Sasayama, the Stylish Country Town

Sasayama is a perfect small countryside town perfect for a quieter break in the hills of Hyogo prefecture, less than an hour from Kobe, and about two hours from Kyoto.

Never heard of Sasayama? Well, I only heard of it because Tamba region is one of Japan’s Six Ancient Kilns, and a historic ceramics centre, and as a lover of Japanese ceramics who even dreamed up her perfect Japanese Ceramics Dream Trip, the town of Tambasasayama (丹波篠山市) came up in my research.

How to get to Sasayama

Travelling to Sasayama on public transport is easy. Start from Osaka. Get to Osaka JR Station, and then take a train to Sasayamaguchi.

Sasayamaguchi is the final stop for most trains which run as a Rapid to Amagasaki, then continue as a local train. It takes about one hour.

Sasayamaguchi is a decent sized station. As you exit the train, turn left on the pedestrian bridge to the exit. Most trains are met just outside the station by a bus, which leaves around five minutes after the train arrives. I think their numbers are 2 and 10, but it’s pretty safe to get on as most of them go to Tambasasayama, the old town part you’d most likely be interested in. Buses run roughly every hour between the Sasayamaguchi train station and Sasayama. For the centre, depending where your accommodation is, get off at Uetatemachi or Honsasayama.

My Sasayama Soujourn – Day 1

The train journey was very straightforward, and I was very happy when the bus started to head in the right direction… and for the first time, I practised my Duolingo-Japanese by asking where I need to get off for my guesthouse… and was so chuffed when the driver appeared to understand me!

I got to walk in awe through the historic Kawaramachi District, a long Street of Edo Period merchant houses, now occupied by shops, cafes and private residences. On a weekday, it was not busy at all – Japan off the beaten track at its finest.

A fine cup of coffee awaited me at Guesthouse Oito, my hotel for the night, but although it was beautiful and cool, I couldn’t sit still for long, and continued my stroll through KAwaramachi. Little lanes led to more small businesses, shrines and temples, but it was so hot, I was dripping with sweat and close to sun stroke, so I waited it out a bit, then continues my exploration by bicycle, which I find much easier in the heat.

I didn’t get that far.

A display of vintage kimono and fabrics at Fuutai (ふた藍) on the main street provided a great distraction. A huge shop full of true vintage pre- and post war kimono, rolls of kimono fabric, and a lovely owner who let me peruse the bulging shelves full of textile treasures.

By the way, if you are just interested in renting a kimono, there is a shop for that in Kawaramachi Street called 着物レンタル 花菱.

When I emerged from the kimono shop, I did a round through the castle ruins, and as it was getting dark rapidly, and I wasn’t hungry yet, I decided to cycle to Tsutaya Book sin Sasayamaguchi – not part of the standard sightseeing routine indeed, but a good idea, as the route led me through quiet residential streets lined by elegant wooden houses and then down a cycling road through the rice fields.

It was completely dark by the time I left, laden with books – that Tsutaya was really strong on craft books – so I made a stop at the biggest out-of-town supermarket too, loaded up on vegetarian sushi and sweets, and then cycled through the quiet atmospheric streets back to y guesthouse to luxuriate in my huge room.

My Sasayama Soujourn – Day 2

I woke up bright and early, and wandered to the cafe downstairs where I was the only guest and chatted to the staff, admiring the carefully curated ceramics and the interior a bit more and took some photographs.

Then I set out for another walk along Kawaramachi Street, taking in lovely little details I had missed during the hot day yesterday.

I took note of the little concept and ceramics stores, then I cycled across town to the Anma-Family Samurai Residence Museum, a traditional reed-roofed home, which I basically had to myself.

This museum is the former residence of the Anma Samurai family and was built in the 1830’s in local style with a steep thatched roof. It served as a family home for over a century before becoming a museum in the 1990’s.

I just love these small museums with no one in them. It was super hot outside, and sitting in this beautiful residence was a great way to spend half an hour. There were some exhibits, but mainly this house was a great example of a traditional home in the 1800’s.

There are plenty museums in Sasayama to occupy you a few hours. Kawaramachi has the Noh Theatre Museum, with plenty old costumes and masks, and the neighbouring Old Tanba Pottery Museum with older pieces. I really should have visited, but felt very lazy, and went to the delightful Breath and Roy cafe.

When it comes to stylish cafes, Sasayama can really keep up with any hipster city districts, except the cafes here are not just incredibly stylish, but also really quiet and relaxing. It’s like there is a relaxing vibe over the entire city, perfect when you come from some action-packed days on Tokyo or Osaka.

As far as atmospheric cafes go, Sasayama gets top marks. Breath and Roy has a tatami room overlooking the most beautiful cafe garden. The modern Odagaki Mamedo (小田垣豆堂) has a Zen-inspired garden. The “Mori no Owl” (珈琲館) doesn’t bother with an English name or web site, and serves coffee and cake from showpiece Tamba-yaki in a cosy garden. And Makoto roasts its own coffee and if you like your coffee cup, you can buy it, too.

And last not least – and I am not one to promote animal cafes – there’s Cat Cafe Kutsurogi Mameneko – the difference here is that all cats are rescue cats, they have a spacious house to live in when they’re not “helping” in the cafe, and the cat area is large and well maintained. If I understood right, some of the cats can be adopted, too, as the owner works in animal rescue and keeps rescuing cats.

For my final activity, I pottered around Kawaramachi looking at contemporary ceramics in the shops.

Tamba ceramics, or Tamba-yaki, are very reasonably priced domestic ceramics from local red-brown clay. While the historic Tambayaki has a natural glaze achieved by long firing in wood-burning anagama kilns, man-made glazes are common in contemporary Tamba-yaki. The resulting ceramics have a very warm, rustic feel while maintaining a Japanese folk craft aesthetic, and they’re popular, as today there are over 50 kilns operating in the area.

I bought a couple of yunomi (casual tea cups) at Ameya, a large-ish friendly shop selling Tambayaki exclusively. A shop called Yamamoto Tambayaki (山本丹波焼店) nearby has somewhat higher price points, with some anagama ware, too.

Another nice shop, just opposite, is Hakutoya, which is reputably the most well-known concept store of Sasayama. They sell new and vintage household goods with that aesthetic extra, and their stock rotates a lot.

Sasayama even has its own pottery, called Ojimayaki, where everything is handmade and the style is more elegant Celadon ware than rustic Tambayaki, but where you may be able to visit some historic and working kilns.

What else can you see and do in Tambasasayama

You can easily spend two full days in Tambasasayama, strolling Kawaramachi, visiting its two museums, looking at Tambayaki in the shops, and hop from one atmospheric cafe to the next and look at some other sights.

There isn’t much left of the moated castle ruins, so if you are into castles, Sasayama probably would not be your first choice. Still, a walk or cycle ride along the moat is extremely pleasant, and one of the reconstructed buildings houses a local history museum with plenty models and a parade of samurai uniforms.

You can sample the culinary delights of wild boar meat, black soy beans, purple yam, Amochi taro and chestnuts at many restaurants and shops, and if you are a melonpan lover, Konishi Bread has one of the best melon pan offerings in the country – so they say. They also produce local tea, and there is even a tea garden to visit, where you can buy tea and have a kaiseki meal – look for 株式会社 熊野園 on a map, it’s about ten minutes east of Sasayamaguchi by car.

While you can reach Sasayama easily on public transport you’d really need a car to fully appreciate the countryside and Tamba kilns. Most of the working kilns of Tamba are located in a village called Kondacho Kamitachikui, about 15km from Sasayama. You’ll also find the modern Museum of Ceramic art and the regions oldest climbing kiln there, and, of course many ceramic ateliers.

Where to Stay in Sasayama

The abundance of superb small inn and hotel accommodation was what initially drew me to Sasayama. For a relatively small town, Sasayama has an astonishing number of superb accommodation, most run independently, and some old mansions run by the Nipponia Hotel group.

Guesthouse Oito

I was drawn to Guesthouse Oito because I loved their aesthetic – dark wood in well-lit rooms in a minimalist crafty style.

Also, they only have two rooms, and otherwise the place is run as a cafe during the day. I stayed in Room Q which you can see, along with many other photos, on their web site. Room Q was huge, under the eaves, accessible by a smallish staircase. Absolutely gorgeous, wonderfully comfortable Western style beds, high quality bed linen, a lovely view across the Edo-period Kawaramachi street from my bed.

The only thing with the cheaper room is… you have to traverse the cafe to go to the bathroom, but with the cafe open until late afternoon, most of the time it is like you have a rather big old house to yourself.

I received a warm welcome, a cup of coffee and a sumptuous breakfast in the morning. The staff really made great efforts to speak English, which cannot always be expected in a relatively remote place where most visitors are Japanese. They hire bicycles as well. All in all, a very classy and relaxed stay.

L’Hotel du Mai

The minuscule L’Hotel de Mai is a former bank, converted into a hotel with just one apartment decorated in early Showa era style with lots of natural materials. Even more exclusive, and ina cracking location around the corner from the castle ruins and Kawaramachi, and a short walk to many restaurants and cafes.

Une Stay &. Diner

Another tiny one-apartment hotel for just one party of guests. Une Stay & Diner occupies a transformed Edo-era wooden building, but where it’s dark wood and folk craft at Mai and Oito, the aesthetic here is bright and modern, but in the same pared-down elegant Japanese style.

NIPPONIA Sasayama Castle Town

So, with the previous three option all being rather exclusive, and only Oito making sense for a solo traveller, where do you stay if you want somewhere a bit cheaper, and suitable for a solo traveller?

In this case, try NIPPONIA Sasayama Castle Town. No, it isn’t a lot cheaper, but just as elegant and classy as the above three options. The Nipponia might be a chain, but the Sasayama hotel is the brand’s flagship, with five historic mansions in the centre of Sasayama, tons of space, Western style beds and Japanese sitting rooms. If you love Japanese culinary dramas, you might love the French-Japanese in-house restaurant, too.

The Small Print

I visited Sasayama on a solo Japan trip in May 2024 paying for all expenses myself. So what you get here is my totally unbiased opinion, no freebies, no discounts for good reviews. The only monetisation of this blog at the time of publication is affiliate links to Booking.com, which is my preferred (and only) hotel booking site when I am not booking directly. If you use one of the links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, but trust me, this blog is 99% a hobby, meaning I work a regular job and all my travel money comes from working full time.

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