How to Visit the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, Kyoto
Last Updated on 19th July 2024 by Sophie Nadeau
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Seen a snap of the super high bamboo trees of Kyoto and wandering how to find them? In this guide, I’ll cover how to visit the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, including nearby attractions and the best time to visit.
Please note that the Bamboo Grove of Kyoto is sometimes referred to as Sagano Bamboo Forest and covers an area of 16 km2.
Arashiyama (嵐山) itself is a pleasant district on the northwest fringes of Kyoto. Characterised by its abundance of cherry blossom trees, which truly come to life during the springtime, other highlights of the area include the Tenryru-ji Temple and Togetsukyo Bridge.
Visit the bamboo grove and you’ll soon find yourself strolling beneath a canopy of impossibly high bamboo trees swaying in the breeze. The area is particularly pleasant to visit when the sun is shining and the sunlight filters through the densely packed bamboo pillars.
The forest is made up of mōsō bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) bamboo and is punctuated by various pathways. Bamboo has been grown for centuries in order to create various products, including baskets and fencing.
How to visit Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
Arashiyama Bamboo forest is free to visit and is open 24 hours a day, meaning that one of the best ways to beat the crowds is by visiting early in the morning (7 AM or 8 AM) on a weekday.
If you visit without as many crowds as during peak visiting times (afternoon on the weekends), then you can enjoy the relaxing sound of the bamboo trees rustling in the wind.
Japan’s Ministry of the Environment considers that the sounds of the bamboo forest are so important that it has been included in the country’s “100 Soundscapes of Japan”. Prior to 2015, there was a charge to visit the forest.
One of the most important things to note is that the bamboo grove is listed incorrectly on Google maps and is not on the same side as the Monkey Park (Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama). Instead, the forest is right next to Tenryruji Temple.
The grove is just a ten-minute walk from the JR Saga-Arashiyama Station, though be sure to wear comfortable shoes as you’ll likely want to wander around other areas of Arashiyama during your bamboo forest walk. You can use your Japan Rail pass to reach the grove if you have one. Check Japan Rail Pass prices here.
Please note that you can’t reach the bamboo directly and instead have to admire it from the path. Do not etch your name/ words into the bamboo.
Over-tourism is a particular problem in Kyoto and Arashiyama is one of the busiest tourist is areas. It can also be a little underwhelming if all you’ve seen is edited photos, which is why I don’t suggest a visit in my one day in Kyoto guide.
However, I do recommend visiting in my 3 days in Kyoto guide or if it’s raining as the bamboo provides pretty good rain coverage and looks quite lovely when it’s glistening after a rainfall. If it’s your first time in japan, be sure to check out our best Japan travel tips.
Okochi Sanso garden teahouse
If you want to get a particularly unique view of the bamboo grove, then you should head to the Okochi Sanso garden teahouse. Located on the edge of the park, Okochi Sanso garden is a paid attraction that features the former home and garden of the Japanese jidaigeki actor Denjirō Ōkōchi.
The teahouse of the gardens serves up an authentic Japanese teahouse experience, whereby you can enjoy matcha green tea served with traditional Japanese sweets, all with the view of the bamboo grove just outside the window.
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