The Bamboo Forest is famous for its lush and towering poles of bamboo, perfect for nature photographers and family outings. One of the most visited sites in Japan, this place is known for cherry blossom viewing and monkeys on the mountaintop. I was luckily following a friend and didn’t have to plan much, though I do say getting there was a bit tricky.
We were leaving from Namba, so we had to take a train or bus to Umeda Station. You can think of Umeda as the main center for all trains and buses. From there, we took the Hankyu-Kyoto Line to Kami-Katsura Station, switching once from the Rapid Express to Local Line. We then walked from the station to the village next to Arashiyama. It sounds simple, but when we were there, it was a hurricane of people and stations.
The village/town surrounding the forest is small and walk-able. I first went to tackle the forest before my energy was drained. We wanted to get to Kameyama Park first before the tourists started flooding in for the day. This park is the one you always see when people mention Bamboo Forest. The long walkways are lined with bamboo, leaves stretching up to a light arch above your head. There were many groups there, from the young ones on field trips to elderly strolling to families on a trip. This short spot was definitely crowded, but as we walked further away, the crowds disappeared.
We walked past two observation decks (大河内山荘庭園 嵐峡展望台), and found a tea house, high on top of the mountains and enclosed by the forest that requires a small admission fee. When you go on this route, the fee includes a cup of soothing matcha tea and some sweets along with it. I definitely recommend this! Walking through this path, there’s many opportunities to take pictures, admire the scenery, and take in the healing effects of the forest.
We also encountered a few temples along the way, a hidden cafe, and a lake on the other side of the forest. I do recommend walking a bit further to explore the area because sometimes you’ll find something new! There are many signs that will point you in the right directions, along with the distance it will take you to get there. It’s hard to get lost, but if you do end up lost, just follow the pathways!
Something that I have forgotten and want to share is a cafe that houses a foot bath on the side. This cafe is located near Togetsukyo Bridge, facing the river. It may or may not still be there, but this cafe has plenty of sweets and iced desserts on the menu. For a small fee or a purchase of an item, you can get admission to the foot bath. They also include towels for a small fee. This was a great way to relax and unwind the muscles from walking up the mountain. If you can find this place, please let me know!
On the other side of the river is the Monkey Park Iwatayama. After climbing the staircase, the monkeys are visible on the mountain top. There’s an amazing view and panorama of the city. You can also go to the Ichitani Munakata Jinja Shrine along the way. Many people don’t know about the Monkey Park and I would definitely recommend going since Arashiyama is so far away from the city.
Who would I be if I didn’t mention restaurants or shops? I do admit I have forgotten a lot about the things I’ve eaten and what the shop names were, but not to worry! After walking for that long, I had stopped at a Soba Shop いわを, that is located on the main street. This was a choice I will never forget because it was the best soba I have ever eaten. I was tired and hot and sweaty and we had rounded the corner to see this soba shop. We went in and ordered, and I might have had a spiritual experience. A portion of cold and chewy noodles with the perfectly seasoned dipping sauce melted my exhaustion away. This shop has two levels and is located towards the end of the street. From the outside, it’s a simple shop, but don’t be fooled! A tip is that if this soba didn’t fill you up, just around the corner is a hidden collection of street food shops. Small eats and drinks can be found in that small alcove!
The main street is filled with restaurants and souvenir shops everywhere you look. I recommend getting an ice cream cone from one of the stands, especially Cremia! This brand is only found in Japan and tastes super creamy due to the higher milk fat compared to other ice creams. (I personally would go for the matcha and original Cremia and don’t tell my friend or I’ll get hit.)
Fruity dango, refreshing ade, small Japanese pastries are just something that made it to my stomach that day. There are many small shops that offer snacks and street foods that it’s easy to be full by just walking down one street! In the middle of the main street, there are two main food halls where you can find food. The local Arashiyama train line station houses the same shops as would any other train line, but it also public bathrooms for visitors. You can watch the local line chug its way down and sip on a seasonal drink on bench. This is also known as the Hannari Hokkori Square.
Directly across from this station is the Shoryuen Shopping Mall. A bigger and upper scale market, this place is two levels and houses things from food to souvenirs to handmade items. It’s a great stop for gifts and souvenirs. A picture-esqe open market, this mall has individual stores on both levels and easy to walk around. The first level also has many public benches so anyone can come and sit to relax.
My last stop before boarding the train back to Osaka was obviously dinner. We had walked by this restaurant once and came back since we were intrigued the first time. A vegetarian shop, Saga-Tofu Ine restaurant is known for tofu and their set menu. They make tofu in different styles and it is pleasing to the palette as well as the eyes! The highlight was the tofu skins in the bamboo container. We were seated on the second floor so we had a great birds eye view of the main street. You can get many great pictures of people in kimonos and people running rickshaws. They have various branches around Arashiyama, so keep an eye out!
This was one of the highlights of my trip and it was great to think about it again. As many people who go to Osaka or Kyoto already have this on their list to go to, I urge you to do the same! It may seem overrated or tourist dependent, but it is definitely worth the trip. The charm isn’t just in the Bamboo Grove, but the area surrounding it. The main street is a small picture of what it was like back in the day of Japan and the temples behind the Bamboo Forest get overlooked. Mingei Teika Folk Art store, Ogura Pond, Nison-in Temple, and Ogura Saten Shikian are just some of the hidden places to explore.
Hope you had fun reading and many hugs~
Baking Traveller 