Kyoto Sightseeing: You can't go wrong here! 8 Royal Spots in Arashiyama and Surrounding Areas

Arashiyama" is one of the must-visit places when you come to Kyoto. Arashiyama is a famous sightseeing spot in Kyoto that everyone has an image of.
In Arashiyama, you can visit scenic spots with beautiful seasonal views, experience the thrill of river rafting, and so much more.
In this article, we would like to introduce some recommended sightseeing spots in Arashiyama, Kyoto, that you should not miss and that will surely satisfy you.

Table of Contents

Togetsu Bridge

Sagano Trolley Train

3. Hozu River Rafting

4. Bamboo grove path

Kimono Forest

Tenryuji Temple

Nison-in Temple

Arashiyama Park

■ Summary

Togetsu Bridge

It is no exaggeration to say that the symbol of Arashiyama is "Togetsu Bridge.
Wataratsukibashi Bridge over the Katsura River is 155 meters long and was originally built by the monk Dosho between 834 and 848. At that time, it was called Horinji Bridge.
In the Kamakura period (1185-1333), the name of the bridge was changed to Watarigatsukibashi (meaning "moon bridge" in Japanese) after Emperor Kameyama saw the moon and likened it to "the crossing of a bearless moon.

The current Togetsu Bridge, built in 1934, has reinforced concrete piers, but the parapets are made of hinoki cypress, blending in with the typical Kyoto scenery.
Visitors can also enjoy the contrast with the autumn leaves and watch the cormorant fishing and lantern floating ceremony.

Facility Name:Watarizukibashi Bridge (between Tokyo and Yokohama)
Address: Arashiyama, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
Access: about 5 minutes walk from "Arashiyama Station" of Keifuku Electric Railway and Hankyu Railway

Sagano Trolley Train

The Sagano Trolley Train is one of the sightseeing specialties of Arashiyama. It takes about 25 minutes to complete the 7.3-km journey from Trolley Saga Station to Trolley Kameoka Station.
Some of the train cars are open, with no windows, so you can directly feel the natural scenery of Arashiyama and experience the wind.

The beautiful scenery of the four seasons greets you: cherry blossoms in spring, the murmuring of the Hozu River and fresh greenery in summer, autumn leaves in fall, and snowy landscapes in winter.
There are scenic spots around the Trolley Hozukyo Station that are designated as the Kyoto Prefectural Hozukyo Nature Park, so be sure to appreciate them when they are announced on the train.

Facility Name:Sagano Trolley Train
Address: Saga Tenryuji Kurumamicho, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto (Trolley Saga Station)
Access: A short walk from JR Saga-Arashiyama Station

HP:https://www.sagano-kanko.co.jp/

3. Hozu River Rafting

For a thrilling experience in Arashiyama, check out the Hozu River Rafting.
The Hozu River Rafting is a 16-km tour down the mountain stream from Kameoka to Saga, and can be enjoyed by small children and adults alike. The rock formations, the murmuring of the river, and the vivid natural beauty of the valley make it a wonderful experience throughout the four seasons.
It was started around 1895 as a river cruise on a pleasure boat to allow visitors to experience this mystical landscape up close.
Today, it attracts attention from all over the world, with more than 300,000 visitors a year in some years.

Facility Name:Hozu River cruise
Address: 2 Shimonakajima, Hozu-cho, Kameoka-shi, Kyoto (Hozu River boat boarding area)
Access: about 8 minutes walk from JR Sagano Kameoka Station

HP:https://www.hozugawakudari.jp/

4. Bamboo grove path

The "Bamboo Grove Path" is located northwest of the Watarigatsu Bridge. It is said that this area was a villa of aristocrats in the Heian period (794-1185).

Even in summer, the tall bamboos block out the sun, making for a relatively cool sightseeing experience.
This is a spot where you can experience Kyoto by riding on a jinrikisha for a relaxing sightseeing tour and taking pictures in yukata (light cotton kimono).

Facility Name:Bamboo grove path
Address: Saga-Okurayama Tabuchiyama-cho, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
Access: Approx. 10 minutes walk from "Arashiyama Station" of Keifuku Electric Railway

Kimono Forest

Kimono Forest is located near the platform of Arashiyama Station on the Randen Line.
Kimono Forest is an area lined with poles made of acrylic wrapped with Kyoyuzen fabrics produced at Kameda Tomi Dyeing Factory, a long-established dyeing company that has been in business since the Taisho era (1912-1926). It was created by designer Yasumichi Morita.
The 600 columns, each 2 meters high, look like a forest of kimonos, a truly new expression of tradition in the world of Kyoto yuzen.

During the day, visitors can enjoy the patterns and colors of Kyo-yuzen, and at night they are enveloped in light for a different and fantastic appearance.
This is a photogenic corner to visit by day or by night.

Facility Name:kimono forest
Address: 20-2 Saga Tenryu Jizouro-cho, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
Access: A short walk from "Arashiyama Station" of Keifuku Electric Railway

Tenryuji Temple

Tenryuji Temple is the main temple of the Tenryuji School of Rinzai Zen Buddhism, located in Ukyo-ku, Kyoto.
It was founded by Ashikaga Takauji in 2 Rekiou 2 to make a memorial service for Emperor Godaigo.
This Zen temple, associated with the Ashikaga shoguns and Emperor Godaigo, was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994 as a "cultural asset of the ancient capital of Kyoto.

Arashiyama, Togetsu Bridge, and Kameyama Park used to be within the precincts of the temple, and even today, visitors can enjoy the changing seasons through nature.
Sogen-ike Garden," a garden with a circular path around a pond, was created about 700 years ago by the monk Muso Kokushi, and offers a breathtaking view of the distant Arashiyama. You will want to stay and enjoy the view forever.

Facility Name:Tenryuji Temple
Address: 68 Sagano-baba-cho, Tenryuji, Saga, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
Access: A short walk from "Arashiyama Station" of Keifuku Electric Railway

HP:http://www.tenryuji.com/

Nison-in Temple

Nison-in Temple was built in the Heian period (794-1185) and, as its name suggests, enshrines two deities, Shakyamuni Buddha and Amida Nyorai. It became well known during the Kamakura period (1185-1333), when Honen spread his teachings.
The Imperial Gate, through which only the emperor's messenger could pass, is characterized by its roof shaped like a bow.
Feel the silence in the elegant Kyoto-like scenery of the 100-meter-long approach to the temple.

Facility Name:Ninseiin Temple
Address: 27 Chogami-cho, Saga Nison-in Monzen, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
Access: Approximately 20 minutes on foot from "Arashiyama" station on the Hankyu Arashiyama Line

HP:https://nisonin.jp/

Arashiyama Park

Arashiyama Park is located near where the Katsura River flows.
It also offers a view of the Togetsu Bridge, which has been a popular scenic spot for viewing cherry blossoms in spring and autumn leaves in fall since the Heian period (794-1185).
There is also a plaza and an observatory, making it a perfect place to stop by and relax when the family comes to Arashiyama for sightseeing.

Facility Name:Arashiyama Park
Address: Saga Kamenoo-cho, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
Access: 5 min. walk from Hankyu Railway "Arashiyama

HP:https://www.pref.kyoto.jp/koen-annai/ara.html

■ Summary

In this issue, we have introduced some recommended sightseeing spots in the Arashiyama area of Kyoto.
You can be active and go down the Hozugawa River, or take a trolley train to enjoy the scenery...!
Just thinking about it is exciting. You can arrange the places to go around according to the season and time of day you visit.â