One of many beautiful locations to visit in Kyoto is the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove which is 10 minutes away from Saga Arashiyma Station (the JR Sagano Line).
Definitely recommended for people who have time to explore (especially since the Tenryu-ji Temple and Iwatayama Monkey Park is not far from this location).
If you have a lot of time and are ready to walk (A LOT!), you can explore the area which is full of culture that will take you to the entrance to Sagano Road of Bamboo Forest. There are several shrines around this area but also beautiful areas such as the Okochi Sansho Garden and the Arashiyama Park.
But let’s say, you are short in time and you just want to see the bamboo forest and that’s it.
Well, here is the quick way to do it!
The first thing you want to do is make sure you arrive at Saga Arashiyama Station (map featured below this blog post). If you are used to Tokyo trains, just know that the Saga Arashiyama Station is smaller, crowded and you’ll more than likely be packed in like a sardine if you leave around 8-9 a.m. or later in the afternoon. Wait until everyone goes to work or before and try not to get caught up during when people are heading home.
If you have a smart phone or tablet and have a pocket wifi, put any of the following in your GPS:
- Yojiya Cafe
- Nonomiya Shrine
- アートギャラリーシグナス
And all you have to do is walk to the area from Saga Arashiyama Station to one of these locations listed. It’s not far!
And you will quickly hit a lot of shops like this:
Where I put the circle on the map, you will see everyone walking through a pathway and then you will see this:
If you found the path or this small section, you will immediately see the beauty of the entrance to the Bamboo Forest. And you are good to go. You can walk the whole 100 yards or so and then explorer the shops. Or if you are willing to explore the whole forest and the park areas, expect a more deeper walk through the forest but what lies past the Bamboo forest are even more beautiful locations. Just remember to bring good walking/running shoes that are comfortable!
But even if you are short in time and only have time to visit only the beginning portion of the Bamboo Forest, it’s one of the more beautiful, lush and peaceful locations to visit. I highly recommend it!
