かやぶきの Lǐ Yōu 々ひろば

While not as large as Shirakawa-go, this quaint thatched village is always charming no matter when you visit. It's about a 2-hour drive from Kyoto city, making it a perfect road trip destination. There is free parking available, so you can explore on foot from there. This photo is from the summer, with the hollyhocks adding a nice touch. In the fall, buckwheat flowers bloom in the rice fields across from the parking lot, attracting many photographers due to its beauty. Cosmos flowers also dance in the wind. I would also like to see the snow-covered Utsukushigahara one day. It seems that there are reservation-based buses from Kyoto Station. Since there are few places to eat, I recommend thoroughly researching where to dine.

This place is like a preserved old Japanese scenery. It's impressive how locals live their lives while welcoming tourists. I made sure to follow the rules and observe good manners. It's recommended to visit on weekdays to avoid crowds and maintain a nice atmosphere. There are museum-like attractions and cafes as well. You can overlook the area from the shrine on the hill at the back, and see the whole view from along the river. The winter night scenery was beautiful. I would like to visit again in spring or autumn for the new greenery and autumn leaves.

On Saturday, April 16th, I went on a tour towards Kayabuki no Sato, but the weather was cloudy with light rain and the temperature was around 10 degrees Celsius, which was unexpectedly cold for April! Because of this weather, the place was not crowded. The parking fee was collected in a box as a conservation fee for Kayabuki no Sato. It was my first time visiting, and although the thatched village seemed small in scale, it had a nice atmosphere. Vehicle entry is prohibited! Upon entering the village, there was a café gallery right away, and as you continued further back, there was a folk museum (entrance fee 300 yen). Nearby, there was a guesthouse and another café, which opened at 10 am. Continuing along the road, there was a pizza shop, but unfortunately, it was not open in the morning. Going downhill from there, there was a rice flour bakery. If the weather and temperature were better, I could have stayed longer, but I hope to visit again next time when the weather is nicer.

自然豊かな山間に日本の原風景が広がります。日本昔話で見たことがあるような茅葺きの家が集落を形成していて、初めて見てもどこか懐かしい気持ちにさせられます。 交通の便は良くなく、公共の交通機関はバスくらいしかありません。ただ、京都市内から車で１時間程度で行ける距離なので、車やバイクで来られる方が多いです。 特にバイクは京都の道志みちとも呼ばれる「周山街道」を通って「道の駅　美山ふれあい広場」、そして「かやぶきの里」へが有名なツーリングルートになっている為、週末には多くのライダーが集まります。ライダーの数が増えるにつれ、集落の中にまでバイクで入って行く方を多く見かけるようになりました。 観光スポットにはなっていますが、人が実際住んで生活されています。バイクは向かいにある駐輪スペースに停めて、徒歩で集落を中を散策するのがルールですのでバイクで訪れる方は注意して下さい。 季節によって様々な風景を楽しめる「かやぶきの里」ですが、おすすめは春と冬。特に冬の雪景色は一見の価値ありです。 ただ、この辺りは京都でも有数の豪雪地帯ですので車で訪れる場合、スタッドレスは必須、できれば四駆推奨です。

４月10日の様子です。桜は満開でした。食事ができる場所が少なかったです。 初夏のような陽気でしたのでソフトクリームを食べましたが美味しかったです。かやぶきの里は歩きやすい靴がお勧めです。これからの季節是非行って下さい。 散策のコースはかやの里前からがお勧めで稲荷神社、普明寺、ちいさな藍美術館、鎌倉神社、美山民族資料館、知井八幡神社など。 茅葺きの家は夏は涼しく、冬はあたたかいそうで普通に暮らされてるので観光地になっているのが不思議な感じがします。村では20年に一度のサイクルで古くなった屋根を順番に張り替えるそうです。材料は主にすすき、稲わらだそうです。また役目を終えた茅は畑のすみに積まれ土に戻り肥料になるそうです。駐車場代金は普通自動車500円バイクは200円でした。 平成五年に国の重要伝統的建造物群保存地区に選定され四季折々の美しい風景を見られるそうです。