What other travelers are saying about Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
Very cool forest with bamboo trees everywhere you look. It is easily accessible by bus, and there is a lot of food areas nearby. There is a lot of people, but you can easily find ways to crop them out of photos so that it seems like there isn’t a lot of people there. It’s not super remote, and there are some temples inside the forest in which you can visit.
Arashiyama Bamboo Forest is an amazing and peaceful place. It brought back childhood memories for me, as I grew up around bamboo — but this felt different.
The bamboo here is uniquely beautiful, and the whole area has a calm, quiet vibe. Parking is limited, so I’d recommend using public transport. Give yourself plenty of time to explore the nearby gardens, temples, and the charming village too. Definitely worth a visit if you’re in Kyoto.
Beautiful but Busy — Get There Early!
The bamboo forest was absolutely beautiful, but as many have mentioned, it does get very crowded. What surprised us, though, is that the bamboo grove is actually just a small part of a much larger, stunning park.
If you’re an early riser, it’s definitely worth heading there first thing in the morning to enjoy the peaceful surroundings before the crowds arrive.
The town itself is super charming, but most shops don’t open until around 10 a.m. One highlight for us was visiting the former home of an old Japanese actor — admission was only 1,000 yen and totally worth it. The gardens were gorgeous, and there were plenty of great photo spots.
I visited the bamboo forest on a regular day (not a holiday or weekend), and while the beauty of the towering bamboo is absolutely worth seeing, be prepared for a lot of people. The path through the grove is stunning—peaceful in theory—but hard to fully enjoy with the constant crowd.
It’s still magical to walk beneath the swaying green stalks and hear the rustling leaves, but if you’re hoping for quiet moments or photos without people, you’ll need to arrive very early—like sunrise early.
Still, it’s a must-see when in Kyoto. Just go with the mindset that you’re sharing the experience with many others!
Really beautiful shaded walk. The path takes you straight through the forest and past the river and other scenic sites. Recommend as something to do that gets you out of the sun, however on a humid day. In the forest it feels even more humid. Make sure to bring lots of drinks, there are also lots of vending machines for this too. There are trash cans regularly on the route.
