Kyoto Arashiyama Bamboo forest & Hidden Garden Walking Tour
Recommended by 99% of travelers
Kyoto, Japan
- 5 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Get an up-close perspective of Kyoto’s Arashiyama district on this small-group walking tour. Learn more about Kyoto’s history and culture as you visit Arashiyama highlights such as the beautiful bamboo grove, the 14th-century Tenryuji Temple, the wide Togetsukyo Bridge over the Katsura River, and more. Get a more intimate look at this rich part of town by exploring on foot for about four hours.
- Receive personalized attention on a tour with max. seven participants
- Entrance fees to the temples on the itinerary are included
- Refuel with a delicious and authentic Kyoto-style lunch (included)
- Tour photos will be provided after so you can focus on seeing the sights
What's Included
- Entrance fee - 2 temples and 1 garden including Tenryu-ji Temple (World Heritage)
- A Certified guide by MagicalTrip
- Photos during the tour
- LunchMichelin-Rated Lunch: "Shojin Ryori" (Traditional Buddhist Vegetarian/Vegan Course) inside Tenryu-ji Temple or traditional Kyoto lunch ※Please request at least 1day before the tour
- Additional foods and drinks (Available for Purchase)
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 嵯峨嵐山駅北口タクシー乗り場Sagatenryuji Kurumamichicho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto, 616-8373, Japan
Outside the North Exit of JR Saga-Arashiyama Station, at the bottom of the stairs (near taxi stand). Your guide will be holding an orange signboard saying "Magical Trip".
End point
- Togetsukyō Bridge1-5 Sagatenryūji Susukinobabachō, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto, 616-8384, Japan
Tour will finish around main souvenir street. It may change depending on the location of the lunch restaurant.
Itinerary
1
Hokyoin
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
2
Sagaogurayama Donomaecho
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
3
Bamboo Forest Street
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Okochi Sanso Garden
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
Tenryu-ji Temple
1 hour 10 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
6
Togetsukyo Bridge
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- Vegetarian/Vegan/Gluten-free are limited. ※Please request as soon ss possible. We'll make out best to accommodate
- As we will visit Buddhist and Shintoism facilities, please make sure to wear respectful clothing.
- People of all ages can join this tour.
- This tour is not recommended for people with mobility issues. If you have difficulty walking, we recommend booking a private tour.
- Please inform us at least one day before the tour if you have any dietary requests or allergies to mention.※ Requests made on the tour day cannot be accommodated. Please kindly understand that we are unable to guarantee allergy-free meals, accommodation of dietary restrictions or the substitutions, as the food is prepared in kitchens that do not belong to us.
- Japan's climate has become more extreme, with summer highs reaching 40°C (104°F) and winter lows dropping to -5°C (23°F). Please prepare accordingly for the tour. The tour may be canceled in the event of unsuitable weather for safety reasons.
- As this is a walking tour, please make sure you wear shoes with which you feel comfortable walking long distance
- Alternative: In the rare case that Sho-jin ryori restaurant inside Tenryu-ji temple is fully booked, we will guide you to another historic restaurant (est. 1965) famous for Kyoto's iconic Tofu cuisine, offering a beautiful Japanese room in Sukiya-style architecture.
- End of Tour: The tour ends at Tenryu-ji Temple, the heart of Arashiyama. You are perfectly positioned to continue your day by visiting the Monkey Park, relaxing at a nearby Onsen (hot spring), or shopping for souvenirs.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 7 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
5.0
based on 439 reviews
PeggySue_F, Apr 2026
Lovely tour of the temples and gardens in the area of the bamboo forest. Akiro was an informative and friendly guide. There were only 2 couples in our group so he was able to customize the pace for us. Great day. Highly recommend.
Vegetarian meal at the end was fantastic.
Physical notes: I registered in 14000+ steps on this tour. Some of it was up and down hillsides or on rock paths. We sat on the floor in traditional Japanese style although there were short chairs available for those who needed them.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you so much for your detailed and thoughtful review! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the temples and gardens near the bamboo forest and had a great experience with Akira. It’s wonderful that the small group size allowed for a more personalized pace, and that you enjoyed the vegetarian meal at the end.
Thank you again for your recommendation, and we hope to welcome you on another tour in the future!
Lan_W, Jan 2026
Josh is an amazing tour guide. He explained great details about the history and the culture during the tour, he was humorous, and told the stories in a fun and memorable style. The lunch was delicious, elegant, and fancy. I enjoyed very much. I would highly recommend this tour.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you very much for your review!
We’re so happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour with Josh and learned about the history and culture in a fun way. It’s also great to know you enjoyed the lunch.
Thank you for recommending the tour, and we hope to see you again in the future! MagicalTrip
JANICE_M, Nov 2025
Yuki was an awesome Tour guide. Answered all of our questions and provided us with solid information regarding the forest and area. Definitely recommend this tour.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thank you so much for your wonderful review!
It’s fantastic to know that you enjoyed the tour and would recommend it!
We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you on another MagicalTrip adventure in the future. MagicalTrip
Susan_P, Oct 2025
Our guide Masa was awesome. Very knowledgeable. The lunch was amazing and the location was so serene.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear that Masa made your tour so enjoyable and that you loved the lunch and the serene location. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you on another MagicalTrip experience soon! MagicalTrip
Ryan_D, Oct 2025
Ayuri is amazing! She was very attentive and gave great knowledge along the tour and hands on experience at the temples is what you're probably looking for. The bamboo forest was amazing, a couple hidden relaxing spots to try to the acidic yogurt drink and a kanji lesson. Ayuri explained everything well with an amazing lunch at the end!
Mark_H, May 2025
Great tour of amazing Kyoto. A must experience. Bring your walking shoes cause did about 28k steps. Loved it
Carl_H, Apr 2025
Ayuri was fantastic. Her knowledge of the culture and the area was deep. I learned a lot about Japanese culture. She was very attractive and concerned about our whereabouts in a crowd as to not lose us. She too her time to explain the traditions and why they are traditions. She also explained and gave the back history of what we were seeing. And why buildings were place where they were. The best tour guide I have had!
Louise_B, Apr 2025
Nice to see bamboo forest trees- so tall; containers of kimonos were colourful and designs are beautiful. Lunch was unusual and excellent Japanese vegetarian.
Leith_B, Jul 2024
Had a great time. Saw old Tokyo and got to shop around. Ken was very patient and a great help in guiding us around Asakusa, Akihabara, and Ueno.
Nick_H, Jul 2024
Great way to see the Arashiyama area. There’s so much more to see than the bamboo grove and it’s worth exploring. This tour helps to avoid many of the crowded areas.
Maria_S, May 2024
The tour was lovely, we spent half the day walking around this beautiful part of Kyoto, our guide Nick was very knowledgable, the pace of the tour was perfect, relaxed and yet we saw and experienced plenty. Even the rain could not ruin the experience. The lunch we had at the Buddhist temple was the cherry on top of an already great experience. Would definitely recommend to anyone looking to explore this part of Kyoto.
Caitlyn_H, May 2024
This tour took us to so many beautiful locations including the Arashiyama bamboo forest. In addition to the bamboo forest, we were guided through so of the most stunning and peaceful zen gardens that you don’t want to miss. Our guide Hiroko was so kind, knowledgeable and fun to be around. She made our tour so enjoyable and provided us with so much great information. The traditional lunch that was included was very good and such a unique overall experience. This tour has a lot of walking, but even so, it was a very relaxing experience with the locations we visited and the amount of time we had at each stop. This is a tour you don’t want to skip!
Jenny_B, Apr 2024
Yumi was an excellent guide! Her English was good and she also had visual aids to help learn more about shrines and temples. The gardens were stunning. The lunch was absolutely wonderful. All at a great price.
Asha_P, Apr 2024
Our guide Josh was excellent, friendly and well versed in his sites. Josh was able to share interesting facts about the sites we visited. He was able to share sites which were unique and not on the tourists paths. We visited temple and gardens which seemed to be waiting just for us to visit. We would highly recommend our guide as well as the tour operator.
dani, Mar 2024
We were the only two people on the tour so our guide, Kana, gave us a personalized experience. We learned so much about the history of the temples, the gardens, and enjoyed walking through the Bamboo forest on the trail. It was a beautiful and peaceful tour- highly recommend!
Mary_K, Dec 2023
I had the pleasure of being the only guest which allowed me to really get to know the guide and discuss the history and culture. Delightful guide!
Four star lunch to boot! Highly recommend!
Tara_C, Sep 2023
Incredible experience. Very worth it. We had a great guide and the walking tour was wonderful. The lunch was even better. One of the highlights of our entire trip to Japan.
Jill_S, Jul 2023
This was a wonderful tour and I highly recommend it. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and we learned a lot about Japanese religion and history. She took us to off-the-beaten-path locations, including a temple with the most beautiful, serene garden, and a garden with amazing views of the city and mountains. We also visited a famous shrine. And of course, the bamboo forest, which is really something to see. We went early enough that it wasn't too crowded. The tour included a delicious vegetarian kaiseki lunch, and our guide explained what everything was and how to eat it. The pace of the tour was perfect for the very hot weather, including a couple of stops to sit in a temple and contemplate the garden while we learned about its history and meaning, and a stop for cold matcha tea. I wish I could give the tour and our guide 6 stars!
Donna_B, Apr 2023
Our Guide was wonderful. Everything we did was so beautiful and it is a tour everyone should experience while in Kyoto.
Griffin_C, Apr 2023
Overall a very good tour and would recommend if you have more than just a couple days in Kyoto. You will go to places that you wouldn’t on your own and you will learn a lot of interesting facts. We stopped at temples, gardens, shops, bamboo forest, and had an awesome lunch. The lunch was a very unique and authentic experience, one of my favorite parts of the tour and something I never would’ve been able to do own my own. Tour guide will give you the option to leave whenever you want which is nice. Tour was 9-2:30-2:45 so when adding travel time it’s basically an all day tour. Only comment would be that the tour could be done in a shorter period of time, probably an hour shorter.
Turquitrip_T, Aug 2024
No lohicimos por un Tifon qjue se aproximaba a Japon y nos lo reembolsaron, a pesar de que otras actividades si lo hicieron
Response from Host, Sep 2024
Thank you for your honest review and sorry that we couldn't reply you earlier.
We apologize that we were not able to conduct your tour and it cause you disappointments.
Under the situation which typhoon was approaching, we had to cancel the tour and made refund with following the weather forecast. It was important to prioritize safety of all our guests, and we'd appreciate if you could understand.
We really hope you will come to see us someday and enjoy great experience together !
Sincerely,
MagicalTrip Team
Moises_S, May 2024
Llegue 9:03 y no habia nadie ellos dicen que esperaron hasta las 9.10 pero es mentira nadie estaba ahi
Response from Host, Jun 2024
Thank you for your feedback. On the tour date, our guide and other 2 guests were waiting at the meeting place on time and they even waited for additional 10 minutes at the same place. If you could let us know earlier, we could assist you further. But by considering the situation, the tour group had to start the tour without you. Sorry for your inconvenience, but we hope you could understand our policy. Thank you.
From $127.10
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