Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
嵯峨野竹林の小径
A roughly 400-m bamboo tunnel in Sagano, where tall green stalks block out the sky. It is one of Kyoto's most iconic sights and most serene in the early morning.
The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is in Sagano on Kyoto's western outskirts. It stretches for about 400 m, from outside the north gate of Tenryu-ji Temple to Nonomiya Shrine and the Okochi Sansō villa, and is flanked by moso bamboo over 20 m tall. When the wind passes through, the leaves rustle, and the grove has been selected by Japan's Ministry of the Environment as one of the 100 Soundscapes of Japan. It is one of the most photographed views in Kyoto. The grove is open free all day. Before 8 a.m. there are few visitors, which is ideal for photos, but during the day and on autumn weekends it is extremely crowded. Along the way, you can visit Nonomiya Shrine, with its black torii gate associated with The Tale of Genji, and Okochi Sansō, a paid garden with views over Kyoto. From the exit, you can continue north to Jakkō-in and Gio-ji. Getting there: it is about a 10-minute walk from JR Saga-Arashiyama Station, or about 10 minutes from Randen Arashiyama Station or Togetsu Bridge. Notes: do not touch or carve the bamboo. Rickshaws also pass along the narrow paths, so please step aside.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Tenryu-ji
- Togetsukyo Bridge
- Sagano Romantic Train
- Saihō-ji (Moss Temple)
- Kōzan-ji
- Ninna-ji
- Ryoan-ji
- Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)