The second most unforgettable site in Kyoto is another atmospheric place and that is the Bamboo Forest, also known as Arashiyama Bamboo Grove.

It’s not a temple, and it’s not a shrine. It’s just a forest of bamboo trees.

Traditionally, the Japanese believed that bamboo could ward off evil spirits, so it was often planted outside of temples and shrines.

In Japanese culture, bamboo is seen as auspicious and symbolizes strength and prosperity.

The Bamboo Forest

• Cost: Free
• Open: 24/7
• Type of landmark: Just a forest
• Main features: A path going through a bamboo grove
• Founded: Unknown
• Location: On the western outskirts of the city in the Arashiyama District
• Best time for photos: Before 8:00ish to avoid the crowds

Why You Should Go?

Otherworldly. Beautiful. Sublime. A one-of-a-kind experience. Need I say more? You’ve seen the iconic pictures, right? If you visit at the right time, you can hear the bamboo stalks moving and the leaves rustling as the wind blows. And if you go at the wrong time, you’ll be mobbed by selfie-stick-carrying tourists.

When You Should Visit

Early, early, early. You should get there at 7:00ish or 7:30ish. I have a confession to make. I had planned to get to the Bamboo Forest at 7:00 am. However, I set my alarm wrong and didn’t wake up until 7:00. I also decided to see Tenryu-Ji Temple first before the Bamboo Forest. So, by the time I got to the forest, it was packed with hordes or tourists. All my pictures include bamboo with people’s heads.

How Do You Get There?

This tourist attraction takes the longest to get to of all the sites. The best thing to do is to download the Navitime app to your phone. It has the schedule for all the buses, trains, and subway lines in Kyoto.

• Downtown Kyoto (Kawaramachi Sanjo area) – Take bus #11. Get off at Tenryu-Ji bus stop. It took my bus 45 minutes to get there. An alternative is to take the Keifuku Train Line.
• Kyoto Station area – Take the JR Sagano line and get off at Saga-Arashiyama Station.

What Are You Going to See?

Bamboo, bamboo, and bamboo. There’s NO temple at the Bamboo Forest. It’s just a path with incredibly tall bamboo trees on each side going as far as the eyes can see.

Along the path, you’ll pass by the back entrance of Tenryu-Ji Temple (also on my list of best places to visit in Kyoto). You can visit once you’ve completed your tour of the Bamboo Forest.

The path will lead gradually uphill to Okochi Sanso, a beautiful garden with amazing views of Kyoto.

There’s also a charming teahouse where you can drink tea while looking at some more bamboo.

The tea and little sweet that you get are part of the ticket price.

Once you’ve seen Okochi Sanso, you can either turn back to where you just came from to catch your bus or visit Tenryu-ji Temple, or you can go right and walk to five more temples. It’ll take you a few hours to get to the last of the five temples.

How Long Should You Spend There

If you go early and you’ve brought a tripod, you can spend an hour taking photo after photo. Or you could go later and spend like 30 minutes depending on how many pictures you take and how many tourists you need to weave through. It’s your pick. The perfect photo or sleep?

Where to Eat Near the Bamboo Forest

There are lots of restaurants near the Bamboo Forest serving Japanese kaiseki food. This might be a good chance to try it.

These are the restaurants that repeatedly turned up on lists of recommended restaurants in Arashiyama. I’ve marked them on the map above.

• Shigetsu – They serve Kyoto temple food (vegetarian). The restaurant is inside the grounds of Tenryu-Ji Temple. It’s a bit hard to find. A set meal is between 3,000 and 7,000 yen (US$27-$63).
• Yudofu Sagano – They serve kaiseki food. Check out a review here.
• Arashiyama Yoshimura – They serve soba noodles.
• Arashiyama Udon Ozuru – This is where I ate. They serve udon noodles. I had a set meal for 1430 yen (US$13). It was ok. Nothing special.

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