What other travelers are saying about Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
A very coy place to come, those tall bamboo was so beautiful . The first sight of it you'll remember it forever. the whole area is not that big. I do not recommend to pay for the hike , there's actually nothing except for a temple there.
Spend more time beside the river nearby and the garden at the back where there's a small observatory looking over to the river.
Amazing bamboo forest and you feel like going into another world inside there. This famous tourist spot will crowded with people and if you were to take nice photo you have to be there very early. I went there 6+am and manage to take lot nice photo. There’s kimono shop nearby that you can rent to wear and walk around. Very good experience wearing kimono walk around the forest following their culture.
Busy, but not as crowded as I thought it would be. Paths are quite narrow, but it was a lot more hassle walking along Nishiki market than here. You can take a 30 minute rickshaw ride through the forest for 10000 Yen.
There are a few places with vending machines where you can get drinks. There is also at least one water fountain near to the observatory point. There are also toilets dotted around the forest.
Free to enter the forest itself, there are some private areas.
This place is absolutely beautiful! I went on a weekday early in the morning around 7am. It was pretty much empty except for a few other tourists and some locals around the area. If you want to experience the serenity of the forest, go early. I left around 9-9:30am and that's when all the tours started coming and it got crowded very quickly.
Went during daytime, It was of course crowded with people. If you are planning on doing photoshoots, plan to go early. It was a good trip being surrounded by bamboo trees during the heat in summer was definitely a good experience. Even the walk out of the forest by taking local roads, you are able to see some bamboo trees and find local stores.
Good to add to your itinerary if you are visiting Kyoto, but you wouldn't spend too much time here since the route is rather short compared to other places. (unless you are taking photos for social media) only a few train stops from Kyoto.