Kyoto Arashiyama Bamboo Forest & Scenery Customized Private Tour
Description
Explore the cultural highlights and beautiful landscapes in two historically important districts in Kyoto on a walking tour of Arashiyama and Sagano. This 4-hour tour allows you to choose a few locations of your choice within the Arashiyama and Sagano areas. How about crossing the Togetsukyo bridge to enjoy the river view and visit a magnificent temple like Tenryu-ji or a serene temple like Jojakko-ji Temple, and stroll through a beautiful bamboo forest? Arashiyama/Sagano is a picturesque place where aristocrats have had their villas since ancient times. Whether you are a history and culture lovers who wants to visit temples, a nature lover or a shopper, there is always something for everyone in these areas. Please choose 2-3 places that you wish to visit.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Meet with your guide at JR Saga-Arashiyama Station (in front of a ticket gate). Based on your preferences, you will visit select sites in Arashiyama/Sagano area. We have listed popular/suggested spots for your reference. Please choose the ones that interest you from the list: On average, you can visit 2-3 spots in a half-day tour. If you don't find the spots you want to visit, please feel free to discuss your preferences with the guide. The guide will then customize the itinerary for you.
Built over the Katsura River, this 155 meter long bridge is one of the iconic images of Arashiyama. It's a great spot to take in the surrounding scenery and Arashiyama mountains as the backdrop.
This temple has a long history and is one of the most famous zen temples in all of Kyoto. Known as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it has a stunning garden where the plants and flowers make for a different feel every season.
Denjiro Okochi, a famous actor of Samurai film, spent about 30 years building this vast villa garden, which covers an area of 19800 square meters. The garden is surrounded by cherry blossoms in spring and autumn leaves in autumn, and offers beauty in every season. The view of the Hozu River flowing below and the city of Kyoto is also a highlight.
Located on the hillside of Mt Ogura, which has been famous for its autumn foliage since the late Heian period (794-1185), Jōjakkoji Temple has about 200 old maple trees, which turn red, orange and yellow and combine with the green of the moss.
A quiet temple surrounded by beautiful landscapes that have survived the passage of 1200 years. The temple is famous for its autumn foliage. The temple is called 'Nison-in' because it enshrines the two principal Buddha images. The two principal images have faces and figures like twins, with their left and right hands raised and lowered symmetrically. The temple is located a short distance from central Arashiyama, so you can enjoy a moment of tranquillity.
This temple is known as a ""temple of the tragic love"". It was the temple where a lady dancer who was favoured by the powers of the time lost his favour and spent time as a nun after a broken heart.The grounds of the temple are covered with beautiful green bamboo and green maples, with a moss-covered garden. The window in the antechamber of the hermitage is also worth seeing. It reflects a variety of colours depending on the way light enters the room.
This area has been a place of burial since ancient times, first with wind burial, but later with earth burial, where people dedicated a stone Buddha and mourned for the eternal separation of the dead. The approximately 8,000 stone Buddhas and stupas enshrined in the grounds are the graves of people buried in the area.
The origin of this temple can be traced back to 8th century but the temple became uninhabited during the WWII and was abandoned after a typhoon in 1950 caused extensive damage to the temple grounds, halls and Buddhist statues, but was rebuilt in 1955 when Buddhist sculptor Nishimura Kimitomo (1915-2003) was appointed abbot, and the reconstruction of the most run-down temple in Kyoto began. The temple is known as a ""temple of healing"", where visitors can relax and feel at ease with the expressive line-up of 1,200 statues of arhats carved by ordinary worshippers.
Toriimoto is a conservation area located at the far end of Sagano which is about 600 metres along Atago Highway leading to Atago Shrine.The area has a mix of farmhouse-style buildings with thatched roofs and machiya-style buildings with two floors and tiled roofs, and has a well-preserved character of a Japanese rural historical landscape.
If you are animal lovers, why not visiting here? Around 120 Japanese macaques currently live in the wild in this monkey park. The park is full of nature and the monkeys can be seen throughout the year.
This is one of the biggest attarctions in all of Kyoto, with thousands of tall bamboo towering in the area making for a beautiful forest. It's an amazing spot that makes you feel like you're in a fairy tale.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- A moderate amount of walking is included. Please wear comfortable walking shoes
- This is a walking tour. A private van is not included.
- Public transportation or local taxis maybe used to transfer between spots.
- The cost of transportation is not included in the price. Transportation fees will vary depending on the destinations you decide to visit.
- The tour will take place rain or shine.
Reviews(120)
I hope that everyone is lucky enough to get Takashi Okanuma as their tour guide. He was so friendly, informative, funny and told the best stories! He also makes sure everyone has a great time. We were really tired from the days before, and Takashi went out of his way to make sure we were doing the right activities. He even stayed a little longer than our time, because he wanted us to see the parade! He also takes pictures from his own phone, and will send it to you right after the tour. He’s an amazing photographer and knows all the right spots! Takashi really goes above and beyond, and made our day trip to Kyoto very memorable!
Yoshiko, our guide, met us at our hotel for our private morning tour exploring the historic Saga-Toriimoto neighborhood of Arashiyama. As our taxi headed towards our destination, surprise, surprise, the driver informed Yoshiko of the sudden closure that day (all Wednesdays thereafter) of our first stop – Otagi Nenbutsu-ji. Not a problem, a quick pivot, and Yoshiko led us to the hillside site of Adashino Nembutsu ji, a Buddhist memorial ground of 8000 ancient stone grave markers. We followed a bamboo path rising behind the 13-tier pagoda temple — a stunning, contemplative stretch that was blissfully removed from the crowds of the main Arashiyama grove. From there, Yoshiko led us to the tranquil Giōji Temple, guiding us through its serene moss garden while sharing the tragic but tender love story about a spurned dancer who found refuge and became a nun. Our unhurried walk continued down the road with quaint shops interspersed with charming old homes with private gardens arriving at a small local restaurant where we enjoyed a quiet lunch with set meals that were both delicious and beautifully presented. Yoshiko’s English was excellent, making everything feel effortless and engaging, and she sprinkled the day with stories from her own time living abroad, including heart-warming anecdotes about her family. Those personal touches made the entire experience feel even more special and connected. We’re so grateful for the time we spent with her. If you’re visiting Kyoto and want a guide who is kind, fluent in English, culturally insightful, and genuinely invested in your experience, we highly recommend Yoshiko from Arigato Travel.
We had a fantastic experience! Our guide was Takuma Goda and he was amazing! He was incredibly knowledgeable and constantly tailored the tour to exactly what we were looking for. We had a great time and it made our experience extremely special!
The tour was incredible and Yuji was an amazing tour guide. We learned so much thanks to him and he built the itinerary exactly to what we had in mind so the day was perfect. Yuji gave us so much insight into the history and culture that we wouldn’t have gotten otherwise so it was the perfect combination of sightseeing and learning about the importance and meaning of each location as well. Highly recommend the tour if you are looking to learn more about Arashiyama
We profoundly appreciate your exceptionally detailed and heartwarming feedback on your recent Arashiyama tour. It is genuinely rewarding to learn that the tour was incredible, culminating in a truly perfect day, all thanks to your amazing guide, Yuji! You clearly gained a wealth of understanding through his insights. His meticulous crafting of the itinerary, perfectly aligned with your desires, ensured a superb and seamless day. Yuji thoughtfully imparted so much historical and cultural understanding that you undoubtedly would not have acquired independently, making it an ideal blend of sightseeing and profound learning about the significance and meaning of each destination. Your fervent recommendation for anyone seeking to delve deeper into Arashiyama truly resonates with us. Your outstanding comments will certainly be shared with Yuji; he will be absolutely thrilled to know the profound impact he had on your cherished day. We are deeply appreciative of you taking the time to share your perceptions. We eagerly anticipate the opportunity to welcome you back for another memorable adventure on your next visit to Japan.
Eric was so knowledgable and friendly! He took beautiful photos of us and gave us fascinating insight on all the historical sites we visited. He was also very understanding and accommodating because I was recovering from an injury and needed to move slowly through the tour. We can't recommend him enough!
We profoundly appreciate your exceptionally enthusiastic feedback on your recent tour. It is incredibly rewarding to learn that Eric was such a truly fantastic guide! His extensive insights and amiable demeanor clearly enhanced your understanding of the historical locations. His thoughtful gesture of capturing exquisite photographs further added to your cherished memories. We are especially pleased that he demonstrated such remarkable understanding and flexibility, allowing you to comfortably proceed at your own pace during your recovery. Your fervent recommendation truly resonates with us. Your outstanding comments will certainly be shared with Eric; he will be absolutely thrilled to know the profound impact he had on your cherished day. We are deeply appreciative of you taking the time to share your perceptions. We eagerly anticipate the opportunity to welcome you back for another memorable adventure on your next visit to Japan.
My family and I booked this tour with our guide Eric we had a four hour tour from 11 to 3 PM. It was a fabuloustour and Eric is a fabulous guide we saw and learned so much about Kyoto. It’s history. It’s temples it’s food and more Eric was very to all of us and gave us so much good advice about what we were seeing and about where to go. This was the perfect tour and I am so glad that we booked it. I highly recommend it.
We profoundly appreciate your exceptionally enthusiastic feedback on your recent Kyoto walking tour. It is genuinely rewarding to learn that your four-hour exploration with Eric was such a truly fabulous tour, and that he is an outstanding guide! You clearly gained significant insights and understanding of Kyoto, its rich heritage, sacred sites, culinary delights, and more. Eric's remarkable attentiveness to your group and his abundance of valuable advice regarding your observations and future destinations truly enhanced your journey. It is wonderful that this proved to be the perfect tour, and your fervent recommendation truly resonates with us. Your outstanding comments will certainly be shared with Eric; he will be absolutely thrilled to know the profound impact he had on your cherished day. We are deeply appreciative of you taking the time to share your perceptions. We eagerly anticipate the opportunity to welcome you back for another memorable adventure on your next visit to Japan.
Takuma Goda was a great tour guide very knowledgeable and spoke really beautiful english. He had a passion for the scenery and the knew the history of the area. Happy to personalise the walk to everyone involved. Thank you again.
We profoundly appreciate your wonderful feedback on your Bamboo Forest exploration. It is incredibly rewarding to learn that Takuma Goda proved to be such an exceptional guide, combining extensive knowledge and beautifully articulated English with a genuine enthusiasm for the breathtaking scenery and rich history of the area. We are especially pleased that he was happy to tailor the walk to everyone's preferences, ensuring a truly personal experience. Your outstanding comments will certainly be shared with Takuma; he will be absolutely thrilled to know the profound impact he had on your day. We are deeply appreciative of you taking the time to share your perceptions. We eagerly anticipate the opportunity to welcome you back for another memorable adventure on your next visit to Japan.
An amazing place... such a shame that mass tourism has taken over. Visited in mid afternoon but still rammed. Reports of peoples initials being carved in to the bamboo! Would suggest visiting in early morning or late afternoon, when tour groups have diminished. A lot of tourist tat shops and the start of the forest walk is a 15 minute hike from the car and coach parks.
We sincerely value your candid feedback regarding your recent visit. It is truly wonderful to learn you found the location to be an exceptional setting. We certainly understand your observations concerning the substantial impact of large visitor numbers. We recognize that experiencing the area amidst significant crowds and the commercial elements can indeed detract from the tranquility many seek. Your recommendation to explore during quieter times, such as early morning or late afternoon, is genuinely insightful for those desiring a more peaceful atmosphere. We are deeply grateful for you sharing your comprehensive perspective, which is invaluable for our ongoing efforts to understand visitor experiences. We hope you will consider discovering other serene aspects of Japan on future journeys.
Lucas gave us an amazing tour and gave us the history of the sites we visited. This was a fun way to explore the town and we covered a lot more sites than we could have on foot. We highly recommend this tour!
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We're delighted to hear it was great tour experience for you！ We're also happy to hear Lucas gave you an amazing tour and gave us the history of the sites we visited. We hope you or your friends can return soon again for another adventure with us! Thank you again.
Our tour guide Mika was great. She created a route based on what we wanted to see and had great recommendations. It was our first time in Kyoto and we only had a day, so this was a good way to see a lot of stuff without having to do all the planning ourselves. Mika was knowledgeable about Kyoto’s history and attractions, sharing interesting facts along the way. There’s so much to see in Kyoto!
We appreciate you sharing your thoughts on your tour in Kyoto! It's fantastic to hear that Mika was a great guide and that she created a route tailored to your interests. We're happy it helped you experience a lot in Kyoto even though you only had one day. It sounds like Mika's knowledge of Kyoto's history and attractions really enhanced your experience. We're also glad she provided great recommendations. We will make sure Mika receives your kind words. Thank you again for your review, and we hope you have the opportunity to explore more of Kyoto in the future!
