There is more to Arashiyama than bamboo forests and scenic train rides – an easy trip from Kyoto, Arashiyama’s idyllic setting boasts riverside views, mountain backdrops and hillside temples.
Whilst the main downtown area of Arashiyama can be tourist central, just walk for a few minutes out of town to discover preserved old streets, serene shrines and quaint local restaurants.
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There are lots of Arashiyama activities and things to do like a monkey park, rowing boats and rickshaw rides but venture a little further downstream or away from the station to see something special.
From Tenryu-ji to local soba noodles, ‘secret’ bamboo forests to the more modern ‘Kimono Forest’, here is our guide to the best things to do in Arashiyama, Kyoto with photos.
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How to get to Arashiyama from Kyoto
Arashiyama has three different stations you can arrive at:
- JR Saga-Arashiyama Station
- Hankyu Arashiyama Station
- Keifuku Arashiyama Station
From Kyoto station
The fastest way to reach Arashiyama is by JR Railways train to JR Saga-Arashiyama Station.
You can take the JR Sagano Line from Kyoto station to Saga-Arashiyama Station. The journey takes 15 minutes and costs 240 yen.
From central Kyoto
If you are not staying near Kyoto station, then it might be easier for you to travel from central Kyoto.
You can travel to Arashiyama with Hankyu Railway or Keifuku Railway (Randen).
Hankyu Railway
Take the Hankyu-Kyoto line from Ōmiya Station, Karasuma Station or Kyoto-Kawaramachi Station in central Kyoto to Katsura station, then change to the Hankyu-Arashiyama line to Hankyu Arashiyama Station. The journey takes just under 20 minutes and also costs 240 yen.
Keifuku Railway (Randen)
Alternatively you can travel to Arashiyama with on the Keifuku Railway (Randen). Take the Keifuku Arashiyama line from Ōmiya Station to Keifuku Arashiyama Station. The journey takes 25 minutes and also costs 250 yen.
Arashiyama is very easy to walk around but a fun way to do sightseeing is via a rickshaw ride with an experienced tour guide >
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Recommended Arashiyama Hotels & Accommodation
Budget ($)
Mulan Hostel
Highly rated budget accommodation that is perfect for backpackers and located a 2 minute walk from Hankyu Arashiyama Station. Both private and dorm style rooms are available, but all rooms use a shared bathroom. Check rates and availability on booking.com and agoda.com
Mid-Range ($$)
Hotel Binario Saga Arashiyama
Popular hotel located in a residential area, with both western and Japanese-style rooms. Facilities include a restaurant and public bath, plus a Japanese-style set breakfast is available. Check rates and availability for on booking.com and agoda.com
Luxury ($$$)
Kyoto Arashiyama-Onsen Kadensho
Luxury hot spring hotel with traditional Japanese design. Facilities include a bar, spa, sauna, serene garden and many hot springs. Check rates and availability on booking.com and agoda.com
Check out the best hotels in Arashiyama via booking.com or agoda.com
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1. Sagano Romantic Train
All aboard the Arashiyama love train! For the best views of the Hozugawa River and the forests around Arashiyama, take a trip on the Sagano Romantic Train.
Train journeys last around 20 minutes one way, starting at Saga Torokko Station, and stopping at Arashiyama, Hozokyo and Kameoka.
The valley vistas are spectacular and we were lucky to visit during the spring so we were also treated to cherry blossoms and a sea of sakura.
We’d highly recommend booking your seats in advance as when we tried to buy them first thing in the morning at Saga Torokko Station, they’d sold out for the day so we had to return the next morning.
The first train departs from Saga Torokko Station at 9.02am and the last one is at 4.02pm. The last train of the day from Kameoka Station departs at 4.30pm. Tickets cost from 880 Yen one way per person (around £4.80 or $6.20 USD)
Book your Sagano Romantic train tickets in advance here >
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2. Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
Possibly the most famous thing to do in Arashiyama, the bamboo grove is beautiful but always very busy (the word ‘over tourism’ is very fitting here).
We’ll recommend a much quieter and hidden bamboo grove that is part of a temple near Saga Toriimoto Preserved Street which we mention later on in this Arashiyama guide.
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is free to visit and and is around 16km2 in size – there is a 2km loop walkway going through the middle with a few photo spots along the way.
Many families and couples visiting rent traditional kimonos and Japanese dress from stores nearby – the camera flash of professional photographers is a common sight!
There is no denying Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is a stunning forest location and it is one of the most popular places to take photographs in Arashiyama, but the crowds do make it challenging.
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3. Katsura River
Possibly our favorite thing to do in Arashiyama, the walk along the Katsura River is so beautiful – we found the south bank was a lot quieter than the main bank and often had whole natural areas to ourselves. We could sit on the rocks as traditional wooden boats sailed past.
Take a stroll along the Katsura River or hire a row-boat and the turquoise waters up close – that said, don’t row too close to the weir / bridge as the tides are quite strong and we saw several couples and groups have to get towed to safety.
The main street of Arashiyama and the river banks near Togetsukyo Bridge get busy so keep walking along the river for more peaceful spots.
We walked as far as where the skippered bamboo boats turn around away from the crowds. This river walk on a sunny day with cherry blossoms abound was one of our top experiences in Japan.
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4. Arashiyama Monkey Forest Iwatayama
Climb Arashiyama’s monkey mountain, where you can see and feed wild monkeys and enjoy aerial views of Arashiyama.
Open from 9am to 4pm daily and 600 Yen per adult, the park is home to over 100 macaque monkeys who swing through the trees and scamper up to you looking for food.
Other than the monkeys, the best bit is the views at the top of the peak looking out over Arashiyama – however, the hike to the top is quite steep and over 20 minutes so do take supplies if visiting on a hot day.
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5. Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple
Arashiyama has lots of incredible temples but the most unique – Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple is a little walk out of town and home to over 8,000 statues, acting as a memorial to those local citizens without families that have passed.
Just off the Saga Toriimoto Preserved Street and dating back to around 811 AD, Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple is a beautiful Buddhist temple with extensive grounds and great views.
We found it so much quieter than the temples near to the station and Arashiyama bamboo grove.
Admission to Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple is just 500 Yen which also gets you access to perhaps Arashiyama’s best kept hidden secret…read on below.
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6. Arashiyama’s Hidden Bamboo Grove
As mentioned before, the famous Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is always densely packed and full of clamoring travelers.
However if you’ve seen any shots on Instagram of people walking through an empty bamboo forest in the area, chances are it is taken at Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple.
As well as the 8,000 statues and main shrine, Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple has its own bamboo forest staircase that leads up the hill to an area of more forests and graves.
The 500 Yen admission also allows you to walk through the bamboo forest, which we pretty much had to ourselves on the day we visited.
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7. Togetsukyo Bridge
A traditional wooden bridge with panoramic views of Katsura River, the row boats and nearby Nakanoshima, Togetsukyo Bridge is a popular photo spot and often used as a picturesque filming location for period Japanese movies and TV series.
The name Togetsukyo means ‘Moon Crossing’ as it sometimes looked as if a never-ending moon was going over the bridge across cloudless skies.
Over 150 meters long, the original wooden bridge was washed away centuries ago so the current Togetsukyo Bridge has more concrete to keep it in place.
This is a nice spot to see the Ichinoi river weir and the cherry blossom trees of Arashiyama Park Nakanoshima in the spring months.
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8. Arashiyama Park Nakanoshima Area
Just across the Togetsukyo Bridge on the left hand side as you leave the station, Arashiyama Park Nakanoshima Area is a popular sitting and viewing spot, with numerous street food stalls and enterprising locals.
With sweeping views looking out over the Katsura River, this is the BEST spot for cherry blossom in Arashiyama – because of the breeze from the nearby river, the trees gently lose their leaves so it is almost as though it is snowing sakura blossom.
As well as several cafes and restaurants, this is a useful spot for free public toilets in Arashiyama.
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9. Take a traditional rickshaw ride
The best way to see Arashiyama has to be with a traditional rickshaw ride – let your licensed guide take the strain and carry you along the Katsura River and through bamboo groves (seriously, their legs are so muscly).
Rickshaw rides typically last anything from 30 to 120 minutes and are also a great way to access old buildings and temples (like Nonomiya-jinja shrine) where cars are not allowed.
Most of the Arashiyama rickshaw rides and drivers can be found near to the Togetsukyo Bridge, on the south bank of Katsura River – however, to save queuing, you may want to pre-book one of these Arashiyama rickshaw rides:
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- Kyoto Arashiyama rickshaw tour with bamboo forest >
- Klook Kyoto Arashiyama rickshaw tour >
10. Sagano Bamboo Grove
Another bamboo grove in Arashiyama, Sagano Bamboo Grove is the one where rickshaw drivers are allowed to drive through – so if you see any Arashiyama rickshaw bamboo pics on social media, it’ll likely be here.
A bit quieter than the more famous bamboo forest, this is a great photo opportunity plus is also a stone’s throw from the Sagano Romantic Train crossing so you watch as the engine pulls on through with lots of waving tourists.
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11. Tenryu-ji
One of Arashiyama’s biggest temples, Tenryu-ji is a World Heritage Site and one of five great Zen temples in the region.
Tenryu-ji dates back to the 1330s but much of the site was destroyed over the years by fires or war so most of the current buildings date back to the Meiji period, just over 100 years ago.
The gardens are equally stunning and showcase all four seasons throughout the year, known for their spring cherry blossom and autumn colors.
In 2024, admission to Tenryu-ji costs 500 Yen for the gardens and an additional 300 Yen to go inside the temple and buildings.
The other major attraction at Tenryu-ji is the colossal Cloud Dragon ceiling painting, illustrated by the famous artist Kayama Matazo, painted to commemorate the 650th anniversary of Muso Kokushi, Tenryu-ji’s forefather. It is open to see on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays and costs an additional 500 Yen.
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12. Kimono Forest
Arashiyama has a lot of historic sites and traditional things to do, but one of the more colorful modern attractions is the man-made ‘Kimono Forest’.
Located just outside the Arashiyama Randen tram station (you can even watch trams pass by from here), the Kimono Forest is a sculpture and art installation consisting of several hundred multicolored poles, matching the patterns and fabric of traditional Japanese dress.
It is a popular photo spot (Instagram ahoy!) and is free to visit – if you are staying overnight in Arashiyama, also check it out in the evening as the Kimono Forest lights up.
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13. Sagatenryuji Tsukurimichicho / Arashiyama Station Shopping Area
One of the busiest areas in Arashiyama, the shopping strip outside Arashiyama Station is full of Kawaii stores like the Sakura Miffy kitchen, coffee shops, dessert stalls and souvenir shops.
If you need snacks or just a ‘konbini’ to get some cold drinks, this is your best bet after leaving the nearby train station – it looks pretty with the cherry blossom spring trees in full bloom but do watch out for those speeding rickshaw drivers running along the road.
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14. Hōrin-ji Temple & Dendengu Shrine
Close to the Monkey Park entrance and just over the Togetsukyo Bridge, there are two hillside shrines and temples close to each other that offer incredible views of the river and valley (although they are a short hike with several sets of stairs).
Hōrin-ji Temple was built around 713 AD and has a nice viewing platform looking out over Arashiyama (which also weirdly has lots of food trucks when we visited).
Given all the steps up here, it keeps a lot of the tourist crowds away so this is one of the more peaceful Arashiyama things to do.
Nearby, Dendengu Shrine is tranquil spot but more unusually, dedicated to the use of electricity (once a shrine devoted to lightning but the natural progression was electricity). It is said to be a place of worship for those who work in technology companies – another unusual, weird and wonderful thing to do in Japan.
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15. Saga Toriimoto Preserved Street
One of our favorite spots in the whole of Arashiyama, we cannot recommend a stroll down Saga Toriimoto Preserved Street enough.
Like taking a step back in time, this is a gorgeous old village street with traditional wooden buildings, several hillside temples and traditional tea houses.
Amazingly, most tourists don’t get much further than the Katsura River and Bamboo Forest area so this place was virtually empty apart from the occasional hiking tourist and occasional cyclist.
The area was built over 100 years ago during the Meiji period and save for the odd vintage Japanese vending machine (some of which sell beer and sake), the area hasn’t changed much since.
This is also the best way to arrive at the nearby Adashino Nenbutsu-ji temple and hidden bamboo forest we mentioned earlier.
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16. Tsure-zure Restaurant
Whilst exploring Saga Toriimoto Preserved Street, we discovered the most amazing restaurant called Tsure-zure (いっぷく処つれづれ) a cute and charming restaurant with a handful of seats ran by lovely old ladies who were so warm and welcoming.
The food at Tsure-zure was simple, hearty and delicious – we had herring soba and pickled sides plus a garden greens noodle dish, looking out over the garden.
One of our favorite food experiences in Japan and a world away from the hustle and bustle of the Arashiyama restaurants near the station.
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17. Arabica Kyoto Arashiyama
Have you ‘bean’ to Arashiyama’s most hyped coffee shop, Arabica Kyoto Arashiyama?
Located across the road from the Katsura River and next to Fukuda Art Museum, Arabica Kyoto Arashiyama is famous on social media for its Kyoto Latte, a cold brew coffee brewed overnight and often served sweet.
If you arrive at peak periods, be prepared to queue for up to an hour to get your brew – but the views whilst waiting make it worth it (just).
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18. Kameyamaya
Riverside soba noodles in a rustic restaurant? Yes please – Kameyamaya (亀山家) is one of Arashiyama’s best restaurants, serving up soba set meals for around 800 to 900 Yen per person. This is also a great place to try cold (zaru) soba noodle sets with a beer (or three).
Eat inside or on the small terrace overlooking the river and Hozugawa River Boat pier – Kameyamaya is only open from mid-morning to early afternoon (usually 11am to 3pm) so you may need to queue.
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19. Hozugawa River Kudari
Take a trip along the Hozugawa River with this rafting adventure lasting two hours. If you fancy something a bit more ‘exciting’ than the nearby rowing roasts, these river boat trips go past gorges and rapids plus incredible valleys and rock faces.
Please note however that the Hozugawa River Kudari only resumed in summer 2023 after an accident that March where the boat capsized and all 29 passengers went in the water – one member of staff died.
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20. Nonomiya Shrine
Wish for love at the Nonomiya Shrine Shrine, located in the woods near Arashiyama’s Bamboo Forest (and a popular stop for the traditional rickshaw tours).
Enter through the traditional torii gate, touch the lucky turtle rock and visit the fertility shrine, where many local young couples have prayed over the centuries.
Nonomiya Shrine was founded the early 9th century and is also famous for featuring in the classic Japanese novel ‘The Tales of Genji’.
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Other things to do in Arashiyama, Japan
Hopefully we’ve given you a good overview of all the best things to do in Arashiyama (with a couple of food and drink suggestions), but if you’d like to see more, check out one of these Arashiyama guided tours and experiences:
Arashiyama train and Hozugawa River rafting day tour from Osaka/ Kyoto >
SHIGETSU Arashiyama – Michelin recommend Shojin vegetarian cuisine >
Kyoto: Arashiyama bamboo forest morning tour by bike >
Kyoto: Arashiyama,Kiyomizu and Yokokuji Temple 1-day tour >
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