Arashiyama Walking Tour: Bamboo Grove & More

Embark on a unique walking tour of Arashiyama, taking in the tranquil Bamboo Forest, the interactive Monkey Park, and hidden gems with a local guide.

Duration: 5 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Arashiyama - Saga-Arashiyama Station: Gather at Saga-Arashiyama Station, where there is an opportunity to explore the nearby area and get to know the group.
  • Nonomiya Shrine - Nonomiya Shrine is a small yet historically important Shinto shrine in Arashiyama, Kyoto. Traditionally, it was used for purification rituals by unmarried imperial…
What's Included
  • Okochi Sanso (admission paid)
  • Tenryuji Temple (admission paid)
  • Bamboo Forest
  • Knowledgeable & Bilingual Tour Guide
  • Togetsukyo Bridge
  • Matcha Green Tea
  • Cultural and historical Insights
  • Monkey Park (paid - short hike)
What's Not Included
  • Tips (accepted & welcomed)
  • Lunch & Dinner
  • Pick up not available
Additional Information

Join our tour to discover the heart of Arashiyama on foot, guided by a local expert to explore its hidden treasures. This walking tour seamlessly combines the area’s natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, and engaging activities.
Stroll through the tranquil Bamboo Grove, explore the historic Tenryuji Gardens, marvel at the colorful Kimono Forest, cross…

Location
Saga-Arashiyama Station
Meet at Saga-Arashiyama Station, 15 minutes early. Head to the rounded window near the North Gate (see photo). It’s upstairs and inside. WhatsApp is mandatory for receiving tour info and updates. Please install the app. Due to the terrain, strollers and wheelchairs are not permitted on this tour.
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
5.0
(814 Ratings)
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Paul_l
Jun 10, 2025
Kyoto experience - Nice tour to some of the bigger sites in Kyoto. Aron was very informative during the tour both with the area and history. He also gave us periods of free time to enjoy certain spots at our leisure. His experience paid off big time when trying to get the best photos and less crowded areas. Strongly recommend if you’re traveling to Kyoto.
Review provided by Viator
Mark_f
Jun 10, 2025
Max is legendary YEAH BABY - Absolutely amazing tour! max was an absolute pleasure! If you do this tour 110000% ask for max! He made the entire experience. So many sites and scenes explored in one day! With a couple of secret spots! Yeeeeeaaahhh BABY
Review provided by Viator
Jordan
Jun 9, 2025
A great tour with a knowledgeable and great guide. - Maria was an amazing guide. She was very knowledgeable, very friendly and pretty funny in my opinion. Really enjoyed the tour from beginning to end. The hike itself is quite the journey but the pace makes it easier to endure. Highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Margaret_c
Jun 8, 2025
Great tour - It’s a walking tour…. A long walking tour. So much information, so much history, absolutely loved this tour. Max our guide was wonderful, funny, full of history and couldn’t do enough for us. Saw and learned more than we expected.
Review provided by Viator
Aracelim421
Jun 8, 2025
It was informative, fun and interesting - The attractions were amazing. Our guide Max even added secret places that at captivating Max took a lot of photos for our memories - even gave up tips for iphone secrets worthy of social media postings. Highly recommended
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Susankokay
Jun 7, 2025
So glad we didn't miss this one - Our friends chose this tour, literally 2 days before a story was written about it in The New York Times. This was our first day in Japan after a loooong long travel day and we were very glad that we chose a 9:30am time because we did manage to be there before the crowds hit. It was a perfect way to start the trip with our excellent guide Marie. This involved a lot of walking and some steep climbs, which we welcomed after sitting for so long on a plane and a train to get to Kyoto. The bamboo itself is remarkable, but the entire trip up the mountain was beautiful with some special stopping places, including my favorite all-I-could-drink green tea. It was a hot day and my cold matcha was delicious and more than welcome. The whole excursion was very worthwhile and a perfect way to start a trip in Kyoto.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Katherinemp9046cy
Jun 7, 2025
Incredible tour guide and amazing sights - Mari was an incredible tour guide. So knowledgeable, charismatic and an amazing photographer so the entire tour experience was an absolute dream. Would highly recommend!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Annika_h
Jun 6, 2025
Worth it! - This was so much fun! Max the tour guide is AMAZING. All of the sights were really cool and we had plenty of time to enjoy everything!
Review provided by Viator
Jay_fraaank
Jun 5, 2025
Great experience! Worth it! - Very friendly guide and knowledgeable about the history of Kyoto and Japan in general. Was really hospitable and accommodating with offering to take our photos.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Heather_w
Jun 9, 2025
Good tour with great... - Good tour with great highlights of the area - loved the bamboo forest!! The monkey experience was fine but the description didn’t stress intensity of hike…much more challenging than stated. This would be a difficult hike for older people or anyone with physical limitations.
Review provided by Viator
From $85
up to 11 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).