{"id":34571,"date":"2025-02-04T14:34:36","date_gmt":"2025-02-04T14:34:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/?p=34571"},"modified":"2025-04-16T14:03:37","modified_gmt":"2025-04-16T13:03:37","slug":"the-places-in-between-kyoto-by-the-sea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/2025\/02\/04\/the-places-in-between-kyoto-by-the-sea\/","title":{"rendered":"The places in-between: Kyoto by the Sea\u00a0\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<h4>Like this post? Help us by sharing it!<\/h4><ul class=\"wpfai-list\"><li class=\"wpfai-list-item facebook\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F34571&amp;t=\" title=\"Facebook\" class=\"wpfai-facebook wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-facebook fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item twitter\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F34571\" title=\"Twitter\" class=\"wpfai-twitter wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-twitter fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item pinterest\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F34571&amp;description=&amp;media=\" title=\"Pinterest\" class=\"wpfai-pinterest wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-pinterest fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item linkedin\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F34571&amp;title=\" title=\"Linked In\" class=\"wpfai-linkedin wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-linkedin fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item envelope\">\r\n      <a href=\"mailto:?subject=&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F34571%20-%20\" title=\"E-Mail\" class=\"wpfai-envelope wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-envelope fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item stumbleupon\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stumbleupon.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F34571\" title=\"Stumble Upon\" class=\"wpfai-stumbleupon wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-stumbleupon fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item reddit\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F34571\" title=\"Reddit\" class=\"wpfai-reddit wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-reddit fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><\/ul><h2>The places in-between: Kyoto by the Sea<\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Just two hours from Kyoto lies the place where rice was first cultivated and sake first brewed in Japan, and where two of UNESCO\u2019s World\u2019s Most Beautiful Bays lie. It\u2019s home to the highest concentration of people over 100-years-old on earth, and we\u2019re willing to bet you\u2019ve never heard of it\u2026 <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Kyoto by the Sea, also known as the Tango peninsula or Kyoto\u2019s north shore, encompasses the petite fishing village of Ine and the entry point of Amanohashidate. When <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thetimes.com\/travel\/destinations\/asia-travel\/japan\/kyoto\/the-undiscovered-japanese-peninsula-beyond-kyoto-where-ancient-crafts-thrive-lbw5vrdn3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The Times<\/span><\/i><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> writer, Min Sett Hein, travelled there with us, he was struck by the contrast to urban <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/japanese-destinations\/kyoto\/\">Kyoto<\/a>:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cThe true heart and soul of Japan lies in in-between places such as the Tango peninsula. It\u2019s here, away from the crowds, that you\u2019ll find artisans dedicating their lives to preserving ancient traditions or flavours born from a profound connection to the land. It is these authentic experiences that linger in the memory long after the fleeting thrills of social media likes and shares have faded.\u201d<\/span><\/i><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">With its craggy coastline, 200 boat houses, a new generation of swordsmiths, and kimono-makers who intricately weave mother of pearl into fabric, it sounds like a place straight out of a fable \u2013 but the stories and people of the peninsula are very real.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-34643\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Amanohashidate-landscape-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"819\" height=\"546\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Amanohashidate-landscape-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Amanohashidate-landscape-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Amanohashidate-landscape-720x480.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Amanohashidate-landscape-390x260.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Amanohashidate-landscape-780x520.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Amanohashidate-landscape-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Amanohashidate-landscape.jpg 819w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Amanohashidate\u00a0 &#8211; the Bridge to Heaven, and the gateway to the peninsula<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The gateway to Kyoto by the Sea is a natural sandbar, populated with 7,000 pine trees. According to legend, it was created when a ladder fell from the sky so that the god Izanaginomikoto could visit his lover, the goddess Izanaminomikoto (both credited with the none-too-small task of creating Japan).<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">More literally, Amanohashidate means \u2018Bridge to Heaven\u2019 \u2013 and it\u2019s one of the <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">nihon sankei<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, or \u2018Three Views of Japan\u2019 \u2013 the top three scenic places in what is already considered a staggeringly beautiful country (the Japanese <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">love<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> a list).\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Taking a walk across the sandbar (in summertime, the sea gleams with tropical turquoise hues) and up to the viewpoint, the tradition is to admire the view from an unusual perspective, known as<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> matanozoki<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> \u2013 upside down, peering through your legs, to see the way the sandbar connects heaven and earth.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Popular with Japanese holidaymakers, this natural beauty spot<\/span> <span data-contrast=\"auto\">undeniably (and rightly) draws crowds. But, staying at the sandbar once the day trippers leave offers a chance for a more private viewing before you journey further into the region \u2013 particularly spectacular from the Monjusou Shourotei <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">ryokan<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> inn, which juts out into the bay itself and features semi-open air, private baths. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-34598\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Ine-Fisherwoman-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"819\" height=\"546\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Ine-Fisherwoman-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Ine-Fisherwoman-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Ine-Fisherwoman-720x480.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Ine-Fisherwoman-390x260.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Ine-Fisherwoman-780x520.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Ine-Fisherwoman-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Ine-Fisherwoman.jpg 819w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Ine \u2013 \u201cSay the fish is delicious, not that our boathouses are beautiful\u201d<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Ine\u2019s rugged coastline is reminiscent of the English Cornish coast, that is, until you factor in its mountains and the 200 plus traditional <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">funaya<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> boat houses. It\u2019s more dramatic than pretty, with deep, narrow harbours cutting in.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Residents owe everything to the sea and surrounding mountains. Fishing is the lifeblood of this village of only 900 inhabitants, and the industry has maintained traditional, sustainable methods. Locals use bird cage-like baskets (<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">mondori<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">) which funnel fish inside. In the mornings, they&#8217;ll retrieve the basket, open the top and see what they\u2019ve caught \u2013 taking the fish that they need that day.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">f<\/span><\/i><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">unaya<\/span><\/i> <span data-contrast=\"auto\">boat houses, their roots tracing back to the Edo period, are still used for their original purpose of housing boats, but some have now been converted into cafes or accommodation.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Staying in one of these converted boat garages is a simple, traditional luxury \u2013 rolled-out futon beds with a first-floor view, right against the bay, waking up to the sound of gulls and the promise of a knock at the door signalling breakfast\u2019s arrival from a nearby restaurant.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Expect vegetables farmed from the surrounding mountains and fish freshly caught that day from the bay \u2013 the catch reported each morning via an app (a traditional village it may be, but nothing is to stop technology from helping them along their way). Locals say, \u201cwe want visitors to say the fish is delicious, not that our boathouses are beautiful\u201d <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u2013 <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">but both are true in equal measure.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Days start and end early in this quietly industrious town, but an early morning solo sunrise spot, on the inlet, feels very special \u2013 walking to the water\u2019s edge to sit, watching the sea birds swooping and the sun rise, you might be completely alone. And it\u2019s magical.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-34601\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/KBTS-swordsmith-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"819\" height=\"546\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/KBTS-swordsmith-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/KBTS-swordsmith-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/KBTS-swordsmith-720x480.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/KBTS-swordsmith-390x260.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/KBTS-swordsmith-780x520.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/KBTS-swordsmith-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/KBTS-swordsmith.jpg 819w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">A new generation of artisans\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Kyoto by the Sea itself might feel mystical, but a new generation of artisans are bringing firmly entrenched traditions bang up to date.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Tomoki Ku<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">romoto, Kosuke Yamazoe and Tomoyuki Miyagi \u2013 all in their 30s and originally city boys from Tokyo and Osaka \u2013 studied under the same swordsmith master, <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Yoshito Yoshihara<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, and now dedicate their lives to preserving the traditions of the industry. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">They set up their workshop, Nippon Genshosha, in Tokyo before relocating to Tango, drawn by the peninsula\u2019s almost two millennia of swordsmith history, and the land where a gilded bronze, double dragon-ringed <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">tachi <\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">sword, <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">dating back to around 300 AD<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, was once unearthed.\u00a0 <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Meeting the trio, chatting good-humouredly while hammering swords into shape, is a fun and engaging way to connect with the region\u2019s history. And, learning about the fusion of ancient practice and modern design, inspired by the sea and mountains, it\u2019s hard not to be impressed.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-34604\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Pearl-weaving-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"819\" height=\"546\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Pearl-weaving-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Pearl-weaving-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Pearl-weaving-720x480.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Pearl-weaving-390x260.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Pearl-weaving-780x520.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Pearl-weaving-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Pearl-weaving.jpg 819w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In what could possibly be the greatest contrast to hammering swords, Kyoto by the Sea is also home to the prestigious practice of weaving shell.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">T<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">amiya Raden is a 10-person strong, family-run company that weaves mother-of-pearl into fabric \u2013 with their designs reaching the high fashion lines of Dior and Louis Vuitton.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Family patriarch, Shoichiro Tamiya, invented the craft in the 70s \u2013 with an original goal of weaving a real butterfly onto an <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">obi<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> (kimono belt). When the wings turned to dust, he found a poetic solution \u2013 choosing something hard, like mother-of-pearl shell, that breaks into a million pieces when you try to bend it. It took two years of trying before he succeeded \u2013 creating a new category of weaving, called Raden: and the result is almost <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/tamiyaradentextile\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">impossible to describe.<\/span><\/a><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Visitors are often awestruck by the delicate intricacy, and it\u2019s this that keeps the family sharing their craft: \u201cWhen people come and are moved by what we do, it motivates us to keep creating and preserving this artform.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-34646\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Ine-street-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"819\" height=\"546\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Ine-street-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Ine-street-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Ine-street-720x480.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Ine-street-390x260.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Ine-street-780x520.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Ine-street-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Ine-street.jpg 819w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">With beauty comes fragility: a region at risk of overtourism <\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">A Bridge to Heaven, quaint fishing villages and myth-like artisans paint an incredible picture \u2013 one that crowds could so easily, inadvertently, trample on. Not least because o<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">ver-eager visitors taking pictures of locals without permission, or even wandering into their houses, would destroy the residents\u2019 peace of everyday life.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">But part of the peninsula\u2019s beauty is in its fragility \u2013 so the way tourism is approached is important. Travelling slowly, falling in step with the local\u2019s pace and staying a couple of nights, rather dropping in and out in a day, is the way of travel the region is cultivating. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Protecting the ways and quality of life for both the region\u2019s residents, and future generations, must be the ultimate goal.\u00a0 \u201cIf we can achieve this\u201d, says Tyler Palma, one of our team who worked with regional tourism bodies to create a responsible tourism framework for the area, \u201cit will mean that a visit to Kyoto by the Sea in 10 years&#8217; time is similar to what we see now, and doesn\u2019t become a \u2018theme park\u2019 like attraction. It\u2019s about making sure tourism benefits the widest possible set of people, including tourists themselves.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cForging deep, meaningful connections with people and places\u201d<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">While its land bridge is said to have descended from the gods, it\u2019s Kyoto by the Sea\u2019s people that enrich any <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/\">visit to Japan<\/a>. Their skills and kindness are at the core of what makes it truly special \u2013 whether they\u2019re forging swords in their thirties, carefully plating handpicked vegetables and rice for guests, or enjoying a slower pace as retired, centenarian fisher folk.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">And it shows up in the small moments, like when Min Sett Hein noticed a figure rushing down the platform, face flushed, as his <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Shinkansen<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> bullet train doors were about to close:\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cIt was Shinji-san, our guide and friend, clutching my girlfriend\u2019s blue sweater. Having waved us off he had noticed it in his car and legged it to the station to catch us just before our departure.<\/span><\/i><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0\u201cIt reminded me of the true purpose of travel \u2014 not merely ticking off sights, but forging deep, meaningful connections with people and places.\u201d<\/span><\/i><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p data-ccp-border-bottom=\"1px solid #000000\" data-ccp-padding-bottom=\"1.3333333333333333px\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">We couldn\u2019t agree more.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335572079&quot;:6,&quot;335572080&quot;:1,&quot;335572081&quot;:4278190080,&quot;469789806&quot;:&quot;single&quot;}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>Like this post? 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Help us by sharing it! The places in-between: Kyoto by the Sea Just two hours from Kyoto lies the place where rice was first cultivated and sake first brewed in Japan, and where two of UNESCO\u2019s World\u2019s Most Beautiful Bays lie. It\u2019s home to the highest concentration of people over 100-years-old on [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":174,"featured_media":34607,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2355,2367],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34571","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-first-trip-to-japan","category-japanese-culture-and-history"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34571","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/174"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34571"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34571\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35237,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34571\/revisions\/35237"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34607"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34571"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34571"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34571"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}