Arashiyama Tour: Hidden Temples and Bamboo

Explore Arashiyama’s hidden temples and serene bamboo forests. Discover wabi-sabi’s beauty in imperfection on this tranquil Kyoto walking tour.

Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple - Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple is a tranquil and lesser-known treasure, offering a distinctive and personal experience. The temple is famous for its collection of over 1,200 stone statues, known as rakan, each with unique facial expressions, creating a whimsical yet peaceful atmosphere. The serene gardens and natural…
What's Included
  • Tea and coffee
  • Guided walk of Arashiyama
  • Local Guide
  • Admission fee for Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple and Jojakko-ji Temple
Additional Information

Experience Arashiyama in a unique way with this small-group walking tour. While you will still explore renowned attractions like the Bamboo Forest and Togetsukyo Bridge, the guide will also take you to lesser-known temples steeped in history, traditional villages, and picturesque local spots often overlooked by tourists. This tour is crafted to be both…

Location
Hannari Hokkori Square
Meetup: 09:15 am Go to Hannari Hokkori Square in front of Randen Arashiyama Station. Meet a guide with a green signboard written "Japan Wonder Travel" . Please come 15 minutes before the start time.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(38 Ratings)
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Coastal13523008049
Mar 30, 2026
Hidden gems and a beautiful, peaceful walk in the mountains - This tour gave us the chance to discover some of the lesser known Kyoto shrines and temples in the area. The tour took in some very beautiful sights and was extremely calm and peaceful. This was very welcome during the busy sakura season. Our guide Higashimori was very knowledgable and made everything very interesting.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Seaside67259307652
Mar 24, 2026
Best Nature tour - A temple with 1200 statues is unique in the world and a must see place, walking on the road next to the temple was the best experience. The Baboo Garden was very crowded but we still enjoyed the nature walk. Guide Thalashi was very helpful and humble. Sharing his knowledge about Buddhism in Japan and how it's different from the rest of the world was useful. Took lots of pictures of us Nice person!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Terri_m
Mar 14, 2026
Great guide and interesting sights - Our guide Chiko was a pleasure to spend time with. She was organized and well prepare. Full of knowledge about the many stops on our walk. She even escorted us to a restaurant after the tour ended. She also took pictures of us. I was a lillte sad that the itinerary didn't enter the Bamboo forest. My bad for not reading the details closely enough. We did pass by and get to take a photo.
Review provided by Viator
Lily_m
Sep 14, 2025
Amazing Kyoto - Tour guide professional and informative. So much to see and learn about Kyoto. We had a great time. My suggestion is for you to come to Kyoto in Spring (Cherry Blossoms) or Autumn. Summer in Kyoto is hot and humid but if you’re someone who don’t mind the hot and humid weather, Japan is a must see country: history; culture; aesthetics, and so much more.
Review provided by Viator
Voyage66982357226
Sep 6, 2025
Exploring Oku Saga - We visited 2 temples and each temple was quite impressive. Otagi Nenbutsu ji temple have 1,200 unique stone rakan statues (disciples of Buddha), each carved with a different expression—some humorous, some serene. Jyo Jakko ji temple have a beautiful moss gardens, bamboo forests and views over Kyoto city from its hillside location. Overall Oku-Saga has a calm, rural atmosphere with narrow lanes, old houses, small temples, and rice fields.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sai
Sep 6, 2025
Walking Tour in Arashiyama - I joined a wonderful half day tour in Arashiyama led by Saeko who guided us with a warm smile and clear explanations. Highlights included the 1,200 statues at Otagi-Nenbutsuji Temple, a refreshing drink stop on the way to Jojakko-ji Temple, a walk along Saga Toriimoto Preserved Street, and a photo stop at the Bamboo Grove. It was fun, educational, and a great way to learn about Kyoto’s culture and history. I highly recommend this tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
J6200nyek
Sep 2, 2025
Friendly and experienced guide - My guide Toshi is extremely helpful and friendly and well prepared. He knows all the best spots and gave me time to take photos and explored. Besides historical facts, he had also shared his experience as a local. He would talk at the right timing and made sure that I hadn‘t missed a view or the essential information. The cafe break was also very nice and an experience to observe and talk to the locals as well. I do very much appreciated the experience. Nice choice of popular spots as well as hidden gems.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Elodiebw514fs
Aug 31, 2025
Great experience! - It was a really great tour! Osamu san was our guide and he was super friendly, explained everything we would be doing i details and a great guide. Thank you!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Muskanb371
Aug 30, 2025
Arashiyama Walking Tour - The Arashiyama walking tour was a wonderful experience. The itinerary was well-planned, covering beautiful temples, quiet streets, and the famous bamboo grove at a relaxed pace. Everything was organized smoothly, and it never felt rushed. Our guide, Tossy, made the day even better with his friendly personality and great knowledge—he shared interesting stories that brought each place to life. It was a perfect mix of culture, nature, and fun. I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone visiting Kyoto!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dreamer19604608701
Aug 30, 2025
What a memorable tour with Tossy! - What a wonderful tour I had! Our guide Tossy was really professional. He was really plite but friendly, knowledgebul and taking really good care of all the members. Thanks for him all we had a relixing, enjoyable time. I really recommend the tour with Tossy! Thank you for your hard work to give us such a memorable moment, Tossy!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $76
up to 8 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).