Kameoka

Kameoka is a city in southern Kyoto Prefecture, just west of Kyoto City in a basin surrounded by mountains. It is a commuter town for Kyoto and Osaka, but retains a rural character with rice paddies, bamboo groves, and forested hills. The Katsura River flows through the city, and the area is famous as the starting point for the Hozugawa River boat ride through the scenic Hozu Gorge to Arashiyama. Kameoka was briefly the capital of Japan in 1586 under Toyotomi Hideyoshi during the construction of Osaka Castle.

Kameoka is on the JR San'in Main Line. From Kyoto Station, the journey takes about 25 minutes by rapid train. From Osaka, it is about 1 hour. By car, it is 30 minutes from central Kyoto via the Meishin Expressway.

The city centre is walkable from Kameoka Station. Local buses serve the Hozugawa boat landing, the hillside areas, and rural settlements. A rental bicycle is a good way to explore the valley.

• Hozugawa River — the starting point for boat cruises through the Hozu Gorge to Arashiyama.

• Kameoka Castle ruins — the stone foundations of a castle built by Akechi Mitsuhide, now a park.

• Kameoka City Museum — exhibits on the Hozugawa boat tradition, local history, and the Akechi clan.

• Shinnyo-ji Temple — a Buddhist temple on a hillside with views over the Kameoka Basin.

• Kameoka Furusato Park — a nature park with seasonal flowers, a playground, and walking trails.

• Hozugawa River boat ride — the 2-hour trip through the gorge to Arashiyama is the main attraction.

• Bamboo grove walk — smaller bamboo groves around the city offer a quieter alternative to Arashiyama's crowds.

• Hiking on Mount Oshiyama — a trail behind the castle ruins leads to a summit with views.

• Cycling along the Katsura River — flat paths follow the river through the valley.

Kameoka's restaurants serve Kyoto-style home cooking. Yudofu (tofu hot pot) and soba are available, as well as river fish from the Katsura River.

Sake from Kyoto breweries is standard. The city also has a growing craft beer scene.

Kameoka has a few business hotels near the station. Most visitors pass through on the boat ride and stay in Kyoto.

Local products include Kameoka chestnuts, bamboo crafts, and sake. The boat landing area has souvenir stalls selling Hozugawa-themed items.

• Arashiyama — the famous bamboo grove and Tenryu-ji Temple, at the end of the Hozugawa boat ride
• Kyoto — the cultural heart of Japan
• Takatsuki — a city at the Kyoto-Osaka border
• Nishinomiya — Koshien Stadium and the Settsu region