What this area is like
West of Kyoto, boats run down the Hozu gorge from Kameoka to Arashiyama. Further north, Miyama keeps a hamlet of 39 thatched houses.
Pair the boat with Arashiyama; give Miyama its own day.
Choose your next step
Places to see in this area
Hozugawa River Boat Ride
Boatmen steer flat-bottomed wooden boats about 16 km down the Hozu River gorge from Kameoka to Arashiyama.
- Access
- About 8 minutes on foot from JR Kameoka Station (Sagano Line, about 20–30 minutes from Kyoto).
- Hours
- Boats leave hourly from 9:00 to 15:00; on weekends and holidays they leave as they fill. The ride takes about 2 hours. Boats stop in bad weather or when the river is too high or too low.
- Fee
- Adults ¥4,500; children (age 4 to elementary school) ¥3,000.
- Address
- 2 Shimonakajima, Hozu-cho, Kameoka, Kyoto
Individuals can board without booking from 10 March to 12 December. In winter (13 December–9 March) boats run with reservations. Expect splashes in the rapids.
Miyama Kayabuki no Sato
A farming hamlet where 39 thatched-roof houses still stand, protected as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings.
- Access
- From JR Hiyoshi Station (San’in Line), take the Nantan City bus for about 55 minutes to Kita (Kayabuki no Sato), then walk 2 minutes. By car, about 40 minutes from Sonobe IC.
- Hours
- The village can be walked at any time; shops, cafés and the small museum keep their own hours.
- Fee
- No charge to walk the village. Facilities set their own fees.
- Address
- Kita, Miyama-cho, Nantan, Kyoto
People live in these houses, so stay on the lanes and keep out of gardens. Buses are infrequent; check the return bus before you set off. A snow lantern festival is held in winter.
How to plan your time here
- The boat ride ends in Arashiyama, so pair it with an afternoon there. Many visitors ride the Sagano Scenic Railway up to Kameoka and take the boat back down.
- Miyama needs a full day by public transport. Visit on a weekday if you can, and bring cash for small shops.
Information checked 26 October 2026. Plans are JapaLens editorial suggestions, not on-site reviews. Hours and fees can change; check the official page before you go.