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The Glossary

Kurishitan - "The Japanese pronunciation for "Christian"; it refers to Japanese Catholics that have been persecuted back in the 19th century."

From Japan Glossary

Literally meaning "the bridge to heaven," Amanohashidate's bizarre feature awakens the inner child in every tourist. Located northwest of Japan's cultural heart Kyoto, this famed pine-strewn sand bar has enamored several foreign and domestic tourists, even inspiring an ukiyo-e (print-block art) by one of the last practitioners of the traditional art, Hiroshige. The town proper bears no striking places of interest, though it does have a modest collection of amenities such as public toilets, inns, and market streets.

The Amanohashidate is the prime attraction in the area. Numerous viewing places have been set up to give tourists a sweeping view of the eight kilometer land-bridge. While these vantage points do offer an extensive panorama, locals still say that the best way to see the Amanohashidate is by turning one's back on it, bending over and then viewing the bridge between the legs.

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