Explore the stunning scenery of the Arashiyama district, including its world-famous Bamboo Grove. Wander serene lanes and hidden pathways with your knowledgeable local host, who will share the area’s rich history and local legends.
Discover this hidden gem tucked away on the slopes of Ogura Mountain. Jojakko-ji is a peaceful temple known for its lush moss gardens and a 12-meter pagoda offering breathtaking panoramic views over Arashiyama.
Meet the cheeky residents of this hillside park—Japanese macaques roaming freely in their natural habitat. Hike up for fantastic city views while your host shares tips on respectful wildlife interaction.
A true highlight of Arashiyama, Tenryu-ji is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of Kyoto’s five great Zen temples. Learn about Japanese Buddhism while strolling through its famous landscape garden, designed to inspire quiet reflection.
Venture off the beaten path to this wonderfully quirky temple on Arashiyama’s outskirts. Admire over 1,200 whimsical rakan statues, each with its own expression—making this a memorably unexpected stop.
Explore this former imperial villa turned temple, which played a key role in Japan’s cultural history. Ask your host about The Tale of Genji, Japan’s first novel, whose scenes are set here, and enjoy the serene pond garden and elegant architecture.
This tour was one of the highlights of our visit to Kyoto. Our guide Eric was the best. So thoughtful, knowledgeable and accommodating. We learned so much! The pace was never rushed, and Eric answered every question we had. We learned so much about the local culture, and more. We had some wonderful food tastings along the way, too. All in all, Eric was a fabulous guide, and this was a fantastic tour .
Amy was a fabulous guide. She was early to meet us, very knowledgeable and got us everywhere we wanted to go. She was responsive to our needs and flexible when we needed her to be. Very grateful for our day in Kyoto and highly recommend her and this tour.
We had a wonderful day exploring the bamboo Forrest and several shines. Our guide Vanessa was wonderful! She was full of knowledge, friendly, and very informative. She tailored the trip to our wants and even met us at our hotel. I highly recommend booking a trip with Vanessa!
Alex was above and beyond an excellent guide and companion. He is gregarious, knowledgeable, a great guy. He showed us everything we wanted to see, gave great advice about local insights and good strategies for local getting around. One of us lost an item on a local bus after the tour. We called him and he and his wife found which lost and found the bus took it to and we recovered it next day. We could not have done that without their local knowledge and fluent Japanese. Service above and beyond! Strongly recommend this tour, start early, crowds are impressive!
We had a fabulous time on this trip!! The tour guide Kokoro was really great and knowledgeable about history and all the sights! The Bamboo Grove was amazing and we loved feeding the monkeys!
We had Alex as our guide and he was great. As we have young children he made sure the experience was suitable for them too, spending more time at the monkey park. At the end of the tour he took us to markets and sent me directions to more places that would be good to take the kids for the rest of our stay in Kyoto.
The bamboo forest is amazingly gorgeous and would have been serene if not for the crowd there. Recommend to go early morning to avoid crowd. The actor’s house on hill is really beautiful and the temples and surrounding gardens are amazing. Our guide is sweet and obliging though very much lacking in local knowledge. We had to prise him for information rather than him volunteering to explain the history behind these places. It would be great if the company could provide us with knowledgeable guides instead of someone who could just speak English.
Our guide Ada is amazing. As it was pouring rain, we decided to skip the bamboo forest and Ada took us to lesser known shrines and historic sites. Her understanding of Japanese culture and history was a delight and most interesting to listen to.
The trip was wonderful. It was very peaceful and interesting and the bamboo forest was beautiful. Our guide, Hide, was very kind and helpful in both setting the itinerary and helping with my sprained ankle.
Mia was EXCELLENT. She was flexible and kind to my son who has autism and enthusiastic and knowledgeable. We loved our tour!!
I had a fantastic day exploring Arashiyama with my amazing guide Fatima. She was able to tailor my experience perfectly after asking for my preferences, even adding in activities that were kind of off the beaten path that I otherwise would not have been able to find myself. She was incredibly knowledgeable and accommodating, and just a joy to explore Arashiyama with. Would definitely recommend this tour and Fatima to anyone visiting Kyoto!
Alex was so friendly and personable. He gave us so much information about the area and the culture. We could ask him any question. He worked great with our kids and kept them interested throughout the entire day. We enjoyed our time with Alex. It was a perfect way to explore Kyoto. Highly recommend him.
We did an Arashiyama tour in Kyoto with Alex as a family of 10 people. We had a large group but Alex did a wonderful job making sure everyone stuck together and was very accommodating towards us. He met us at our hotel lobby in the morning and we went to Arashiysma together. On the way he taught us a lot about Japanese culture and his experiences living in Kyoto. We had so many questions for him and he answered them all. Once we got to Arashiyama, Alex began the tour and showed us the area. He also helped us take some amazing family photos! After the tour, Alex guided us back to our hotel and went above and beyond by giving us recommendations for food and kimono shops in Kyoto. He also said he was happy to answer any more questions we may have and to feel free to contact him about it. The tour with Alex was definitely a highlight of our trip and we will take our memories home and share it with our friends and family. Thank you for the wonderful experience!
Had a beautiful time in December 2023. Our guide took us to Adashino Temple first where we met the grandson of the founder and got a leisurely view of a bamboo grove with no crowds. From there we headed down the hill visiting temples along the way. We had lunch at a beautiful cafe that was set up in the style of a traditional tea house, and then headed for the main bamboo grove, the Kinkau-Ji temple, and the monkey preserve. Shinto was a fantastic guide, and he was patient with our multi-generational family, customizing the trip for us. It was a highlight of this trip.
We enjoyed our time in in Arashiyama. The monkey park with its views and unique experience was great. We also went to two “hidden gems” with Dairyn which were highlights. Loved the experience and would definitely recommend.
I absolutely loved this tour Brenda was so patient and catering to our needs especially since we were travelling with a young child. The tour was beautiful we got to do everything we wanted and the day went so quickly. Brenda was so great and we learnt so much from her. She was so flexible and fantastic would highly recommend to anyone coming to Kyoto and looking to do a tour. We only really had 1 full day in Kyoto but we all fell in love with city and definitely want to come back soon.
The Bamboo forest and the Temple. The guide was very good and friendly. Was more than was expected we will recommend.
We could not have asked for a better guide. Bita was knowledgeable, friendly, flexible and spoke great English! She planned the day and then rolled with wherever we wanted to linger. She took us to some breathtaking spots and was the mastermind of the entire experience. Highly recommend!
We thoroughly enjoyed our 6 hour private tour day. Rhea Sarah was so friendly and helpful both leading up to the day and during, planning a perfect tour. We made a tweak on the day to the itinerary as we all agreed it would offer us something different we hadn’t yet seen in Japan, it did not disappoint! Nothing was too much trouble, conversation was so interesting and informative and we genuinely loved spending the day with Rhea Sarah. Thank you!
We got picked up by our guide, Jose, from Spain. He catered to our preferences and needs. This is a Walking Tour so be prepared for lots of walking in large crowds. The baboo forest was beautiful but no place to sit down and enjoy it. The gardens at the end were beautiful and we really enjoyed walking through them.
This was a great introduction to Kyoto. Hide was an excellent guide and took us to sites that we requested. We spent a very pleasant day with Hide and we thank him for his service.
Brenda was an excellent guide. Knowledgeable and friendly. We enjoyed the beautiful bamboo groves and the temple and zen garden. The monkeys are cute but be ready for a serious hike up the hill.
The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is a natural wonder in Kyoto! Walking through the towering bamboo stalks is an otherworldly experience. The soft rustling of leaves and the filtered sunlight create a serene atmosphere. Don’t forget to explore the nearby Tenryu-ji Temple and the iconic Togetsukyo Bridge. It’s a must-visit destination for nature and photography enthusiasts.
Jose, our guide, made this is an amazing experience. He reached out to us in advance, took the time to understand the experience we were seeking and delivered a memorable day. He was flexible and ensured that we had a fantastic experience. The highlight of the day for the kids was the monkey forest where they got to feed the monkeys. Be warned, though, the monkey forest is at the top of a very steep hill - it will be like walking up a 40 storey building. Your legs will feel it.
Our tour guide Mi A was great. She was friendly and brought us to various temples, Japanese cracker store, and the monkeys. She was also great at taking photos for our family. It was a lot of walking and overall would highly recommend.
Masaya was a nice guide who took us through multiple nice and interesting destinations in a very smooth fashion. We had a great lunch as well. It was really great having such a personal experience.
Our tour guide Brenda was amazing and went out of her way to make this an unforgettable day. She was professional, knowledgeable, patient and extraordinarily helpful in every way.
Miki was excellent and a great tour guide! She did what we wanted and was very knowledgeable and friendly! Took us to the places we wanted to see.
Great experience, well tailored to what we wanted - nature and history . We arrived hungry, so Tess took us to one of the best ramen places, then we continue ti the forest.
This is a great way to see temples, natural beauty, get in some shopping, and take a hike up to the monkey park. We had a great time and saw a lot. Our teenagers thought it was a highlight
Our guide, Alex, was amazing! He was interesting, kind and flexible with our needs. His love for Kyoto was evident. We thoroughly enjoyed the bamboo forest, gardens and temples. He also led us to a great ramen place for lunch. By the way, the monkey park is a lot harder climb than indicated online.
The bamboo forest and tea house were spectacular on the day , and using public transportation was very easy
This was likely our favorite tour during our two weeks in Japan. Our guide, Alex, is the best. Incredibly personable, genuinely passionate about what he does, and shares a wealth of information as we go. He also did a good job of engaging both of my teenage sons. We saw so much during this tour of the beautiful bamboo forest, wandering the nearby neighborhoods, visiting shrines and temples, learning much history, and also enjoyed the monkey park experience. Alex is incredibly flexible, and willing to customize the tour based on the group’s preferences. He also provided some great information for us, so that we could enjoy the rest of our days in Kyoto to the fullest. We recommend this tour 100%, and I hope you get lucky enough to have Alex as your guide!
Milos was my best guide in Kyoto. He was prompt, fun, highly -intelligent in Japanese history, world politics, economics etc. Add to that, he was patient, very informative in the sites we visited, kind, helpful and allowed me to set the pace whilst walking and climbing. That was critical for me since I’m probably 50 years older! His thorough explanations of the sites and surrounding countryside were enlightening and only served to enhance my experience as n Kyoto. Bravo Milos !
To begin, our guide was great. She contacted us ahead f time and asked questions about us. She was fun and cheerful and knowledgeable. The temples we visited were beautiful but we’ve seen plenty of temples here. The area was lovely. Since it was Saturday, the bamboo grove was fairly crowded making it a lot less special. We also cited the monkey park which was ok at best. My device is to go during the week not the weekend, also, to make it go smoother, spend the extra $50 for taxis instead of the bus.
When our private guide Makoon (Your Kyoto Tours) recommended this spot I wasn’t really feeling it but wow I am so glad we went. We went in basically at the back entrance which allowed for us to walk through the quaint vacation spot in the city of Ukyo. It was a great walk and refreshing to see different styles of homes on our way. The forest was stunning and unbelievable to see all the bamboo trees and learn how they grow. The walk continued through the forest leading us through a park with a lovely river and mountains as backdrop, you can even rent a boat to go out on the river and we continued onto Togetsukyo Bridge. It was a beautiful day out and the walk, nature and scenery were very uplifting. Absolute splendid!
Our guide Alex was amazing- really knowledgeable and friendly. He listened to our likes and fillies and tailored the day accordingly. We got to see parts of Kyoto that we wouldn’t have managed to get to on our own. A really fun and memorable day out. Thanks city unscripted and especially to Alex!
Tour guide didn't show up, called her and she said she wasn't booked to host us. Some big mess up in your office. Very disappointing. Will not be recommending your company. On a positive note all my emails to viator were answered prompty I appreciated that
This is touted as an amazing place, and it might be. But it wasn’t. The very small stretch of bamboo curving above you is ruined by the mass of humanity trudging along the path, ruining any sense of atmosphere. Most of the people were gaining most of their pleasure at the food and souvenir stalls… I know, I know - I was one of them! So I should act all superior. But in all honesty, it was disappointing, and not worth half a day out of my time in Kyoto to go there.
Dairyn was amazing! She knew my family was on a time crunch and made every effort to show us the most in the amount of time we had, all while giving time to my kids to appreciate the experience. She had wonderful suggestions for places the kids would enjoy and had ideas for food options for our vegetarian family. We would definitely look her up again when we visit Kyoto. 10/10 experience for our family.
I'm so glad we opted for a private tour. We never would have been able to do as much as we did on our own. Personally, I thought it was great value for money. And what a magical experience! We saw so many amazing places during this 6 hour excursion. It was also very helpful in getting us oriented around Kyoto and learning the public transit system. Many thanks to Haruka, our very knowledge guide! I would definitely use this company again.
Our tour guide was very easy to understand and really helped us learn a lot about the areas we were seeing with him. He also taught us hot to navigate around the city and surrounding area via subway and rail lines. He had some great recommendations of restaurants and attractions to check out during our stay.
I'm giving this 5 stars because it's so pretty and after seeing this on trip advisor I had to go. But it isn't very long so not sure I would fly in especially for it. Try and avoid the weekend, it's too busy. It's really pretty though so if you are in the area, walk through it and then turn left and head down to the water, cross the bridge and check out the cool little town down there.
Todo increíble, Alex el guía extraordinario, muy carismático y amable además con gran conocimiento del lugar, 200% recomendado!
We got off the trolley train and headed for Tenryuji from Okochi mountain villa. On the way, we went through a bamboo forest. It was the end of March in spring, and the cherry blossoms were in full bloom and it was sunny. When you look up, you can see the blue sky, the bamboo leaves are light yellow-green, they sway gently in the wind, and the sunlight is crystal clear. There were a couple who took pre-wedding photos and it was a picturesque sight.
Whenever you come, it has a typical atmosphere of Kyoto Arashiyama. The space surrounded by bamboo groves is like another world. The wind is especially pleasant when you go to spring and autumn. #Kyoto Arashiyama #Sagano #Bamboo Path
Tourist place where there are. if you go in the middle of the morning you will find a large influx of people. This place you can see quietly in a period of time between 30-60 minutes at most. In the end it's all the same. trails around millions of very tall bamboos. My recommendation is not to waste much time there, just what is necessary.
Monday through Friday 9 am to 7 pm EST
Reach us by phone
Reach us by email