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Kyoto Sagano Bamboo Grove & Arashiyama Walking Tour
Kyoto, Japan
- 5 hours
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Wander among peaceful bamboo groves and elegant mountain temples of rural Japan as you explore the fascinating areas of Arashiyama and Sagano near Kyoto during this 4-hour walking tour. Meander among the bamboo groves of Sagano before checking out the ancient 14th century Tenryu-Ji Temple and the secluded Jojakko-Ji Temple, hidden among the forest. Finish with a trip across the iconic Togetsukyō Bridge. Your morning walking tour also includes pickup from select hotels in Kyoto, a guide and all entrance fees.
- 4-hour morning walking tour of the scenic Sagano and Arashiyama districts
- Enjoy a stroll through the tranquil Sagano bamboo grove
- Explore the Tenryu-ji Temple with your guide, widely considered Kyoto's best Zen temple
- Discover the Jojakko-ji Temple and admire its statue and pagoda
- Take a walk over the iconic Togetsukyō Bridge
What's Included
- English-speaking guide
- Food and Beverages
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- JTB SUNRISE TOURS DESK KYOTOJapan, 601-8003 Kyoto, Minami Ward, Higashikujō Nishisannōchō, ３１ B1F AVANTI
Meeting Time: 8:30 a.m. Sunrise Tours Desk inside Avanti (across from Kyoto Station Hachijo Exit)
Start time
08:40 AM
End point
- Kyoto StationHigashishiokoji Kamadonocho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, 600-8216, Japan
Kyoto Station around 13:30pm
What To Expect
Get a taste for the serene environs of rural Japan as you enjoy a laid-back morning walking tour of the temples and forests of the Arashiyama and Sagano areas on the outskirts of Kyoto. Explore beautiful bamboo forests and historic temples set among the sublime natural environment.
Start your walking tour of Arashiyama and Sagano with a morning pickup from New Miyako Hotel. Following your pickup, proceed by coach to the tour starting point in Sagano, just northwest of central Kyoto, where you’ll meet your guide and start your walk.
Begin your walking exploration with a 2-mile (3-km) stroll through the lush bamboo grove in Sagano, admiring the fantastic views of nearby mountain peaks and the striking valleys of the Arashiyama area. Proceed next to Tenryu-Ji Temple, which dates to 1339 when it was established by Takauji of the Ashikaga Shogunate as one of the principal temples of the Rinzai Zen School. Make sure to check out the temple’s beautiful landscaped garden, which survives in its original design.
Head next to the Jojakko-Ji Temple, nestled in the wooded hills on a nearby mountainside. The temple is famous for its role in the Tale of the Heike, a work of Japanese literature that tells the story of Empress Dowager Kenrei-mon-in, who supposedly lived at the site. Originally constructed as a nunnery, this picturesque religious structure has a fascinating history dating to the 6th century. Keep your eyes peeled for the temple’s Jizo statue and hidden pagoda secluded among the area maple trees.
Finish your walking excursion by crossing the famous Togetsukyo Bridge (Crossing Moon Bridge), admiring the incredible views of the Hozu River below and forest-covered hills beyond. The current bridge is a reproduction of the original, reconstructed in 1934. Your walking trip ends with a return to Kyoto station.
Start your walking tour of Arashiyama and Sagano with a morning pickup from New Miyako Hotel. Following your pickup, proceed by coach to the tour starting point in Sagano, just northwest of central Kyoto, where you’ll meet your guide and start your walk.
Begin your walking exploration with a 2-mile (3-km) stroll through the lush bamboo grove in Sagano, admiring the fantastic views of nearby mountain peaks and the striking valleys of the Arashiyama area. Proceed next to Tenryu-Ji Temple, which dates to 1339 when it was established by Takauji of the Ashikaga Shogunate as one of the principal temples of the Rinzai Zen School. Make sure to check out the temple’s beautiful landscaped garden, which survives in its original design.
Head next to the Jojakko-Ji Temple, nestled in the wooded hills on a nearby mountainside. The temple is famous for its role in the Tale of the Heike, a work of Japanese literature that tells the story of Empress Dowager Kenrei-mon-in, who supposedly lived at the site. Originally constructed as a nunnery, this picturesque religious structure has a fascinating history dating to the 6th century. Keep your eyes peeled for the temple’s Jizo statue and hidden pagoda secluded among the area maple trees.
Finish your walking excursion by crossing the famous Togetsukyo Bridge (Crossing Moon Bridge), admiring the incredible views of the Hozu River below and forest-covered hills beyond. The current bridge is a reproduction of the original, reconstructed in 1934. Your walking trip ends with a return to Kyoto station.
Arashiyama (Pass By)
Jojakkoji Temple
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Tenryuji Temple
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Togetsukyo Bridge
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- If the minimum number of participants (2) is not met by 4 days before the scheduled date, the tour on that date may be canceled.
- This tour uses public transportation with non-reserved seats. Please note that seating is not guaranteed.
- The order of activities and arrival times may differ depending on road conditions and congestion at destinations.
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.
Traveler Photos
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Reviews
4.0
68 reviews
Helene_W, Mar 2024
Great tour. Sachiko was our guide - very informative and easy to understand. She gave a good with information on what we were seeing but also included personal stories and insights.
We chose to go to the monkey park at the end of the tour instead of heading back with the group. She made sure to give us directions to the park as well as lunch options.
Son_B, Jul 2023
Donna was a delightful tour guide. Gave enough information and guidance but also encouraged you to explore areas on your own. Great guide and lovely places to see. All places we would not have experienced had we not booked this tour. Thank you again
Neal P, Jan 2018
Very pretty and scenic tour. Our guide was great and we got to see a variety of places during the tour.
Mahen M, Dec 2017
Loved every bit of the tour- the guide leaves us at the end in the afternoon which gave us time to go and see the monkey park at the top of the mountain- a must see.
Simon_M, Sep 2017
Our guide was wonderful and this was a very enjoyable tour. The boat ride was a nice opportunity to rest and take in some of the river views of Sagano.
Dmitry M, Jul 2017
Dear All, this tour is a fake. It's a waste of your money, and what is more important, your time. There was 20 people on the tour, so you will be always in a crowd, which is against the whole idea of the tranquil surroundings. The walk you will do you will be a tourist highway, it is described in every guidebook. You can easily do it yourself, save the money if you got the JR rail pass you do not even need to pay for the rail tickets and enjoy relative quietness, not standing in the middle of the crowd in the bamboo forest.
The guide was paying little interest in the subject, talking more about location of toilets and fresh water rather than about history and culture, and even when focused on the main topic it was primitive to the level that we had zero additional knowledge, despite it was our 4th day in Japan. When asked about places not included into the tour for example, we have skipped the beautiful Okochi Sanso garden we got the answer: I haven't been there, but other people said it's breathtaking.
Needless to say, we suffered for 2 hours, then made a wise decision to say goodbye to the tour and do the rest of walking ourselves, sneaking into places that the tour effectively skipped. It was only then that we have discovered beautiful Arashiyama.
Rosemary V, Jun 2017
Really pretty area. I would like to go back without actour group.
Grace S, May 2017
This was really Awesome to See! My mom specially enjoyed this tour!! The bamboo's amazing, so refreshing and peaceful. The Temple visit was a nice surprise as well.
Vega R, Nov 2016
Arashiyama is a western suburb of Kyoto, so we took the train to get there. Once there, we walked through the streets of the town, admiring personal shrines put up by people living there, to Tenryoji Temple. We walked through the botanic garden, which has signs identifying the various plants. Next we walked to the bamboo grove and on a path through the forest of bamboo on our way to the Jojakkoji Temple. We walked past a lake and then up many sets of steps getting to the temple, then up more steps to get to the pagoda, then up more steps to get to a vista point overlooking Kyoto. Heading back, we walked past the Suminokura Ryoi statue on our way to the river. At the river, those people on the tour who had purchased the package including lunch on a boat waited for a boat, while the rest walked along the river to the Togetsukyo Bridge. The tour guide gave us our return train tickets and stayed with the group having lunch on a boat. We then walked along the street in this touristy area and found a place with pizza for lunch, next to a souvenir ship. After lunch we walked across the Togetsukyo Bridge to the Iwatayama Monkey Park. After leaving the park, we walked back to the train station. It was a very pleasant day, and we enjoyed the pace of the tour.
Kellie F, Jul 2016
The tour was great! June was friendly and informative and the views and scenery were fabulous. A big highlight of our trip!
...
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