Amanohashidate

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Amanohashidate, as seen from the west

Amanohashidate (天橋立) is one of Japan's three scenic views. It is located in Miyazu Bay in northern Kyoto Prefecture.

Amanohashidate in an ukiyo-e by Hiroshige

A thin strip of land connects two opposing sides of Miyazu Bay. This sand bar is 3.3km long and covered with about 7000 pine trees.

It can be viewed from mountains on either side of the bay or it can be traversed on foot. Visitors are recommended to view the "heaven's bridge" by turning their back to it, then bending over and looking at it upside down from between their legs.

Near the southern end is Chion-ji, a Buddhist temple.

Also, on this peninsula is to be found the 'Isoshimizu' fresh water well cherished since the Heian period, which was selected for the 'Japan Good Water Category' in 1985.