Kyoto Arashiyama Bamboo, Temple, Monkey or Local Mountain Brewery
Description
Experience the timeless charm of Arashiyama on this immersive journey through nature, culture, and tradition. BAMBOO GROVE Walk beneath the soaring bamboo of Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, and visit the sacred Nonomiya Shrine OKOCHI SANSO GARDEN Explore the elegant Okochi Sanso Garden, where matcha and other drinks are served, hot or cold, in its former tea house. The drinks are included in the tour. TENRYUJI TEMPLE Discover the Zen beauty of Tenryu-ji, Breathtaking zen buddhist temple that belongs to the branch of Rinzai. Then, choose between OPTION A and OPTION B OPTION A Stroll along Arashiyama Shopping Street, grab a snack, admire the colorful Kimono Forest, cross the iconic Togetsukyo Bridge, and enjoy panoramic views at Iwatayama Monkey Park. OPTION B Go back to the train station for a short ride through the mountain, and go for a lovely lunch among locals with zero tourists. Visit the prestigious Tanzan Brewery, with sake tasting included.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Explore the bamboo grove and reach the top of Arashiyama park
Take your time to enjoy the private Okochi Sanso garden, sit and take a deep breath, with a beverage served in a former tea house turned into a rest area.
Explore one of the most famous temples in the city, indoors and outdoors, and admire the Koi fish in the pond. Enjoy nature around you and learn more about the place you are visiting.
OPTION A Stop at every single shop you want to discover that amazing shopping street in Arashiyama, and ask your guide to assist you with anything.
OPTION A Besides the bamboo grove, this is probably the second most popular spot for a picture with the Katsura river, and the Majestic view of this iconic bridge.
OPTION A After the tour ends, and leaving your guide with happy memories full of bamboo and wonderful stories, hike up the hill and explore the monkey park. That place is especially thrilling for families and kids.
OPTION B Leave the tourists behind you, and go back to the train station with your guide to Kameoka, an area located on the other side of the mountain. After arriving at Kameoka, take a well-deserved rest with a local lunch (budget not included, around ¥1,500).
OPTION B Our journey culminates at the prestigious Tanzan Sake Brewery, renowned for its craftsmanship and dedication to traditional brewing methods. Here, you will learn about the delicate process of sake production — from rice polishing and fermentation to maturation. Please note: some sections of the brewery may not be accessible depending on the brewing season and production schedule. This ensures both quality control and safety during active brewing periods. The experience concludes with a guided sake tasting, where you will savor different varieties and discover the subtle aromas, textures, and flavors that make premium Japanese sake so distinctive. Non-alcohol alternative possible, but limited to one or two types of drinks.
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
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- ⚠️PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING CAREFULLY⚠️
- OTHER LANGUAGES (FRENCH / GERMAN / SPANISH) Some guides from our team can speak more than English and Japanese, but we cannot guarantee a specific language other than English on a shared tour. To confirm the availability of your preferred language on the date you wish to book our tour, Please contact us prior to your booking. Thank you.
- While single travelers can book this tour directly, there is a "2 guests minimum" rule to give the tour a GO. in case of a single guest, the session might be cancelled and the guest will be notify as soon as possible, offering a rescheduling, or a full-refund.
- This is NOT a private tour. It's a group tour that can have up to 12 people.
- Please note that this is a WALKING TOUR, not a bus tour.
- Please note, this tour is APPROXIMATELY 5 hours, meaning it can differ by around 30 minutes before or after the estimated time.
- The access to the top of the Monkey Park consists of a short hike (15-20 minutes) through a steep path. Please get comfortable shoes and make sure you are in a reasonable physical condition to do it. Thank you.
- Please get to the meeting location 15 minutes before the departure time. As we have other groups in the tour, we cannot accept any late guests. If you are late to the tour, YOU CANNOT JOIN the tour and will not be given a refund.
- Our Hotline will reach out to you through what's app on departure time if you have not arrived, so please download WhatsApp prior to this tour. This will make any last minute communication easier between the guide and the guests.
Reviews(259)
We had a great time in the bamboo forest and the monkey park. The tour guide (Matheus) was patient and friendly. My husband has a bad back and had to stop frequently. It was a very rainy day to boot. The monkey park was worth climbing for!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the Bamboo Forest and found the climb to the Monkey Park worthwhile, even on such a rainy day 🌿🐒 We especially appreciate your kind words about Matheus. He will be very happy to hear that his friendliness and support helped make the experience enjoyable for both of you. We hope your husband’s back is feeling better, and we wish you many more wonderful adventures in Japan! Warmest regards ⛩️ Ayumi, JTA Team
Our family of 10 had a great visit with Tom. He spoke perfect English, was very knowledgeable about the area and Japan’s history, and was good to make sure everyone was engaged and could keep up. It was the right amount of time in each place with a nice break along the way. The hike to the monkeys was steep, but worthwhile for us. I highly recommend Tom and this tour for a taste of Kyoto history.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that your family enjoyed the tour and that Tom helped make the experience so memorable 😊 Tom will be very happy to hear your kind words about his knowledge and guidance. We’re glad the pace worked well for your group and that the climb to the Monkey Park was worthwhile! Thank you for recommending the tour, and we hope to welcome your family back to Japan again someday 🌿 Warmest regards ⛩️ Ayumi, JTA Team
I did the option B tour (Arashimaya sights and ending with sake tasting at Tanzan sake brewery in Kameoka) today, and I had a great time with Tom! Initially I was a bit bummed out that it was raining incessantly today, but Tom’s positive attitude and enthusiasm more than made up for the rain! I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this walking tour.
We took the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Temple, Gardens and Monkey Park tour today in Kyoto. We booked with Viator, which was really easy and our tour guide, Tom, was very informative! He was Super nice, approachable and interesting to talk to. He was flexible with the schedule and made room for us to take breaks, stop for snacks and souvenirs. I feel like the guide can make or break the experience and Tom made this the highlight of our time in Kyoto so far. I would highly recommend. Comfortable shoes are a MUST and the monkeys are a bit of an uphill walk but 100% worth it.
Dustin was excellent! Very knowledgeable, perfect pace, great personality. A highlight of our time in Japan.
Great day with Tom. Super Guide with a Lot of knowledge about the City and its history. Did thebtour in the Bamboo Forrest, Gardens around and Monkey Park. Weather was a bit rainy but that was rather a welcome refreshment after some hot days.
This was a great tour. it was well paced and really informative. Agustin, our guide, was great. He is very knowledgeable about each of the sites and also about Japanese culture. He explained everything in detail. We learned a lot. He also provided great recommendations on where to go and where to eat after the tour. This tour and Agustin are 100% recommended.
We loved our your experience! Toru was an amazing guide. He was super knowledgeable and just a fun, delightful person to talk to and just make conversation with. The Arashiyama Bamboo Forest was as crowded as expected, but honestly the highlight of the tour was the gardens past the bamboo forest. The history of it was fascinating and the architecture and construction of the gardens was stunning to absorb. Stopping for tea was lovely. Finally, the monkey mountain component was a blast. It's definitely a grueling trek to get up there on a hot day, but there are plenty of benches and rest spots, so you can take the time. And the monkeys were so fun to watch. And they really are well behaved. The trainers do a great job of keeping everyone - monkeys included - safe. This was definitely a memorable tour overall and I would recommend it!
Our guide, Raphael, provided us with a wonderful tour, not only through the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove but also through various beautiful Zen gardens. He had extensive knowledge about the individual attractions as well as the two religions of Buddhism and Shintoism. He was extremely friendly, always gave us the time to look around at our own pace, and was truly a great guide!
It’s a beautiful place, but a bit too many people. It's better to go earlier to beat the crowd. My guide was very helpful in showing me the hidden gems in the Forest.
