Amanohashidate, Kyoto
Kasamatsu Park While I was spellbound by Amanohashidate, my mochi stretched farther than expected
Amanohashidate stretches across the sea. I’d been gazing at it for a while when the mochi in my hand stole my attention.
At Kasamatsu Park in spring, I took in the view over Amanohashidate and enjoyed the Chie no Mochi I’d brought along. Read about the view and a sweet little break.
SpringEarly May
I meant to admire the view, but ended up staring at the mochi, too
When I reached Kasamatsu Park and saw Amanohashidate, it seemed to stretch farther than I’d expected, and I couldn’t look away. Pines lined the narrow strip of land, with water on either side. I’d seen photos of this view a few times, but tracing the pines with my own eyes made me want to keep following them to see how far they really went.
After I’d taken in the view, I decided to sit down and take a break. I’d brought Chie no Mochi with me today, too. I wanted to eat while enjoying the scenery, so before picking up the plate, I took one more look at Amanohashidate. Even deciding whether to enjoy the pines or the sweet treat first made me happy.
I took a small bite of the mochi in my hand. The farther I pulled it from my mouth, the longer it stretched. Wait, it’s still connected! I held the plate steady in my other hand and stared at the mochi stretching between my mouth and the piece in my hand. Then I started laughing at how seriously I was trying to eat it.
When I finally got the mochi into my mouth, I wanted to take my time and savor it. Just moments earlier, I’d been so focused on seeing how far it could stretch. I glanced at the plate, then turned my eyes back to the sea. One bite, then a look at the view, then another bite. I didn’t want to finish it too quickly.
Even sitting there, I kept finding myself drawn back to Amanohashidate. As my eyes followed the pines toward the far end, I stopped with the mochi in my hand once again. I seemed fascinated by anything that stretched today. It amused me that I was comparing the mochi to Amanohashidate. I smiled to myself as I savored the bite.
When I’d finished the last piece of mochi, I put away the plate and looked out to sea a little longer. I thought the view would be all I took away, but laughing at the mochi as it stretched became part of the day, too. When I think back on that spring day at Kasamatsu Park, Amanohashidate comes to mind first, followed by that mochi that took so long to get into my mouth.
The story sections are fiction inspired by this location. For accurate information, please consult official tourism and information websites.
Local specialty
Chie no Mochi at Sōhonke Chitose Chaya
At Sōhonke Chitose Chaya, you can also try Chie no Mochi, a specialty of Amanohashidate. They take pride in their hiki-an, made by grinding azuki beans with their skins on, and use 100% locally grown glutinous rice for the mochi. The shop is about a 5-minute walk from Amanohashidate Station on the Kyoto Tango Railway. I’d brought some to enjoy during a break at the viewpoint. Watching it stretch made me laugh, and once I finally had a bite, I was absorbed in the flavor.
Highlights
The Rising Dragon View from Amanohashidate’s north side
From Kasamatsu Park, you can take in a sweeping view of Amanohashidate from the north. That northern view is known as the “Rising Dragon View,” since Amanohashidate looks like a dragon rising. I followed the line of pines across the water with my eyes. Seeing the familiar scene from photos right there in front of me left me overwhelmed.
A break halfway up Mount Nariai
Kasamatsu Park sits halfway up Mount Nariai. You can take your time and rest while looking out over Amanohashidate. Even after I finished my mochi, I couldn’t bring myself to get up right away; I wanted to watch the sea a little longer.
Getting there
From the base to Kasamatsu Park by cable car or chairlift
- How to get up to the park
- Bus from Amanohashidate Station: about 25 minutes; get off at Kasamatsu Cable Car Lower Station
- Viewpoint
- Halfway up Mount Nariai
From Amanohashidate Station on the Kyoto Tango Railway, take a local bus for about 25 minutes and get off at Kasamatsu Cable Car Lower Station. From there, take the cable car or chairlift up to Kasamatsu Park on the slopes of Mount Nariai. When I arrived at the park and saw the view, I already wanted to stay a while, even before I ate the mochi.
Use the map below to open Kasamatsu Park. The Amanohashidate Tourism Association page has information about the park, and the Sōhonke Chitose Chaya page shows where to find the shop.
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