Kyoto North Bus Tour 2026: Amanohashidate & Ine Funaya Review

Recommended Osaka & Kyoto Bus Tour

Northern Kyoto: Amanohashidate & Ine Funaya Review

Text/Photos ©Hiibubu

When you think of Kyoto, you probably imagine landscapes brimming with historical sites,

much like Gyeongju in Korea.

But if you venture up to Northern Kyoto, you'll discover many charming small towns

with truly beautiful natural scenery and uniquely structured houses.

Today, I'll share with you a **Kyoto Northern Bus Tour that can be done in a single day from Osaka,**

**including how to book it with a discount and my review** of the experience!

Why I Chose the Northern Kyoto Bus Tour

First, let me explain **why I opted for the Northern Kyoto tour** instead of a typical Kyoto historical site tour.

Having already explored most of the popular attractions in central Kyoto,

I was seeking a destination that offered a fresh perspective and new excitement.

Moreover, central Kyoto has recently experienced significant overtourism,

meaning you'll encounter huge crowds wherever you go in the city.

It felt so chaotic, I sometimes wondered if I was there to sightsee or just people-watch.

In contrast, Northern Kyoto is still relatively undiscovered,

and since it's further from Osaka,

I anticipated a much more tranquil atmosphere in the towns themselves.

Plus, I had seen countless reviews showcasing the truly stunning landscapes of Northern Kyoto,

and I absolutely had to see them for myself at least once.

For these reasons, I chose the Northern Kyoto tour,

and as a result, I came back absolutely thrilled.

Northern Kyoto Bus Tour Itinerary & Discount Booking Method

Next, I'll share the **itinerary for the Northern Kyoto tour and how to book it with a discount.**

📌 Northern Kyoto Tour Itinerary

1. Meet in front of TsuruTonTan in Osaka

2. Nishiki Rest Stop

3. Amanohashidate (Lunch)

4. Ine Funaya

5. Rest Stop

6. Return to Osaka

The **core of the Northern Kyoto tour focuses on Amanohashidate and Ine Funaya,**

with generous stays of 3 hours and 80 minutes at each, respectively.

While it might seem like just two main stops,

the time allocated for each is incredibly generous.

(I'll delve into the details in my review below.)

You can book the tour via the link below:

>> Book Northern Kyoto Bus Tour

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Full Review: Rakutour's Northern Kyoto Tour

Next, I'll share my review of the Rakutour Kyoto tour I took,

broken down by each part of the itinerary.

Tour Meeting Point

The tour kicked off with a meeting at 7:20 AM in front of TsuruTonTan Soemoncho,

located near Dotonbori in Osaka.

Bus seats are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis, so I highly recommend arriving early to snag your preferred spot.

Approximately 36 people participated in the tour that day,

and it was conducted using a comfortable 45-seater large bus.

Nishiki Rest Stop

Since Northern Kyoto is roughly a three-hour drive from Osaka,

we made a stop at a rest area along the way.

The rest stop we popped into on our way was Nishiki Rest Stop,

famous for its black bean bread, a local specialty!

It tasted like bread with sweet simmered black beans baked right in, and it was subtly

sweet and quite delicious – a pleasant surprise!

Amanohashidate

Our first destination was Amanohashidate, and right after we arrived,

we headed straight to View Land with our amazing guide.

The View Land admission ticket wasn't included in our tour fee, so

we had to pay 1,000 JPY separately to our guide.

When heading up to View Land, you get to choose between taking a scenic chairlift or the monorail.

I highly recommend the chairlift – there's usually a shorter wait, and it feels just like an amusement park ride,

letting you soar through the sky! It's an unforgettable experience.

And don't worry, the speed is super slow, so it's not scary in the least!

Once we reached the top of View Land, the panorama of Amanohashidate that unfolded before our eyes

was simply breathtaking – it truly inspires awe!

Imagine a vast sea, and then a sandy landform stretching across it,

connecting the two sides almost like a natural bridge.

The local legend says that if you bend over and look at the scenery upside down through your legs,

it resembles a magnificent dragon ascending to the heavens!

Given its absolutely stunning views, it's no surprise that this spot is revered as one of Japan's

three most breathtaking scenic wonders.

It was so incredibly beautiful that I couldn't help but feel so glad we made the journey here.

View Land was bustling with tons of local Japanese visitors.

There's even a small amusement park tucked away behind the main view, making it a popular spot for family outings,

and many of the locals were here enjoying a fun day out with their families.

In front of the carousel you see in the photo above, there were a bunch of cute, little

rubber pony toys lined up.

Our guide told us that the key photo op here is to hop on one of these ponies

and snap a picture with the beautiful carousel in the background!

Another delightful treat to enjoy at View Land is the Tenkyorip Pudding.

While it's not exactly cheap at 500 JPY, it's perfect for taking a souvenir photo with the incredible scenery, just like in the picture.

And it's deliciously sweet too, so I highly recommend you give it a try!

Behind the main View Land photo zone, there was actually a path leading to a higher vantage point

where you could theoretically get an even better view of Tenkyorip.

However, the view from up there honestly wasn't significantly different from what we'd already seen,

so you probably don't need to go out of your way to climb up to this extra spot.

After finishing up at View Land, I took the lift back down.

The scenery from the chair on the way down

offered a whole different vibe, which I really enjoyed.

Personally, I recommend spending only about 40-50 minutes at View Land

before heading back down!

By the time you get down, it'll be around 11 AM, and the restaurants in the shopping arcade

will start opening their doors.

I had lunch at Ryugu Soba, one of the restaurants our guide recommended.

While the cold udon was delicious, the tempura was absolutely amazing,

and the portions were incredibly generous – I was thoroughly satisfied!

Once you've finished your meal, it's time to enjoy a relaxing walk along the Amanohashidate sandbar.

Since it's about 2.5 km one way,

walking the round trip might be a bit much.

So, you can rent a bicycle (500 yen) or take a boat,

and walk just one way, or choose any method you prefer

to soak in the beautiful coastal scenery.

I didn't have much time left, so I only walked the initial part

for about 20 minutes at a leisurely pace.

The azure sea and the sandbar, looking almost like an island floating on the water,

were truly beautiful.

It was indeed a truly healing experience, just as our guide described.

Once all your planned activities are done, with any remaining time,

you might consider trying your luck with an omikuji (fortune slip) at Chion-ji Temple, near the parking lot.

The omikuji here are uniquely shaped like fans,

making them a meaningful souvenir to take home!

Ine Funaya

After a roughly 40-minute drive from Amanohashidate,

we arrived at our next destination: Ine Funaya.

This area is famous for its 'Funaya' — traditional wooden boathouses,

and the sight of houses clustered right by the sea is simply stunning.

As soon as we stepped out of the parking lot, we saw boathouses lined up on both sides of the bay.

The sight of homes directly facing the ocean

truly reminded me of Venice.

Ine Funaya boasts numerous cafes and piers with stunning ocean backdrops.

I spent about 30 minutes finding a spot at one of these places,

sipping a drink and soaking in the relaxed atmosphere.

Just gazing at the calm bay and the slow-moving boats

filled me with a sense of pure happiness.

I viewed the scenery from the slightly less famous western side,

but the iconic viewpoint for Ine no Funaya is on the eastern side.

The sight of the charming houses nestled right against the sea,

clustered closely together,

with a lush forest sprawling out behind them,

felt completely like a scene from a beautiful film.

Our Incredibly Romantic Northern Tour

After soaking in the beauty of these two main tour spots,

we began our journey back to Osaka.

Although a 3-hour journey might seem a bit long,

it was truly wonderful to explore these two regions, which are quite challenging to access by public transport,

comfortably in just one day.

What's more, with perfect weather and every single landscape

embodying that quintessential Japanese small-town charm straight out of a film,

my satisfaction with this trip was incredibly high.

For those who cherish tranquil, laid-back small towns and natural beauty over bustling, noisy city centers,

I wholeheartedly recommend this Northern Tour.

>> Kyoto Northern Tour Booking Link <<

▼ Curious about a more classic Kyoto Bus Tour? ▼

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