What other travelers are saying about Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
Soooo pretty but highly recommend a visit as early in the day as possible to avoid the crowds. We went in the afternoon and could barely move for all the people which also made getting photos hard.
At the end of the main path, there is also an opportunity to enter a separate section for a small fee - highly recommend this - very quiet area with beautiful sweeping views and gardens
Free! No ticket! An experience!
Apart from taking many beautiful pictures and admiring the different bamboo sizes which are fenced but can be seen,the path can lead you to burial graves,free different attractions:the observatory deck, beautiful walk down to different sides of the sea to reach the bridge or to the paid attraction. Also,you can buy bamboo cups and others things on the path.
It is a very nice place but I am not sure if it's worth the 30 minutes walk from town. There is a pretty but small bamboo growth that takes 5 minutes to walk through. You can buy a cup of green tea and enjoy the bamboo. The whole visit will cost you 1000 yen per person.
We came in the afternoon and yes like others say there are crowds. I don't think it was as crowded as it could've been because we visited in the winter. When it comes to taking pictures you have to put in the effort to find an uncrowded area.
It's truly a beautiful work of nature, thank you to staff for preserving this forest. Even with the crowds it can still be a peaceful place. We also walked alongside some very small neighbourhoods and businesses.
We didn't have time to explore much of the forest but I think it's definitely worth seeing as much as you can.
The short track through the bamboo forest, and the longer track up from the train station are super crowded. It’s just far to touristy now than makes sense. It’s nice and all.. just not with the coach loads of people crowding everywhere. Make the trip a little more worthwhile by visiting the lovely Japanese gardens of the nearby temples.
