Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Monkey Park & Temples Tour Kyoto

Tenryu-ji Temple and its Zen garden

Tenryu-ji was founded in 1339 and is the head temple of one of the main branches of Rinzai Zen Buddhism. It is listed by UNESCO as part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto, and its pond garden, designed in the fourteenth century, is one of the oldest of its kind in Japan, framing the forested Arashiyama hills as a borrowed backdrop.

With your guide you spend about thirty minutes here, admiring the reflections of the pond, the arrangement of rocks and the sweep of the halls with their wide verandas. Entrance is included and the guide handles the tickets, so you skip the ticket line. The garden is beautiful all year, with cherry blossom in early April and maples in late November.

The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is one of the most photographed places in Japan: a path that winds for several hundred metres between towering green stalks that sway and creak in the wind, with light filtering down through the leaves. The north gate of Tenryu-ji opens right onto it, so the walk flows naturally from the temple.

Your guide leads you through for about forty-five minutes, with photo stops and stories about bamboo in Japanese life and craft. Is the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest worth visiting? Yes, especially early in the morning, before the tour buses arrive, which is why this tour starts between 8:30 and 10:00. Weekday mornings are the quietest.

Nonomiya Shrine and the Arashiyama streets

Hidden in the bamboo, Nonomiya Shrine is small but full of character. Its gate is a rare black torii made of unpeeled wood, and its grounds are carpeted with moss. In ancient times imperial princesses stayed here to purify themselves before serving at the great shrine of Ise, and today visitors come to pray for good relationships and for success in exams.

After the shrine you spend time among the shops and stalls of Arashiyama's main street, a good place for one-of-a-kind souvenirs, crafts and local snacks. Your guide shares tips on what to try and where to look, before leading you on toward the river.

Togetsukyo Bridge

Togetsukyo, the Moon Crossing Bridge, spans the river at the foot of Mount Arashiyama and has been the symbol of the area for centuries. The current wooden-railed bridge is about 155 metres long, and its view of the forested hills is one of the classic images of Kyoto, pink with cherry blossom in spring and red and gold in autumn.

Crossing the bridge on foot, you see boats drifting on the water and the hills rising ahead. It is also the way up to Monkey Park Iwatayama, whose entrance lies just beyond the south bank. Take a moment here for photos before the climb.

Monkey Park Iwatayama

Monkey Park Iwatayama sits on the slopes of Mount Arashiyama, where a large troop of wild Japanese macaques roams freely around the summit. Reaching it requires a twenty-minute uphill hike with several flights of steps, so it suits guests comfortable with moderate activity. At the top, the monkeys sit and play against a sweeping panorama of Kyoto.

Entrance is included and you have about an hour here. Do not stare into the monkeys' eyes or show food, and keep a respectful distance. In the summer heat the guide may not climb with the group, and the last hour becomes self-guided, giving you time to enjoy the park at your own pace.