Thursday 20 September 2018

Access to the Scenic Spot in Kyoto Prefecture

Unit number 1 of the funicular Tango Land and Sea Transportation 

It is said that there are three scenic spots in Japan. They are Matsushima in Miyagi Prefecture, Miyajima in Hiroshima Prefecture and Amanohashidate in Kyoto Prefecture. Not all the three spots belong to the National Park; however, these spots have very Japanese views on the coasts. Among the three spots, I am going to show you Amanohashidate today.

Amanohashidate (the heavenly bridge) is a 3.6-kilometer-long sandbar stretching along Miyazu Bay. The sandbar is lined with numerous beautiful pine trees. To admire the view of Amanohashidate, please climb up the hill behind the bay, and go to Kasamatsu Park by a small funicular.

The funicular line, named Amanohashidate Cable, was opened by Nariai Electric Railway Company in 1927. It was once abolished in 1944 due to WWII but reopened in 1951 by Tango Land and Sea Railway Company (present Tango Land and Sea Transportation Ltd.). Connecting Fuchu and Kasamatsu stations, its route length is only 0.4 kilometers. The track gauge size is 1,067 mm. The height difference between the two stations is 130 meters and the maximum inclination of the route is 24.7 degrees. The operation interval is 15 minutes. It takes about 4 minutes to get from Fuchu to Kasamatsu station. The present vehicles, named car number 1 and 2, were built by Alna Koki in 1975. Each car has a 7.95 meter-long body and can accommodate 75 passengers

View of Amanohashidate from Kasamatsu park near Kasamatsu station

Official information about Amanohashidate Cable (in Japanese):