You will receive a free quarterly E-mail Newsletter! Ryokan & Restaurants in Hyogo which are English-friendly. Guided Tours Available by volunteers in Hyogo Translation Service is also available. Sumoto City / Minami Awaji City / Sidelight Sumoto City [Sumoto Hot Springs] Sumoto Onsen is on Awaji Island surrounded by the Seto Inland Sea. Hotels and Japanese style inns with large new facilities, such as outdoor hot-spring baths, a scenic bath and jungle bath, stand side by side. There is also a footbath which anyone can enjoy. Recently more and more sightseeing facilities have been opened. Awaji is famous for delicious seafood; sea bream in spring, common Japanese conger in summer, Japanese flounder in fall and balloon fish in winter. The water is said to be good for nerve pain, muscle ache, arthritis, stiff shoulder, fatigue and so on. Sumoto City Kankokyokai (Sumoto Tourist Information) TEL: 0799-22-0742 A 5 minutes by car from Sumoto Bus Center. The Top of This Page [Awaji Gourmet Place"Miketsukuni"] Another old name for Awajishima is "Miketsukuni," which means "land that offers food to be served at the dining table of the Imperial Court." The island has an abundant fishery area in the Seto Inland Sea and a large variety of land crops. Of these, onions are produced in such quantity and quality as to be famous throughout the nation. Awaji beef, providing for Kobe and Matsuzaka beef, is also a famous flavor of Awaji. The restaurant, with a fashionable exterior in the modern Taisho Era style, was reconstructed from an old cotton yarn factory. The owner cares about good ingredients to the extent of using all local products. The menu is representative of this philosophy with the special choice Awaji beef sirloin steak course, prepared mainly with marbled Awaji beef. The Miketsukuni course, which provides everything from hors d'oeuvres to dessert, and the grilled beef lunch are also popular. The Bitcho charcoal grill set is highly recommended, served with 3 types of local fish dried overnight, and, with Japanese beef filet mignon prepared on a mini hibachi. Lunch: 11:30 – 14:30 Dinner: 17:00 – 21:00 (last order) 5 minute walk from Sumoto Bus Center. TEL:0799-26-1133 The Top of This Page [Mt. Mikuma / Sumoto Castle Ruins] Mt. Mikuma, at 133m above sea level, the ruins of Sumoto Castle, and this is a nationally designated archaeological site. This castle, which has a connection with Hideyoshi Toyotomi, was divided into 2: the upper and lower castle. The castle tower, which currently stands on the mountain top, is a reconstruction, and was builed in 1928, offering an impressively wide panorama not only the city of Sumoto but also to Osaka Bay and Kitan Strait. Also, a variety of precious plants naturally thrive on the north side of the mountain. A vehicular road has been prepared for driving, as well as a hiking path, and guided horse rides are also available at Ohama Beach to climb the mountain. 25 minutes by car from Sumoto Interchange. TEL:0799-22-3321 The Top of This Page [Awajishima Monkey Center] This is a kingdom comprised of monkeys, tamed to take feeding, descended from those monkeys that originally inhabited Mt. Kashiwara in the south of Sumoto City. There are approximately 200 mondeys which turn on their charm for visitors. They are very tame and friendly to people compared to those in other areas. They have formed a friendly society and have become subjects for academic studies. They are also famous for having individual names. Arranged as a natural park, small wild animals such as deer sometimes appear. The park is visited by many people who enjoy taking their time becoming familiar with the monkeys as they are, cute and interesting in their ways. Open 9:00 – 17:30 Closed Thurthday, September to November ¥500 for Adult. A 45 minute drive from Sumoto Interchange toward Fukura via national road No. 28 to prefectural road No.76. TEL:0799-29-0112 The Top of This Page [Tachikawa Narcissus Field] The hill commanding a view over Kitan Strait is covered with narcissuses. They begin to bloom in November if early, peaking from January to February, and the beautiful flowers can be appreciated until March. Pale yellow dots continue up the green slope, commanding a grand view and radiating a uniquely sweet fragrance. Open everyday 8:00 – 17:00 ¥500 for Adult. A 30 minute drive from Sumoto Interchange. TEL:0799-27-2653 The Top of This Page [Awaji Museum of Culture and History] The museum features its collections of culture and history of Awaji Island. “Awaji Ningyo Joruri,” dolls from the local puppet show,”Minpei-yaki,” local pottery are also on display. The adjacent museum, the Gyokusei Jikihara museum of Art has a regular exhibition as well as collections of Zen Buddhist articles and Haiku. Gyokusei Jikihara was a great master of the Chinese school of painting. Open 9:00 – 17:00 (The last admission is 4:30) Closed Monday and the day following national holidays (when national holidays are Friday, Saturday and Sunday, closed the following Tuesday) May 6 – 9, December 28 – January 5 Admission ¥400 for Adult. TEL:0799-24-3331 The Top of This Page [Five Colored Stone Beach "Goshiki Hama"] "Goshiki Hama" means the beach made up of stones of five different colors, streching about two kilometers from south to north in Goshiki town, Sumoto City. The stones on the beach shine beautifully in five colors when the sea washes over them. The beach is also an ideal place for swimming in summer. There are four beaches in the town those names are Goshiki Hama, Shin Goshiki Hama, Funase and Tsushi. The Top of This Page [Wellness Park Goshiki] The Wellness Park Goshiki with a vast expanse of greenery was built to commemorate a great achievement of a powerful merchant, Kahei Takadaya, native to Goshiki-cho. He was a wealthy merchant who started a shipping business and contributed to the prosperity of Hakodate. Also, he devoted himself to the establishment of friendly ties between Japan and Russia. "Nanohana Hall", a museum in memory of Kahei Takadaya, exhibits his great achievement as well as history and culture of Goshiki-cho. Visitors can enjoy a variety of activities in the Park such as seven log houses and "Hamachidori" for staying overnight, "Yu-yu five" for taking a hot spring bath, a camp site, tennis courts, "GO GO DOME", an all-weather gymnagium, and "Yume Kobo", hands-on experience for cooking, pottery and flower arrangement. Nanohana Hall Open 10:00 – 17:00 Admission ¥500 for Adult. TEL:0799-33-0354 Information Hamachidori, Log House, Camp, Tennis Court TEL:0799-33-1600 Yu-yu Five TEL:0799-33-1601 GO GO DOME TEL:0799-33-0343 Goshiki Western Orchid Center TEL:0799-33-0261 Yume Kobo TEL:0799-33-1540 A 10 minute walk from Goshiki Bus Center. The Top of This Page Minami Awaji City [Awaji Fureai Park] This park, with many facilities such as a lawn plaza, an artificial creek, and a waterfall, allows you to enjoy a whole day here. The adventure playground is popular with children. Located near by is Sunrise Awaji which has public lodging equipped with various facilities such as tennis courts with night-time lighting and an athletic ground. Open everyday 9:00 – 21:00 10 minutes by car from Sumoto Interchange. A 10 minute walk from Doitaniguchi Bus Stop. TEL:0799-45-1411 The Top of This Page [Sunrise Awaji] Located adjacent to Awaji Fureai Park, Sunrise Awaji has public lodging equipped with various facilities such as tennis courts with night-time lighting, grounds for various sports and a gymnasium. 10 minutes by car from Sumoto Interchange. A 10 minute walk from Doitaniguchi Bus Stop. TEL:0799-45-1411 The Top of This Page Sidelight [Sumoto Bus Center and Tourist Information Office] A depot for express busses running directly on the Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway over Akashi Strait Bridge to Kobe and Osaka. The Sumoto City Tourist Association Tourist Information Office is located in the waiting area of this depot. The Top of This Page Hyogo Tourism Association Hyogo Prefectural Government Bldg. No.1,5-10-1 Shimoyamate-dori, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan Postal Code:650-8567 Tel:078-361-7661 Fax:078-361-7662 e-mail: