Arashiyama Park

Visitors can join a walking tour of Arashiyama to get a comprehensive look at the highlights of the area, including the famed Bamboo Grove, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Tenryu-ji Temple, the Kimono Forest, the Togetsu-kyo Bridge (also known as the Moon Crossing Bridge), and the Arashiyama Monkey Park. You can also explore the district via a guided bike tour, and it’s typically a stop on guided city tours of Kyoto. Or rent a boat and row around the lower Hozu-gawa area.

• Avoid the crowds by visiting in the early morning.

• There is an entrance fee to the monkey park and Tenryu-ji Temple, which may be included in the tour price.

• The area north of the Togetsu-kyo Bridge is known as Sagano; "Arashiyama" technically refers to the mountains south of Katsura River but is commonly used to refer to the entire district.

Arashiyama is located west of central Kyoto around the Katsura River. Buses run to Arashiyama from the city center, and the closest train station is Saga-Arashiyama. This is where some walking tours of the area begin. A taxi from downtown Kyoto will take about 25 minutes. Once there, you can travel around the Sagano area by bike, which is available to rent near the train stations.

Arashiyama is particularly popular during the spring when cherry blossoms bloom and in the fall when the leaves change color. Traditional cormorant fishing takes place on the Hozu River in the summer. Remember that the area’s various attractions may have different operating hours. The Arashiyama Monkey Park is open daily from 9am until at least 4pm.

Most travelers head to Arashiyama to walk through the famous bamboo forest. A paved walkway runs through the middle of a grove of tall bamboo plants, forming “Bamboo Alley,” one of Kyoto’s most photographed sights. If you enter the Bamboo Grove from the main street of Arashiyama, expect to encounter large crowds. If you enter via the north exit of Tenryu-ji Temple, you should be able to avoid the crowds of tourists.