This 2-day trip plan covers these following highlights in Tottori, norther Hyogo and northern Kyoto prefectures in just 2 days:
☑The Tottori Sand Dune
☑Overnight in Kinosaki Onsen
☑Biking on Amanohashidate
☑Bird-eye view of Amanohashidate from Kasamatsu Park
☑Cruise in Ine
☑Cruise in Amanohashidate
If you use JR Pass, you have to add some fares to take trains. If you use Kansai Wide Area Pass, all train trips are covered. I will explain you other deals which you have to add on JR Pass or Kansai Wide Area Pass. I will also tell you about the coverage of other deals.
Overview
On day 1, you will spend most of time in Tottori. The place to stay overnight is Kinosaki Onsen which is one of most popular hot springs resorts in Japan.
On day 2, you will move to Amanohashidate and visit Ine as well.
Day 1, Osaka – Tottori – Kinosaki Onsen
On the first day of trip, you will take the limited express Super Hakuto to Tottori and then move to Kinosaki Onsen. You will have 3 hours free time in the Tottori Sand Dune.
Itinerary
| Time | Place and transporation |
|---|---|
| 07:36 | Osaka station |
| | (The limited express Super Hakuto 1) |
| 10:12 / 10:45 | Tottori station |
| | (The sightseeing bus “Loop Kirinjishi Bus) |
| 11:07 | Sakyu Center (Tottori Sand Dune) |
| | Sightseeing and lunch |
| 14:13 | Sakyu Kaikan (Tottori Sand Dune) |
| | (The sightseeing bus “Loop Kirinjishi Bus) |
| 15:00 / 15:19 | Tottori station |
| | (Sanin line local train) |
| 16:06 / 16:18 | Hamasaka station |
| | (Sanin line local train) |
| 16:42 / 16:51 | Kasumi station |
| (The limited express Hamakaze 6) | |
| 17:15 | Kinosaki-Onsen station |
Highlight
Tottori Sand Dune
The Tottori Sand Dune is very accessible from Tottori station. Most tourists walk to the top of the hill to see the ocean. It takes about 30 minutes. It is not so far but it is hard to walk on sand.
There are some camels. You can ride on it.
There are some road side stations, restaurants and visitor center. There two major road side stations/restaurants. These are Sakyu Center and Sakyu Kaikan. Sakyu Center is located on the hill and it has an observation deck. The lift chairs connect Sakyu Center and the sand dune.
Sakyu Kaikan is located in front of the trail head to the sand dune. In my trip plan, you will get off a bus at Sakyu Center and catch a bus at Sakyu Kaikan. But you can get off and on at either places.
After leaving Tottori for Kinosaki, you will change the trains twice.
Amarube bridge
When you move from Tottori to Kinosaki Onsen, then train goes over Amarube bridge.
This is one of the best train bridges in Japan. You must take a seat on the left side to Kinosaki Onsen. This bridge is located between Hamasaka and Kasumi.
Kinosaki Onsen
Kinosaki Onsen is one of most popular hot springs and one of most histrical hot springs in Japan. This hot spring has been for more than 1,000 years.
There are many types of accommodations. Some hotels are like western style room and other hotels are like Japanese traditional style “Ryokan.”
But if you are not intersested in the hot spring, you can book a hotel in Toyooka. There are some ordinary style hotels. And it is easier to start your trip on day 2.
Day 2, Kinosaki Onsen – Amanohashidate – Ine – Osaka
On the second day, depart from Kinosaki-Onsen station by the limited express Konotori. But the first ride is less than 10 minutes. You will change the trian for Amanohashidate at Toyooka station.
If you will use JR Pass, you have to buy Umino Kyoto Amanohashidate Ine Free Pass at Toyooka station. The transfer time is 9 minutes but you have to buy it at Toyooka. You cannot buy it before reaching Toyooka station. Toyooka station is a small station. You can make it in 9 minutes.
And then you will spend most of this day in Amanohashidate and Ine.
Itinerary
| Time | Place and transporation |
|---|---|
| 09:32 | Kinosaki-Onsen station |
| | (The limited express Konotori 12) |
| 09:42 / 09:51 | Toyooka station |
| | (Kyoto Tango Railway local train) |
| 11:06 | Amanohashidate station |
| | (Walk) |
| 11:15 | Amanohashidate pier |
| | Rent a bike and biking to Ichinomiya pier |
| 11:45-12:00 | Ichinomiya pier |
| | Return a bike and walk to Kasamatsu Park cable car (5 minutes) |
| 12:10 | Fuchu station (Kasamatsu Park lower cable car station) |
| | (Cable car or lift) |
| 12:15 | Kasamatsu Park station |
| (Sightseeing and lunch time) | |
| 13:45 | Kasamatsu Park station |
| (Cable car or lift) | |
| 13:50 / 14:07 | Fuchu station / Cable Shita bus stop |
| (Tankai bus) | |
| 14:37 / 15:00 | Ine Hinode pier / bus stop |
| Ine cruise | |
| 15:25 /16:04 | Ine Hinode pier / bus stop |
| (Tankai bus) | |
| 16:32 | Cable Shita bus stip |
| (Walk 5 minutes) | |
| 16:45 | Ichinomiya pier |
| (Amanohashidate cruise) | |
| 16:57 | Amanohashidate pier |
| (Shopping / walk to the station in 5 minutes) | |
| 18:05 | Amanohashidate station |
| (The limited express Hashidate 8) | |
| 18:49 / 19:00 | Fukuchiyama station |
| (The limited express Konotori 26) | |
| 20:37 | Osaka station |
Highlight
Biking in Amanohashidate
After arrival in Amanohashidate station, you will rent a bike at Amanohashidate pier. It takes only 5 minutes to get to the pier from the station. Please refer the movie below to see Amanohashidate station:
The trail in Amanohashidate is flat and easy to ride a bike. You can go through in 30 minutes. And you can return your bike at the other side, Ichinomiya pier.
Kasamatsu Park
You can ride a cable car or a chair lift to go up to Kasamatsu Park. You will see the famous view of Amanohashidate.
You have 1.5 hours break here for sightseeing and lunch time.
Ine
Ine has been getting popular in these years. This small village is a fisherman’s pier. Most of residences here are located at the shore and the first floor of the house is a boat house.
You can watch this lovely village on the water by 25 minutes cruise.
After cruise, you have 30 minutes free time. Please enjoy walking in this lovely village.
Amanohashidate cruise
When you go back to Amanohashidate from Ine, you will take a cruise from Ichinomiya pier to Amanohashidate pier. If you are tired and want to ride a bus to Amanohashidate station, you can do it. But the fare for the cruise is included. And even if you ride a bus to get to Amanohashidate station, the trip time is almost same. Because the bus go around the bay. The distance is much longer than the cruise.
Anyway the choice is yours.
Travel cost
JR Pass covers only JR train rides. Kansai Wide Area Pass (KWAP) covers all train trips. Please see the table below to find a cost breakdown.
If you use Kansai Hiroshima Area pass or Kansai Hokuriku Area Pass, you have to pay for the ride of Super Hakuto. And also the extra fare is higher than JR Pass which is 3,100 yen for a base fare and non reserved seat fee. For other segments, these passes have same coverage as KWAP.
| Trip | Cost for JR pass | Cost for KWAP |
|---|---|---|
| The limited express Super Hakuto from Osaka to Tottori | 1,850 yen | Covered |
| Loop Kirinjishi Bus (return to Tottori Sand Dune) | 600 yen | 600 yen |
| Local trains and the limited express Hamakaze from Tottori to Kinosaki-Onsen | Covered | Covered |
| The limited express Konotori from Kinosaki-Onsen to Toyooka | Covered | Covered |
| Kyoto Tango Railway from Toyooka to Amannohashidate *JR Pass user must buy Umino Kyoto Amanohashidate Ine Free Pass One-day at 3,550 yen. | 3,550 yen | Covered |
| Rental bike *For JR Pass user, add rental bike ticket at 400 yen. *For KWAP user, add Rental Cycle Kasamatsu Marugoto Ticket at 1,600 yen (for Bike, Cruise and Kasamatsu Park) | 400 yen | 1,600 yen |
| Kasamatsu Park | Covered | Covered |
| Tankai Bus for Cable Shita to Ine Hinode pier return | Covered | 400 yen |
| Ine cruise | Covered | 800 yen |
| Amanohashidate cruise | Covered | Covered |
| The limited express Hashidate from Amanohashidate to Fukuchiyama | Covered | Covered |
| The limited express Konotori from Fukuchiyama to Osaka | Covered | Covered |
| Total cost | 6,400 yen | 3,400 yen |
An accommodation and meals are not included.
Summary
You can cover most of popular spots in Tottori and northern part of Hyogo and Kyoto.
You may download this itinerary in Excel file (.xlsx file) and customize it. Please download it at the link below:
You can put this trip as a side trip for your stay in Osaka. You also can do this from Kyoto. The limited express Super Hakuto 1 departs from Kyoto at 7:06. And the limited express Hashidate 8 from Amanohashidate goes to Kyoto and arrive there at 20:21. You do not have to change the trains at Fukuchiyama.
By the way, the transfer at Fukuchiyama station is so easy. Please refer the movie below to find how easy it is:
If you are looking for 1-day trip, you can split two 1-day trips. You can get Amanohashidate around 11:00 from Kyoto or Osaka.
I hope you can enjoy this trip.
