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What is Awaji Island West Coast?
Awaji Island, Japan: Kansai’s Top Destination for Food, Culture & Art
Awaji Island’s west coast is home to a dynamic collection of distinctive attractions, from dining and art to scenic coastal experiences.
Among the various areas of Awaji Island, the “Awaji West Coast” has recently gained particular attention, with a wave of newly opened tourist attractions and restaurants. Surrounded by lush green mountains and offering stunning views of the Seto Inland Sea and Harima-nada, this area is also known for its breathtaking sunsets—selected as one of “Japan’s Top 100 Sunsets”—as well as scenic hilltops where you can enjoy star-filled night skies.
In recent years, Awaji Island’s west coast has emerged as a popular destination, attracting visitors from Japan but still a hidden gem among visitors from outside Japan. With a diverse range of attractions and dining options, it offers experiences suited to families, couples, and travelers of all ages.
A Symbol of Regional Revitalization and Farm-to-Table Cuisine
Nojima Scuola
A former elementary school has been renovated into a multi-purpose complex with a café serving a fresh salad buffet and light meals, a bakery, an Italian restaurant, and even a small zoo. As a symbol of regional revitalization, it has become a popular destination for both locals and tourists.
miele
A café restaurant with a beautiful contrast between its white building and the blue sea. It is known for dishes and sweets made with Awaji Island ingredients and honey from around the world. Their pizza, topped with all-you-can-add whitebait and onions, is especially popular.
miele the DINER
The first floor is a lively American diner where you can enjoy bold American-style dishes like burgers and steaks. The onion blossom, an entire onion fried to resemble a blooming flower, is the diner’s signature dish. The second floor offers a casual café serving sweets, acai bowls and drinks.
CRAFT CIRCUS
This seaside complex features restaurants, a market, and a shop. One offers an ocean-view indoor terrace for enjoying fresh seafood and barbecue with no preparation, while another provides a casual setting with pizza, paella, and more. A dog run is also available.
Immerse Yourself in Cool Japan
Set within Awaji Island’s expansive natural surroundings, Nijigen no Mori is a popular theme park where visitors can immerse themselves in “Cool Japan” content while enjoying the great outdoors. The theme park features a wide range of attractions inspired by globally loved anime and video games, including Naruto, Godzilla, and Dragon Quest. Notably, Dragon Quest’s game designer, Yuji Horii, is also known for being a native of Awaji Island.
Along the west coast stands an eye-catching giant apple-shaped building, “Hello Kitty Apple House” —recognized by Guinness World Records™ as the world’s “Largest Building in the Shape of an Apple.” In addition, visitors can enjoy Hello Kitty shows and meet-and-greet experiences, as well as facilities offering Awaji Island’s local cuisine. Here, world-renowned “Cool Japan” content seamlessly blends with the island’s rich natural environment.
Nijigen no Mori
Set amidst Awaji Island’s vast natural landscape, this anime-themed park invites you to fully experience two-dimensional worlds through immersive, physical activities. Showcasing some of Japan’s most celebrated anime and games, the park offers attractions where you can step into these iconic worlds and enjoy interactive experiences that get you moving.
© 岸本斉史 スコット／集英社・テレビ東京・ぴえろ
HELLO KITTY SMILE
A Hello Kitty–themed media art and dining experience. Inspired by the mythical Dragon Palace, the interior features the latest multimedia art shows and Hello Kitty-related exhibitions, a limited-edition shop, Hello Kitty meet-and-greet experiences, and a restaurant serving authentic Chinese cuisine. Loved across generations and borders, it’s a highly photogenic destination.
HELLO KITTY SHOW BOX
HELLO KITTY SHOW BOX offers adorable full-course meals accompanied by live Hello Kitty performances at lunchtime. During café hours, two additional shows are presented alongside sweets and drinks. Enjoy a lively show featuring singing, dancing, and a live band, along with meet-and-greet experiences that invite you into Hello Kitty’s charming, kawaii dream world.
HELLO KITTY APPLE HOUSE
The world’s largest apple-shaped structure has arrived on Awaji Island’s west coast. Standing 15 meters tall, HELLO KITTY APPLE HOUSE features a 360° theater inside. Climb up to the observation deck to take in breathtaking views of Awaji Island, along with the iconic Hello Kitty–shaped rooftop—the “Largest Roof in the Shape of a Brand Character” by Guinness World Records™.
©’23 SANRIO CO., LTD. APPR. NO. L640006
A Moment of Tranquility at the Spiritual Meridian of 135° East
Awaji Island, through which the 135° east meridian passes, has also gained attention as a destination for relaxation and renewal. Nestled among fields surrounded by nature, the farm restaurant Haru San San offers a serene dining experience rooted in the land. At Zenbo Seinei, set within sweeping 360-degree natural surroundings, guests can experience Zen practices on a 100-meter wooden deck and temple-style lodging. Meanwhile, GRAND CHARIOT Hokutoshichisei 135°, a luxury villa located on a hilltop within Nijigennomori Anime Awajishima Park, provides an exclusive retreat overlooking breathtaking scenery.
Together, these distinctive destinations offer special spaces where you can fully immerse yourself in the gentle energy of Awaji Island’s nature and enjoy a truly peaceful passage of time.
㉔Haru San San
A farm restaurant designed by architect Shigeru Ban, winner of the prestigious Pritzker Prize in architecture, is built with a traditional thatched roof and eco-friendly paper tubes—materials that naturally return to nature. Surrounded by fields and mountains, it offers a soothing, restorative setting where fresh, locally grown vegetables take center stage in Awaji Island–inspired natural cuisine. Interactive agricultural workshops are also held regularly, inviting guests to connect more deeply with the land.
Zenbo Seinei
Set within breathtaking 360-degree natural surroundings, this exclusive Zen retreat offers immersive spiritual experiences paired with exquisitely crafted Zen cuisine. Designed by world-renowned architect Shigeru Ban, the property seamlessly blends Awaji Island’s seasonal beauty with striking, contemporary architecture. The result is a serene and deeply atmospheric sanctuary—an extraordinary destination that captivates the senses, soothes the mind, and elevates the spirit, offering guests an immersive escape.
②GRAND CHARIOT Hokutoshichisei 135°
Set atop a hill on Awaji Island along the 135° east meridian, a line long associated with mystical energy, this exclusive hotel offers a truly elevated escape. Each private villa-style accommodation is designed to resemble a cocoon, creating an intimate sanctuary where you can gaze up at the star-filled sky through a 5m-high skylight. Every villa also features a fragrant hinoki cypress bath, inviting you to unwind and indulge in a deeply restorative experience.
A Luxury Escape for Fine Cuisine and Breathtaking Views
For those who wish to savor Awaji Island’s cuisine at a leisurely, indulgent pace, the west coast is home to a wealth of refined dining experiences. From the island’s signature rare delicacy, Awaji Beef, to seasonal seafood from local waters, a diverse array of restaurants awaits—offering everything from traditional Japanese and Japanese-inspired Western cuisine to French and Italian.
Here, you can dine while feeling the gentle breeze of the Seto Inland Sea and fully appreciate the bounty of the land. In this season, exceptional ingredients unique to Awaji Island await, offering a culinary experience found nowhere else.
Aman no Shokutaku
You can savor the bounty of the sea and mountains from Awaji Island, long known since ancient times as “Miketsukuni” (Land of Food)—a land that supplied food to the Imperial court in Kyoto.
On the first floor, “Utage” offers an à la carte menu featuring fresh local seafood and meats sourced from nearby waters and regions. In the afternoon, delicious Japanese sweets are offered on the spacious terrace surrounded by the calm Japanese garden.
On the second floor, “Sajiki” presents premium ingredients—including the rare Awaji Beef—prepared in styles such as teppanyaki, shabu-shabu, and sukiyaki.
Seikaiha
SEIKAIHA, a distinctive cultural and dining complex along the west coast of Awaji Island, houses four venues.
The Japanese restaurant “Aonoya” serves seasonal sushi and tempura crafted from the freshest ingredients. “‘Uminoya” offers Western cuisine with a refined Japanese touch, set in interiors reminiscent of a classic guesthouse. At “Koshunoya,” guests can savor a curated selection of premium aged sake. Meanwhile, “Naminoritei” offers a dynamic program of original theatrical performances.
Together, these venues form a unique destination where gastronomy and culture seamlessly come together.
Auberge "French Forest"
“An auberge—a restaurant with accommodations—where guests can indulge in authentic French cuisine alongside an overnight stay. Two distinct buildings, each with its own culinary concept, present French dishes that highlight the unique character of the venue and the seasonal ingredients of Awaji Island.
At an exclusive lounge for in-house guests, all wines, beverages, and house-made treats are included, inviting you to unwind in a moment of pre-dinner indulgence. In the evening, the surrounding area is beautifully illuminated, creating an even more enchanting, storybook-like atmosphere.
Ocean Terrace
An ocean-view grill restaurant where you can savor the rare Awaji Beef, sourced from the same Tajima cattle lineage as Kobe Beef. Only around 150 to 200 head of Awaji Beef are shipped annually, making it a highly prized and exceptionally rare branded wagyu. It offers an exquisite balance of tender, flavorful lean meat and finely marbled fat. Using a lava stone grill, guests can cook select ingredients to their preferred doneness.
In the evening, you can take in breathtaking sunsets—ranked among “Japan’s Top 100 Sunsets”—while enjoying a memorable dining experience alongside this exceptional local specialty.
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