Located in Western Kyoto city, the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is a popular destination among locals and tourists alike. Thousands of bamboo stalks have grown to enormous heights, which create one of Kyoto’s most scenic destinations, attracting photographers from all around the world. Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, like the Kinkaku-ji and Fushimi-inari Taisha, are some of the most Iconic sites in Kyoto, more than likely, if you ask anyone who has been to Japan to list something they did in Kyoto, they will say they visited at least one of those attractions listed above.
One request of the people of Kyoto is that you reframe from touching, or damaging the bamboo. Historically, there has been issues with tourists engraving initials into the bamboo, effectively ruining the aesthetic of the bamboo forest. During Covid-19 lockdown, bamboo was able to recover significantly from the impact of tourists. Instead, please just take pictures here, and please do not leave your mark on the bamboo.
The grove is a great place to unwind and relax for a short time, as the walk is peaceful and easy enough for most people to do. The total time to complete the walk will be about 10-20 minutes. Once you reach the end, we recommend taking a right turn and then walking along the pathway to the outlook. It provides an excellent view of a small valley village, and then a walk down the hillside will take you along a quiet stretch of pathway along the river.
It should be noted that the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove can get pretty busy with tourists, day or night. There are usually quieter patches of bamboo closer to the edges of the forest, which are more ideal for taking photos. For the best photos, visit at first light and in late evenings as they are generally more quiet than the day, when most tourists tend to visit.
Hours and Admission
- Hours: 24/7
- Free
- Average Time Spent: 10-20 Minutes
Accessing the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
Arashiyama Bamboo grove can easily be accessed from JR Saga Arashiyama Station, directly from Kyoto Station. From Kyoto Station, the trip takes about 25 minutes, costing 240JPY.
Many people believe that for the best effect of traveling through the bamboo grove, you should enter from near Tenryu-ji Temple, located mere minutes away from the Bamboo Grove.
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Where to Stay
Arashiyama is a great place to stay while in Kyoto. While not a central location, there are some of the Most popular destinations in Kyoto found all within a close proximity of each other, so there will be no shortage of things to do. Furthermore, you Kyoto Station is only less than 20 minutes away on the train. Here are some of our recommended places to stay in Arashiyama.
Hotel Arashiyama
Business hotel found in a great location, with great views of the nearby area, and a delicious breakfast served at the hotel restaurant.
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Hanaikada
Stunning Japanese Ryokan with traditional style rooms, and a relaxing indoor onsen, perfectly located with river views and close to nature.
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Yado Arashiyama
Minimalistic hotel found only a short walk from Katsura River, located ideally for explore Arashiyama and enjoying the beautiful views of Kyoto.
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