Arashiyama Bamboo forest path in Kyoto – Highlights & Personal photos.

2023-12-282024-09-07

Bamboo Forest Path is one of Kyoto’s representative tourist spots. Tall bamboo forest grow along the 400m walkway, making it a spot where you can take a leisurely stroll through the quiet bamboo forest. The scenery and atmosphere of the bamboo forest path allows you to feel the traditional beauty and culture of Japan, so it is loved by tourists from overseas.

This article will share the highlights of Bamboo forest path, along with some personal photographs.

Getting To Arashiyama Bamboo forest path from Kyoto Station

The most convenient way to reach Bamboo forest path from Kyoto Station is by train.

STEP

Board the JR Sagano(San-in) Line at Kyoto Station.

The JR Sagano(San-in) Line is located on platform 32 or 33. It can be accessed from either platform 32 or 33.

STEP

Disembark at JR Saga-Arashiyama Station.

It takes about 20 minutes to get here from Kyoto Station.

STEP

Walk about 950m, which takes about 14 minutes.

After exitting the ticket gate, turn left and exit the station from the south gate.

As soon as you exit the station, turn right and enter the side street.

Continue along the road with Saga Torokko Station on your right.

Follow the path for a while, turn into the side street shown in the photo above. Please be careful not to pass by as the side street is difficult to be find.

As soon as you enter the path, you will find the entrance to the bamboo forest path.

Highlights of Arashiyama Bamboo forest path

The scenery with bamboo on both sides has a fantastical atmosphere, making you feel as if you might have wandered into a fairy tale. Away from the city, walking along a quiet bamboo forest path makes you feel calm.

The road will open once, but after walking a little further you will enter an authentic bamboo forest path.

Along the way, beautiful flowers were blooming near the bamboo forest.

As you go further in, the electric wires disappear and you can see authentic bamboo forest path. It is said to have been a villa area for aristocrats during the Heian period (A.D.794-1185), and the scenery of the bamboo forest once loved by aristocrats still remains even after 1,000 years.

By the way, Japan has been experiencing major earthquakes since ancient times, and it is said that the reason why there are so many bamboo forests in Kyoto is that they planted bamboo trees with roots to strengthen the ground and prevent landslides.

This bamboo is one of the largest bamboos that grows in Japan, with a height of approximately 25 meters. Bamboo grows in a straight line from the ground, but gradually falls inward as it reaches the top. This will form a shape that covers the road from the left and right. It feels like you are walking through a bamboo tunnel.

The Bamboo Forest Path is a world-famous tourist attraction, so many tourists visit, so it’s best to visit early in the morning if you want to take a leisurely tour. Early in the morning, you can take a leisurely walk and take commemorative photos in the bamboo forest, where there are less people around. The morning sun shining through the bamboo was beautiful.

There is another attraction along the path. Nonomiya Shrine the photo above is a power spot worshiped as the god of matchmaking and safe childbirth, and is visited by many people, especially women.

Nonomiya Shrine has the only torii gate in Japan made of logs with leather. This torii is neither vermilion painted nor made of stone. This is the oldest type of torii gate in Japan, made of wood without any processing. Currently, this is the only valuable torii gate in Japan due to the difficulty of preserving it and the difficulty of obtaining raw sawtooth oak.