I have to drive from Kyoto to Ise. Going through Shiga/eastern Nara/Mie. What is a scenic route? Any roads with good mountains views? Any special sites (not very interested in ninja stuff…)?
If you are not interested in Koka or Iga-Ueno (though the latter has also a rather interesting late Edo-era school complex) – the most interesting routes tourism-wise would be either:
* through Uji, the tea fields on the eastern side of town and Matsusaka * through Miho Museum, Kameyama and Matsusaka * through Yoshino and Takami no Sato (scenic mountain route)
Not sure if it helps with the drive so much (as I did it by train), but I have been down to Toba, just past Ise. The aquarium there was wonderful, and there is the Pearl Island Museum there too, which was fascinating to see. Futamiokitama Shrine and the surrounding area was stunning too!
Kon-nichiwa,
Do you have plenty of time for the day for drive?Normally, you would take all the highways, Meishin, Shin Meishin, a little bit of Higashi-meihan, and Ise Expressway. This is a good view and moreover comfortable.By the way, if you can spend the whole day for driving, I planned the route. First of all, go to drive south by highway. At the border of Kyoto and Nara prefecture, get off the highway and take the route163 to the east. After a short drive, you will come to the intersection of Kasagi Station, where you turn right. From here you will enter the mountains. You will pass through the village of Yagyu and head south, stopping at Murouji Temple on the way. This is a gem of a temple in the forests with a small five-storey pagoda. Route165 heading east is rather boring, but just before you cross the Aoyama Tunnel into Ise, turn right and head up for Aoyama Plateau. The road is along a ridge but there is a car park and rest house at the top. From the top, you can see Ise Bay in front of you. If you follow the road northwards, you will join route163 again and go down to the east to reach the entrance of the Ise Expressway. It will take less than an hour to reach Ise.Depending on what you want to see, the route can be adjusted in various ways, so please write if you like.
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Is Koyasan too much of a detour?
If you are not interested in Koka or Iga-Ueno (though the latter has also a rather interesting late Edo-era school complex) – the most interesting routes tourism-wise would be either:
* through Uji, the tea fields on the eastern side of town and Matsusaka
* through Miho Museum, Kameyama and Matsusaka
* through Yoshino and Takami no Sato (scenic mountain route)
Not sure if it helps with the drive so much (as I did it by train), but I have been down to Toba, just past Ise. The aquarium there was wonderful, and there is the Pearl Island Museum there too, which was fascinating to see.
Futamiokitama Shrine and the surrounding area was stunning too!
Kon-nichiwa,
Do you have plenty of time for the day for drive?Normally, you would take all the highways, Meishin, Shin Meishin, a little bit of Higashi-meihan, and Ise Expressway. This is a good view and moreover comfortable.By the way, if you can spend the whole day for driving, I planned the route. First of all, go to drive south by highway. At the border of Kyoto and Nara prefecture, get off the highway and take the route163 to the east. After a short drive, you will come to the intersection of Kasagi Station, where you turn right. From here you will enter the mountains. You will pass through the village of Yagyu and head south, stopping at Murouji Temple on the way. This is a gem of a temple in the forests with a small five-storey pagoda. Route165 heading east is rather boring, but just before you cross the Aoyama Tunnel into Ise, turn right and head up for Aoyama Plateau. The road is along a ridge but there is a car park and rest house at the top. From the top, you can see Ise Bay in front of you. If you follow the road northwards, you will join route163 again and go down to the east to reach the entrance of the Ise Expressway. It will take less than an hour to reach Ise.Depending on what you want to see, the route can be adjusted in various ways, so please write if you like.
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[https://goo.gl/maps/yNgEmVNPijqyfjp59](https://goo.gl/maps/yNgEmVNPijqyfjp59)
http://www.murouji.or.jp/en/
https://www.igaueno.net/?p=118