The Togetsukyō Bridge is instantly recognizable by the contrast between its reinforced concrete frame and its traditional cypress railings, which maintain the appearance of a classic wooden structure spanning the Katsura River. Stretching…
Arashiyama Bamboo and Riverside
This walking tour guides you through the historic temples, towering bamboo groves, and tranquil riverbanks of Arashiyama. You will experience the natural beauty of Kyoto's western mountains while bypassing the biggest crowds.
Listen to this tour in the Mira app →Walk it in street view
1. Togetsukyō Bridge
2. Tenryu-ji
Tenryu-ji stands in the Arashiyama district as a sprawling Zen complex defined by its fourteenth-century landscape garden, which retains its original design despite the repeated fires that have leveled the temple buildings over the…
3. Nonomiya-jinja
Nonomiya-jinja is distinguished by the kuroki torii, an entrance gate constructed from unstripped timber that retains its dark bark. This rare, rustic style reaches back to the oldest traditions of Shinto architecture, standing in contrast…
4. Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
The Arashiyama Bamboo Forest is defined by its towering stalks of Moso bamboo, which reach heights of up to twenty meters and create a dense, emerald canopy over the walking paths. This grove is part of the broader Sagano landscape, a…
5. Okochi Sanso Garden
Okochi Sanso Garden is defined by a large black entrance gate that marks the transition from the bustling bamboo forest of Arashiyama into a quiet, twenty-thousand-square-meter hillside estate. This garden was the private residence of…
6. Arashiyama Park viewpoint
Arashiyama Park stretches along the banks of the Oi River, identified by the steep, forested slopes of Arashiyama—or Storm Mountain—rising directly across the water. This area became a favored retreat for Heian-period aristocrats over a…
7. Rankyo Gorge
Rankyo Gorge is defined by the steep, forested mountains that drop into the emerald waters of the Hozugawa River. This dramatic canyon, carved between the town of Kameoka and the Arashiyama district of Kyoto, creates a natural corridor…