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The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is one of Kyoto's most iconic attractions.
Walking through this small bamboo forest and listening to the rustle of the bamboo leaves in the wind was certainly a unique experience.
I arrived there around 9 am and it was starting to get quite a bit busy, but it was quiet enough to find a few good spots from which to admire the highly green oasis with sunlight trying to make its way through the dense forest.
Opening Times & Admission
The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is open 24/7 and is free to enter.
How to get there
The Bamboo Grove is a 10-15 minute walk from Saga-Arashiyama Station on the San-In Line (20 minutes from Kyoto Station, 7 stops)
Address: Sagaogurayama Tabuchiyamacho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto, 616-8394, Japan
Walking down the path through the bamboo forest takes around 45 minutes to 1 hour.
It would have been wonderful to venture into the small forest but you are only allowed to follow the paved path which can get fantastically busy, even during early hours while in peak season.
If you want a bit of space to enjoy the superb view, try to avoid peak hours and ideally get there either bright and early in the morning (around 7- 7:30 am) or towards the evening when it gets slightly less crowded.
Turning left from the main path, I found another green area/park with quite a few cherry blossoms in full bloom.
After the Sakura break, I returned to the bamboo grove and managed to take a few more pictures since it suddenly got less crowded.
While in Arashiyama, you can pair the visit to the Bamboo Grove with a visit to Tenryu-ji Temple, the Arashiyama Park and Observation Deck or Okochi Sanso Garden, all located within a 2-minute walking distance.
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I hope life is treating you well.
Take care.