Kizugawa

Kizugawa is a city in southern Kyoto Prefecture, formed in 2007 from the merger of three towns: Kamo, Yamashiro, and Minamiyamashiro. Located in a broad valley along the Kizu River, the city has a mix of rural farming areas, new suburban developments, and a well-preserved historic district in the former Kamo-juku post station on the Yamato Kaido road. The city is also a centre for green tea production, part of the broader Uji tea region.

Kizugawa is served by the JR Nara Line and JR Kansai Main Line. Kamo Station is on the Kansai Main Line. From Kyoto, rapid trains reach Kamo Station in about 40 minutes. From Nara, the journey is about 20 minutes. By car, it is about 45 minutes from Kyoto via the Keiji Bypass.

The old post town is walkable from Kamo Station. Local buses connect the outlying areas, a rental car is the most practical option for visiting tea farms and remote orchards.

• Kamo-juku — the preserved post station district with old merchant houses, a former honjin inn, and a museum of transport history.

• Kamo River — the confluence of the Kizu and Kamo rivers is a scenic spot with walking paths.

• Kizugawa City Museum of History and Folklore — exhibits on the Yamashiro region and the post-station era.

• Tea fields — the rolling hills of the Minamiyamashiro area are covered in terraced tea plantations.

• Tendai-ji Temple — a Buddhist temple in the Yamashiro area with a garden and a view over the valley.

• Tea picking and processing experience — local tea farms in Minamiyamashiro offer hands-on green tea making.

• Walk the Yamato Kaido — the old post road section in Kamo-juku is well-preserved.

• Cycling the Kizu River cycling path — a long-distance route suitable for day trips.

• Hiking in the Yamashiro hills — short trails lead to viewpoints over the valley.

The city's restaurants serve standard Japanese fare. Udon and soba shops are common. The Kamo area has a few izakaya serving local tea-infused dishes.

Green tea from the local plantations is the signature beverage. Sake from Kyoto is also widely available.

Kizugawa has very limited accommodation — a couple of business hotels near Kamo Station. Most visitors stay in Nara, Kyoto, or Uji.

Kizugawa green tea is the definitive local product — high-quality sencha and matcha are sold direct from tea farms and in Kamo-juku shops.

• Nara — Todai-ji Temple and the Great Buddha, 20 minutes by train
• Uji — Byodo-in Temple and the Uji tea district
• Iga — the ninja museum and castle in Mie
• Joyo — the Ikebana centre and kofun burial mounds