美山かやぶきの里
Kitamura, Miyama, Nantan City, Kyoto
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A Village of Thatched Roofs
Miyama Kayabuki no Sato is a mountain hamlet in northern Kyoto where dozens of traditional kayabuki (thatched-roof) farmhouses still stand among rice paddies and forested hills. With around 40 thatched houses, the village of Kitamura is one of the largest surviving clusters in Japan and is designated an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings. Many homes are still lived in, and a few open as inns, cafés and a folk museum. Counted among Japan's loveliest rural landscapes, it is especially magical in winter snow and during the twice-yearly 'water cannon' fire-drill, when jets of water arc over the rooftops.
History & Culture
Houses Built for the Mountains
The steep thatched roofs of irimoya style were built to withstand heavy mountain snow, their materials and techniques passed down through generations of villagers.
A Protected Village
In 1993 the village of Kitamura was designated an Important Preservation District, ensuring the survival of one of Japan's largest groups of thatched farmhouses.
Kita, Miyama-cho, Nantan City, Kyoto 601-0712
- Nantan city bus to Kita from Hiyoshi Stn
- ~1.5 h by car from central Kyoto
Open village
Free (paid parking)
Hours and fees are a guide and may change — please check official information before your visit.
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