Discover Miyama – the hidden gem of Kyoto
Miyama is located in the central part of Kyoto Prefecture, and it is made up of many small villages along the Yura River.
This place is famous for its many traditional thatched-roof houses and also for its “SATOYAMA” culture, where people live in harmony with nature.
The total area of Miyama is about 340 square kilometers.
I think it is quite large, but only around 3,000 people live here.
The name “Miyama = 美山” itself means “美beautiful 山mountains.”
And as you can see, the name really matches the landscape.
About 96% of this area is covered by mountains and forests.
So basically… almost everything around us is mountains and forests.
People live only in small open spaces between them.
Because of this, Miyama is very quiet, the air is clean, and at night you can enjoy a sky full of stars.
There are also very few cars here.
The cycling routes are mostly flat, with only gentle ups and downs, so Miyama is really a perfect place for cycling.
Miyama is often called “the original landscape of Japan.”
This SATOYAMA scenery makes people feel nostalgic. It brings back many memories from our childhood, specially for people in their 60’s or older.
When I was a child, landscapes like this were common in Japan.
But unfortunately, many of them have disappeared over time.
There are about 50 houses there, and 39 of them still have traditional thatched roofs.
This village is designated by the Japanese government as an Important Preservation District for Traditional Buildings.
Here’s another question.
How old do you think these houses are? (pause)
Most of them were built about 100 to 200 years ago, from the late Edo Period to the Meiji Period. Some are even over 300 years old.
However they have been carefully repaired and maintained over many generations, and people still live in them today.
So Miyama is not just a place with old buildings.
It is a place where a traditional way of life has continued for more than 200 years.
In Japan, there are famous places like Shirakawa-go, which is a World Heritage site.
There, the traditional houses are located in one area, and the village is highly developed for tourism, with souvenir shops, restaurants, and guesthouses.
But Miyama is a little different.
Except for KAYABUKI no Sato, the thatched-roof houses are spread across the whole area, and local people still live in them as part of everyday life.
And I think that is what makes Miyama very special.
Today and tomorrow, we will explore Miyama by bicycle.
By cycling, you can experience scenery that you would never notice from a car, and you can feel much closer to nature and local life.
So please relax, enjoy this peaceful time, and enjoy the beautiful scenery of Miyama.