Known as a town where the original landscape of traditional Japanese rural mountain villages, characterized by thatched-roof houses, and abundant nature thrive, Miyama Town is located in the approximate center of Kyoto Prefecture, about a one-hour drive from Kyoto City. Alongside Shirakawa-go in Gifu Prefecture, Miyama Town boasts a collection of charming houses with rare thatched roofs, with 38 out of the total 50 houses in the village having these unique roofs. The oldest surviving house in the settlement was built in the 8th year of Kansei (1796). In 1993, it was designated as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings by the national government.
Once a thriving stop on the ‘Saba Kaido (Old Highway carrying mackerel)’ road connecting towns along the Japan Sea coast, including Fukui Prefecture, to Kyoto City, Miyama Town still retains remnants of its historical roadways. The ‘Saba Kaido’ road that leads from towns along the Japan Sea coast to Kyoto City is sometimes referred to as the ‘Western Saba Kaido,’ with the route through Shiga Prefecture being known as the ‘Eastern Saba Kaido.’
In every season, visitors can encounter unique and picturesque scenes, such as cherry blossoms and wisteria in spring, fresh greenery and hydrangeas in summer, buckwheat flowers and autumn foliage in fall, and snowy landscapes in winter. The winter months (December to the end of February) bring heavy snowfall, which is reflected in the town’s name, ‘Miyama,’ meaning ‘deep mountains village’.

♭♯♭美山の子守歌♭♯♭

岐阜県の白川郷と並び、茅葺の里に代表される日本の農山村の原風景と豊かな自然が息づく町として知られる美山町は、京都府のほぼ中央、京都市内から車で約1時間の場所にあります。現代では珍しくなった茅葺き屋根の民家が数多く立ち並び、全50棟のうち38棟が茅葺きの屋根で、集落に現存する最も古い家屋は寛政8年(1796)に建てられたものです。平成5年(1993)に国の重要伝統的建造物群保存地区に選定されました。
福井県など日本海沿岸の町から京都市へと続く「西の鯖街道」(因みに、「東の鯖街道」は滋賀県を経由するもの) の経由地として栄え、今もかつての街道の面影を残しています。
春は桜やレンゲソウ、夏は新緑や紫陽花、秋になるとそばの花や紅葉、雪景色の冬など、どの季節に訪れてもその時期ならではの情景に出会うことができます。冬季(12月～2月末）には積雪量も多く、町名の「美山」は「深山」に由来します。