Otsuōkidani Rice Terraces
It is said that thousands of terraced rice paddies line the Sayo mountainside, glistening green in the summer and golden in the fall. One of the most scenic rice terraces in Japan, the beautiful forms of the paddies are a gift from our ancestors.
DetailDetailed information
- Address
- Oukitani,Sayo Town
- Related web sites
- http://34cho.com/kankou/otsuookidani-tanada/
MAPNeighborhood Information
RecommendRelated Recommended Spots

Fureai-no-sato Kozuki Specialty Store
Located at Kozuki Station on the JR Kishi Line, Fureai-no-sato Kozuki is popular for its locally-made specialty goods. The shop is bustling with customers who come from far and wide to buy products made with Sayo glutinous soybeans and farm fresh vegetables.

Kozuki Castle Ruins
Kozuki Castle was the site of a great battle between the Oda and Mori clans during the Warring States Period and is the final resting place of the famous Amago clan samurai Shikanosuke Yamanaka. The origin of the structure dates back to 1336, starting as a fort built by the Akamatsu Clan.

The Seimei & Dōman Mounds
This spot is said to be where legendary warriors Abe no Seimei and Ashiya Dōman fought to the death. Alive during the Heian Period (794-1185), these two figures are still regularly referenced in modern pop-culture and were often historically associated with magical powers. Vistors to the area can also see "Yaritobi Bridge" where the two were said to shoot many arrows at one another during their battle, as well as "Otsuke-ba", where it is said that Seimei washed Dōman's severed head after defeating him. The Seimei Mound has existed here since the Muromachi Period (1336-1573) and the Dōman Mound since 1797.

Hiratani Noodle Factory
This noodle shop sells flat udon and soba noodles (¥80 per serving) that are perfect for stir-frying, as well as special dipping sauces. There is an eat-in space inside the store, and the freshly boiled udon noodles (¥250 per serving) topped with dashi soy sauce and a raw egg (extra charge) are exquisite. Food served with a smile is twice as delicious.

Koumi
Here at this shop you can purchase delicious, all-natural, additive-free Japanese seaweed.

Tsuboyaki Potato Specialty Store Wako
"A sweet shop where you can enjoy tsuboyaki sweet potatoes, which are slowly baked in a pot by hanging them in a pot over charcoal. In addition to baked potatoes, which is sold by weight and can be served ""hot, cold or chilled"", there is also a coffee shop menu that includes sweets such as warm baked sweet potato topped with ice cream and a fluffy pile of shaved ice. the baked sweet potatoes will end as soon as the matured ""Beniharuka"" runs out (Approx. August) and will be sold from January of the following year, so please contact us before visiting."
GourmetNearby Gourmet Spots

Restaurant 「Canopus」Inside the Nishi-Harima Observatory
Observatory restaurant with coffee, lunch and wild game meat. The name "Canopus" comes from Alpha Carinae, the brightest star in the constellation Carinae. Breakfast and dinner for meals, rest use and overnight guest are accommmodated. We also recommend the "Deer croquette Set meal" using venison, a speciality of Sayo Town.

Traditional Folk-House Dining Douman
This popular cafe mixes the traditional atmosphere of its architecture and antiques with modern furnishing. Spicy curry served at Douman is made with fruits, Japanese vegetables, and beef tendon, amongsts other ingredients, giving it hints of natural sweetness and making for an exquisite dining experience. The cafe also allows dogs and has a spacious dog running course in the back for owners to use.

Morimori-Tei
This local restaurant specializes in a variety of Chinese dishes, yakiniku BBQ, and motsunabe hot pot. Others items include wild boar, Japanese black wagyu offal, chicken wings, chicken thighs, skewered beef, Japanese-style croquettes, and minced meat cutlets.

Shinsayo Yakiniku
Established in 1975, the restaurant still maintains its quaint Showa Period Japanese atmosphere. All the grilled teppan-yaki and yakiniku BBQ meat dishes are made only using the finest Japanese black wagyu. You can also enjoy offal yakiudon, stir-fried noodles, with a delicious miso-based sauce.

GOCCIA coffee factory
Special coffee beans from around the world are house-roasted here. The cafe offers various meals and pastries for customers to enjoy and also sells coffee beans to take home.

Oyasumi-dokoro Uryubara
This community center was renovated from the original residence of the Uryubara family. The Uryubara's ran a foundry business in the region from the Edo Period (1603-1867) until the beginning of the Showa Period (1926-1989). The current building, erected in 1810, has a large smoke vent built into the roof, a unique architectural aspect of buildings in the former inn town of Hirafuku. The facility offers homemade soba, allowing visitors to sit-back, relax, and enjoy a delicious meal while they tour the building.
HOTELNearby Accommodations

University of Hyogo Nishi-Harima Astronomical Observatory
Located at the summit of Mount Onade, the Nishi-Harima Observatory is equipped with a two-meter aperture Nayuta telescope, one of the world's largest available for public use. Centered around the observatory, there are nature trails, lodging facilities for groups and families, restaurants, and other facilities that allow visitors to stay overnight and enjoy stargazing to the fullest. Viewing parties are held every evening for overnight guests, while a general viewing party is held on Sundays for day-trippers. Please note that reservations are required on Saturdays and holidays. Many astronomical events are held throughout the year, allowing visitors to feel closer to the stars and the universe.

Farm Inn Mitsuyama no Sato
"This 110-year-old house was restored using traditional construction methods, and is a farmer's inn that is limited to one couple per day. Visitors are warmly welcomed with a smile and the words, ""Come and have dinner with us around the chabudai (tea table),"" so you can enjoy a taste of life in the countryside from season to season , centering on farming activities such as planting and harvesting vegetables, One of the best parts is that you can also enjoy creative cuisine using seasonal vegetables and rice with the full of the power of the earth, grown without pesticides and chemical fertilizers from the farm. We invite you to experience the power of diverse living creatures and the energy of the earth, and to be surrounded by rich nature for a healing experience that will reset your spirit. "

Outdoor vacation rental Ahirunomori
"The owner, who used to run an outdoor shop in Osaka, started this hands-on home-stay experience when he moved to the area. The appealing menu includes bushcraft workshops based on the experience of former Self-Defense Forces personnel, and cycling tours using electric cross bikes. Guests are also free to use the self-built huts on the premises, so they can use the Ahiro Forest for BBQ's, ent stays and other fun activities."

G-style Country Club
This golf resort, surrounded by lush greenery, is the perfect getaway to relax your body and soul. The fairways are flat and wide, and the greens, covered with bentgrass, average 800m2 in size. With each of the 18 holes separate from one another, each hole brings you a new challenge, inspiring rich and strategic plays.

Nipponia Hirafuku Post Town
This private accommodation is set in the renovated former Kimura Residence, said to have been built in the Taisho Period (1912-1926). While preserving the thick beams and traditional exterior, the house is furnished in a way that combines the atmosphere of ages past and modern comforts, with locally produced Minada washi paper used for the shoji screens and sake barrels used as tables. Visitors can enjoy relaxing on the veranda surrounding the spacious courtyard or taking a soak in the spacious bath made of Hyogo cypress.

Cobaco Work&Camp
Located in front of Sayo Station, Cobaco is a coworking space open for anyone to use. The space offers an enriching lifestyle experience where people with various skills, backgrounds, and knowledge can collaborate.