I peeked between my legs at the spectacular view of Amanohashidate from the observatory in Kasamatsu Park! There is a mascot character “Kasabo” at Kasamatsu Park, and he will even take a picture with you!

Kusamatsu Park is located in the northern part of Kyoto Prefecture, halfway up Mt. Nariai, and offers a panoramic view of Amanohashidate, one of the three most scenic spots in Japan, from the north. The view from Kasamatsu Park is called “Shoryukan (Ascending Dragon View)” because Amanohashidate looks like a rising dragon.

To get to Kasamatsu Park at an altitude of 130m, use the cable car or chairlift from Fuchu Station near Kono Shrine in Motoise to Kasamatsu Station, but the lift is more popular when weather permits.

Kasamatsu Park is the birthplace of “Mata Nozoki (crotch peeking),” in which visitors stand backward on the observation deck and look at Amanohashidate from between their legs. The “crotch peeking” of Amanohashidate became popular after the Meiji era (around 1900). In Japan, it has long been believed that the view seen through a “Mata Nozoki (crotch peeking)” was looked an extraordinary, otherworldly world, and the first sightseeing spot to offer “crotch peeking” at a tourist attraction was at Kasamatsu Park.

In Kasamatsu Park, there is a “Kanmurijima Kutsujima Yohaisho” for worsipping the islands of Kanmurijima and Kutsujima floating in Wakasa Bay. (Yohaisho is a place where you can worship gods and buddhas from a distance.) Kanmurijima Island and Kutsushima Island are the inner shrines of the sea of Kono Shrine, and are sacred islands where it is said that the main enshrined deity of Kono Shrine, Amanohoakari-no-Mikoto (also known as Nigihayahi-no-Mikoto) and Ichikishimahime-no-Mikoto, one of the three goddesses of Munakata, descended from heaven and became a couple.

You can throw “kawarake” at Kasamatsu Park. A kawarake is a plate made of clay. You can experience a peculiar Japanese ancient custom that good luck will come when the “kawarake” enters the circle a few meters away.

On weekends and other holidays, Kasamatsu Park’s mascot character “Kasabo” appears and makes the park lively. Even if you can’t meet “Kasabo”, there is “Kasabo Jizo”, an object of “Kasabo”, so you can take a picture with Amanohashidate.

A mountain climbing bus to Nariaiji Temple, which is known as a Heisei five-storied pagoda and a famous place for autumn leaves, leaves from Kasamatsu Park.

Access to Kasamatsu Park

From Tokyo

It takes about 2 hours and 30 minutes from JR Tokyo Station to JR Kyoto Station by Tokaido Shinkansen.

From Osaka

It takes about 15 minutes by Tokaido Shinkansen from JR Shin-Osaka Station to JR Kyoto Station.

Transfer to the limited express Hashidate at JR Kyoto Station and it takes about 2 hours to Miyazu Station or Amanohashidate Station on the Kyoto Tango Railway.

Alternatively, at JR Kyoto Station, transfer to the JR Sanin Main Line (limited express) to JR Fukuchiyama Station, about 1 hour 30 minutes. At JR Fukuchiyama Station, transfer to the Kyoto Tango Railway Miyafuku Line to Miyazu Station, about 50 minutes. After getting off at Miyazu Station, it takes about 40 minutes from Miyazu Station bus stop to Amanohashidate Motoise Kono-jinja bus stop.

Alternatively, transfer to the Kyoto Tango Railway Miyatoyo Line at Miyazu Station and it takes about 6 minutes to Amanohashidate Station. Get off at Amanohashidate Station. If you go through Amanohashidate, it takes about 60 minutes on foot or 20 minutes by bicycle to Kono Shrine.

About 4 minutes by Amanohashidate cable car.