A complete guide to Arashiyama's Bamboo Grove in Kyoto
Table of Contents
Overview
The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is one of the most famous attractions in Kyoto. It's a natural forest which has been part of the landscape for centuries. Although it appears to be quite large, the pathways that meander through the forest are only about 300 meters long. The bamboo trees found in the main area are some of the largest in Japan due to preservation efforts, reaching over 25 meters tall.
The area around the bamboo grove is full of lovely attractions such as ancient temples, shops, restaurants, street food, the monkey park, and the beautiful Hozu river that runs through Arashiyama. The Bamboo Grove is a 10-15 minute walk from the Saga-Arashiyama train station.
Due to its popularity and narrow pathways, the area becomes extremely crowded during the day, and those wishing to beat the crowds will have to arrive at sunrise. If you don't want to wake up that early, rickshaw tours are offered on private pathways through the forest so people can get nice photos during the busy period.
Location & Access
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The Bamboo Grove is a 10-15 minute walk from Saga-Arashiyama Station which is only 20 minutes from Kyoto Station. It only takes about 5 minutes to walk around the grove area, and it's open 24/7. You can go there at night, but it's usually quite dark and does not have direct lighting. However, in mid-December the Hanatouro illumination festival is held which illuminates the bamboo forest with lights and lanterns.
🕗 Opening Hours
24/7
📍 Location
Western Kyoto (Google Maps)
💴 Cost
Free
Seasons
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Bamboo is an evergreen plant which is unaffected by the changing seasons. You'll have a small chance of snow during winter, which is also the offpeak time for travelling Kyoto.
🌸 Cherry Blossoms
Arashiyama area: Late March to early April
🍁 Autumn Leaves
Arashiyama area: Mid-November to late November
☀️ Summer
June - August
Average temp. 32°C
Summer rain is common
❄️ Winter
December to February
Snowfall: 1-3 times per season
Interesting Facts & History
Image Source: Loïc Lagarde
The entire forest is said to be around 16 square kilometers, although the walking path through the main area is only 300m long.
The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is completely natural and has existed in the area for hundreds of years.
The bamboo trees here are among some of the tallest in Japan, reaching over 25 meters tall.
Nearby Attractions
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Arashiyama is an incredible area filled with beautiful nature, stunning temples, and lots of history. Some of the most popular highlights include the monkey park, the Okochi Sanso Villa, and Jojakkoji Temple.
There are also some incredible accommodation options suitable for all budgets, we analysed thousands of customer reviews to compile a complete list here: The Best Accommodation in Arashiyama
There's way too much to cover in this section, so we've created a whole page for Arashiyama over here: A Complete Guide To Arashiyama
