station, the ending point for the Kyoto Country Cycling activity, and take the train 4 stops to JR Umahori Station. From Umahori Station Torokko Kameoka Station can be reached on foot. For the return trip, take the Sagano Romantic Train sightseeing train directly to Arashiyama. The 7.3 km journey to Torokko Saga Station takes a leisurely 25 minutes, and passengers can enjoy breathtaking views of the Hozugawa River Valley along the way. The Art Deco style train is comprised of five cars, including one fully open car (car no.5, or the “Rich” car), from which passengers can directly experience the wind, light, and sounds as the train chugs through the picturesque valley. The train sets a rather slow pace of about 25 kph, and will slow down even more when passing by the most scenic spots. Announcements are also made throughout the train.