Miyama (美山)
A small rural village located in the mountains north of Kyoto, Miyama offers the chance to see the traditional side of Japanese country life.While the Kayabuki no Sato, or thatched-roof village, at Shirakawa-go is more famous, if you're around the Kyoto area, Miyama has its very own example of these traditional country houses.
Miyama consists of clusters of houses and farms dotted along a beautiful green valley with mountains stretching towards the sky on either side. A small river runs alongside the road, tripping and trickling past the rice fields and thatched-roof farmhouses you pass on the approach to the village.
Things to see and do
Kayabuki no Sato
Miyama is very much an actual community so walking through the village feels like an authentic experience of Japanese village life. Starting at the bright red post box, and walking along the narrow roads you will pass beautiful gardens with flowers sprouting wildly and neat rows of corn, eggplants and sunflowers. Miyama has such a genuine country village feel. Walking around in this manner also gives you the chance to get up close to the buildings and take a better look at how the roofs are constructed and the different stages the natural roofs go through over the years.
Outdoor Activities
With so much nature around, Miyama is a great place to get your outdoorsy-ness fix in Kyoto. Fishing and hiking are both popular activities. The Ashiyu forest is the largest primary forest in Western Japan, however only guided tours into the forest are allowed to help preserve the natural environment. Fishing is also possible in the local river.
Kayabuki no Sato Folk Museum
While most of the houses are private residences, one building you can walk through is the Kayabuki no Sato Folk Museum. The museum is housed in one of the traditional Kayabuki residences and gives an accurate portrayal of country life in Japan. You can explore all the spaces of the house, and many traditional everyday items are displayed. It’s also a lovely place to sit down for a rest and have a cup of green tea while taking in the view from the open, tatami-covered central living area.
Things to eat and buy
Being such a rural area, Miyama is a great place to stock up on fresh vegetables and produce. The area is also famous for its milk and dairy products.Next to the Kayabuki no Sato parking lot, the information centre has a café which has some relatively cheap but tasty meals on offer. You can expect a lot of standard, but delicious, Japanese meals such as soba and udon, but you can also try some regional specialties such as wild boar and deer. Even better, it’s just across the road from the village so it’s super convenient!
Comments
Post a Comment