Day 1: Arrival in Kyoto
Transfer from Tokyo by bullet train. There are so many to see and experience in Kyoto, Japan Holidays recommends you start this driving tour after you have enjoyed fully the city of Kyoto.
Stay in Kyoto
Day 2: Amanohashidate & Ine
Pick up your car hire at Kyoto and start your driving to Amanohashidate. The sandbar across Miyazu Bay in the Japan Sea is admired as one of the three top sceneries in Japan. People call the scenic view of the sandbar the bridge in heaven. There are several ways to enjoy Amanohashidate, the ropeway to the viewpoint, Kasamatsu Park observatory, and also you can walk through the sandbar with numerous pine trees.
Afterwards we’ll drive north to Ine town. The beautiful townscape of a traditional fishery port town will take you to Japan’s old-school culture. The unique aspect of this town is funaya – boat houses. There are 200 waterfront wooden houses with garages parking their boat along the bay, you can stay in the boat house and experience the Japanese fishery culture.
Stay in Ine town
Day 3: Kinosaki Onsen
Drive along the coast of the Japan Sea at your pace for Kinosaki in the morning. Along the coastal road, you’ll find many viewpoints. Tateiwa, a huge volcanic basalt rock on the coast emerged millions of years ago. The contrast of rugged rock and the beach is so beautiful.
Drive slowly and will get to today’s destination, Kinosaki Onsen in the afternoon. Kinosaki has a long history from the 794 years. Not only soaking in the bath, but people also enjoy the harmony of the whole onsen town and nature. There is a ropeway where you can look down at the beautiful nature and the Genbudo basalt cave created by volcanic activity millions of years ago. Regarding onsen, you can bathe seven different onsens in the town having each feature with a one-day ticket. Visiting onsens walking through an authentic vibe will make you enjoy stepping back traditional town.
Stay in Kinosaki Onsen
Day 4: Tottori Sand Dunes
If you drive west further, you’ll get to Tottori Prefecture. The Tottori Sand Dunes are the largest coastal sand hills in Japan. The unique natural environments around this area make the dunes spectacular. Some say they look straight out of the Sahara Desert. The Tottori Sand Dunes are categorised as coastal dunes, the wind from the Japan Sea brings the sand and performs sand patterns beautifully. It is the sand dunes surrounded by plenty of nature. You can see the ocean on the hill, the south has a lot of green nature, and you’ll appreciate the flowers unique to the certain environment. Also, a lot of activities are in the area, camel riding, horse-drawn carriage, or sand boarding. Moreover, the sand museum next to the dunes displays the art of smooth sand from the dunes. In the evening, the harmony of the sunset and the hills is the most beautiful scene of the dunes all day.
Accommodation in Tottori
Day 5: Himeji
We’ll say goodbye to the nature of the Japan Sea and drive south to Himeji today. After diving through the mountains, the most beautiful castle town in Japan is the destination of the day. Himeji Castle, which is called the White Egret Castle among Japanese people due to its beautiful appearance of the castle, was the first registered World Heritage site in Japan in 1993. Of course, the white wall of the castle is the top highlight. Besides, Himeji Castle is known for its defensive functions among castle fans. Most castles in Japan were built for wars in the Edo samurai period, each castle had their own gimmicks to fight back against invasion. You can see the legacy of samurais’ fighting in the Edo period everywhere in the castle.
Accommodation in Himeji
Day 6: Kobe & Nada
Drive back east to Kobe today. The best spot for driving in Kobe would be Arima Onsen, the oldest onsen resort in Japan. This onsen town has public type baths as well as ones in accommodations so that people can enjoy day trips to this town. Onsens, Japanese restaurants, sweets, snacks made with the hot springs, and the shrines are all in this town.
In the afternoon, the recommended place for adults is sake breweries in Nada, one of the three top sake producers in Japan. You can experience the sake breweries and enjoy shopping. Please take public transportation to Nada as you cannot drive after drinking alcohol in Japan.
Another option is Kobe Port and the surrounding area. You can see the night views of buildings in the biggest port city in Japan. Also, there is a Chinatown near the port, you can enjoy walking through the Chinese food street.
Accommodation in Kobe
Day 7: Return to Kyoto
On the last day will drive back to Kyoto. Most tourists visiting Kyoto go to temples and shrines that are easy to visit by train, while there are much more sites to see outside of central Kyoto. Arashiyama-Takao Park Way is a driveway through the mountain, you can see various flowers and colourful leaves during a year. The second recommendation is the Kifune Shrine on the north side of Kyoto City, a shrine among mountain nature. Lastly, Uji, the southeast side of Kyoto City, is a speciality of matcha. Uji is also known for Byodoin Temple as this is the model of a 10-yen coin. People take pictures of the temple and the coin together.
After exploring the suburbs of Kyoto, return the vehicle and head to your next destination. Of course, you can continue to discover your Kyoto or Kansai area. .
