Arashiyama's Secret Path
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove · 嵐山竹林
Everyone photographs the same fifty meters of bamboo. Then they leave. But if you keep walking north along the river, past the temple gates and the last souvenir shops, the path narrows and the bamboo thickens and you find yourself in the Arashiyama that existed before it became a postcard.
About
The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is one of Kyoto's most iconic sights — and one of its most frustrating. The famous stretch of towering green stalks that appears in every travel photograph is roughly 200 meters long, and on a busy day it can feel more like a subway platform than a forest path. Visitors queue for selfies, tour groups block the narrow trail, and the sense of natural serenity that draws people here in the first place is almost entirely lost.
But Arashiyama is not just a bamboo path. The district stretches deep into the western mountains along the Oi River, and the further north you walk, the more it reveals itself. Past the famous grove, past Jojakko-ji temple, a riverside path continues through scattered bamboo, cedar forest, and quiet farmland. This is the route that locals walk on weekend mornings — not the 200-meter stretch that appears in guidebooks.
The less-known riverside route follows the Katsura River upstream, away from the main tourist center. Here, the bamboo grows wild rather than manicured, herons stand motionless in the shallows, and the sound shifts from crowd chatter to running water and birdsong. At golden hour, the light through the bamboo canopy turns everything a warm amber green.
Getting There
Starting point Saga-Arashiyama Station (JR San-in Line) or Arashiyama Station (Keifuku Line)
From Kyoto Stn JR San-in Line, 15 min, ¥240
Walk time 15 min from the station to the start of the bamboo grove; continue 20–30 min north for the quieter riverside path
Entrance fee The path itself is free. Jojakko-ji Temple: ¥500
From the main bamboo grove, continue north past the entrance to Jojakko-ji. The road narrows and the tourist signage disappears. Follow the river path upstream. There is no specific endpoint — you simply walk until you feel you have had enough, then retrace your steps or loop back via the Saga-Toriimoto preserved street.
Find It on the Map
Best Time to Visit
Golden hour (roughly one hour before sunset) transforms this walk. The low-angle light through the bamboo creates the kind of atmosphere that the crowded main grove promises but cannot deliver during peak hours. In autumn, the maples along the riverside path are spectacular but far less visited than those at Tenryu-ji or Togetsukyo Bridge.
Spring brings cherry blossoms along the river and fresh green bamboo shoots pushing up through the forest floor. Early morning on weekdays is the quietest window. The main grove itself is bearable before 8:00am, and the riverside path beyond it is peaceful at nearly any hour.
Avoid the main Arashiyama area on weekends in November (peak autumn foliage) unless you arrive before 7:30am. The riverside path remains manageable even during busy periods, but reaching it requires pushing through the crowded central district.
Insider Tips
Start from the north, not the south. Instead of entering the bamboo grove from the Tenryu-ji side (where everyone else starts), take a taxi or bus to Saga-Toriimoto and walk south. You will have the path almost to yourself for the first half, meeting the crowds only as you exit at the southern end.
Rent a bicycle. Arashiyama is flat along the river, and a rental bike (available from shops near the station for roughly ¥1,000/day) lets you cover far more ground. Cycle north along the riverside path and you can reach the quiet hamlet of Kiyotaki in about 30 minutes.
Visit Gioji Temple. This tiny moss-covered temple is a 10-minute walk north of the main grove and receives a fraction of the visitors. The carpet of moss glows an almost supernatural green after rain. Entry is ¥300.
Nearby Spots
Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street
A 15-minute walk north of the bamboo grove. This short stretch of Edo-period thatched-roof buildings feels like stepping into a woodblock print. Almost completely untouristed, with a few small tea houses serving local specialties.
Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple
At the very end of the Saga-Toriimoto street. A hillside temple with 1,200 stone rakan (Buddhist disciples), each carved with a unique expression. Whimsical, atmospheric, and almost always empty.
Togetsukyo Bridge at Dawn
Arashiyama's famous bridge is a sea of people by midday, but at sunrise it stands empty against the mountain backdrop. The reflection in the still river is one of Kyoto's most photogenic moments.
The bamboo grove that everyone photographs is fifty meters long. The Arashiyama that locals know stretches for miles along the river, into the mountains, and back through centuries of quiet.
Last updated: 2026-03-03