Kyoto: Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Monkeys, Matcha & Temple Tour
Recommended by 99% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Kyoto, Japan
- 4 hours to 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Discover Kyoto’s picturesque Arashiyama district without doing any research or itinerary planning, thanks to this efficient small-group walking tour. Meet your guide at Tully's Coffee near Randen Arashiyama Station before exploring the famous Bamboo Forest, Tenryu-ji Temple, Nonomiya Shrine, and Monkey Park Iwatayama to see the macaques. Admission is included, saving time waiting in line.
- Get a guide’s shortlist of Arashiyama’s best places
- Discover places on foot that bus tours can’t access
- No need to follow a map: A guide takes care of navigating
- Enjoy the perk a matcha tea break along the way
What's Included
- Professional English Speaking Guide
- Entry fee to Tenryu-ji Temple included
- 1 Uji Matcha Drink Included
- Entrance Fee to Monkey Park Included
- Tips (optional)
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- TULLY’S COFFEE Randen Arashiyama Station Shop20-2 Sagatenryūji Tsukurimichichō, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto, 616-8384, Japan
Please meet us in front of TULLY’S COFFEE Randen Arashiyama Station Shop.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
TULLY’S COFFEE Randen Arashiyama Station Shop (Pass By)
1
Tenryu-ji Temple
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
2
Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Nonomiya Shrine
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Togetsukyo Bridge
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
Monkey Park Iwatayama
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 844 reviews
Eric_K, Mar 2026
When we signed up for the tour, we expected a “Professional Guide” but got a college student not a professional. The add also indicated this tour would last 4 to 4/12 hours but ended after 3 1/2 hours. We enjoyed the sites but do not believe we received as advertised.
EkGaud, Mar 2026
Worth checking and you should take the carriage pulled by the runners.they have a special path with less people
Nathalie_D, Mar 2026
10/10 would recommend this experience. Tim was our wonderful tour guide and he had great charisma and knowledge. He allowed us to explore at our own leisure and took the time to explain the history while also adding in his own humor. It was a great day and adventure!
Kerri_H, Mar 2026
Tim was awesome and we had such a great tour! He had a lot of fun and educational information and went at a great pace that left time for questions!
Michael_H, Mar 2026
Tom was terrific!! He was patient with all of our needs. He was very informative on the history of Japan and the temples.
Abdolreza_Z, Mar 2026
Mehrab Hasan was an excellent guide and made the tour very interesting. He was knowledgeable and polite. The tour takes in the bamboo forest which is a must see.
Myra_C, Mar 2026
We did this tour guided by Tim and Jake. Both were amazing, answered our questions in a conversational manner not animated like coming right off a script and you could tell that they love what they do and are knowledgeable about the area and history. Would recommend doing this tour with these two.
AnneMarie_F, Mar 2026
Our tour guide was Tom from Brazil. Tom was amazing and had a lots of interesting facts & stories for each of the stages of this walking tour. This gave great context to what we were looking at and Tom could answer all questions. Great tour guide! The bamboo forest is truly stunning...
Dayli_A, Mar 2026
This tour was one of the highlights of our trip to Kyoto! The bamboo forest, monkey park, and temples were all incredible, but the guides (Nay and Ray) truly made the experience unforgettable. They were knowledgeable, fun, and clearly passionate about sharing the history and culture of Kyoto. Everything was well organized and easy to enjoy. Highly recommend!
Corrie_W, Mar 2026
Tim was an amazing tour guide. He spoke loudly and clearly and had lots of background information and fun personal stories. He kept the tour moving at a good pace. We would recommend requesting a tour with Tim!
Paul_C, Mar 2026
Great fun but bring good shoes as lots of walking and don’t forget hydration. The Monkeys were lots of fun
Joe_T, Feb 2026
Be prepared to walk the whole time. Bring water to hydrate. Tour guide Tim encouraged a family atmosphere for the entire time. Did not feel rushed. Good pace.
George_S, Feb 2026
Tim was our guide and he was assisted by Ray. We had a small group. Tim and Ray was extremely friendly and flexible and curated the tour to meet the interests amd needs of the small group. The flow of information amd answers to the group's questions was outstanding. I would highly recommend this tour and our guides.
Tim and Ray, thank you for a wonderful day.
Alexander_N, Feb 2026
Fun and educational tour with Tim and Nikko. Our kids had a great time and rated it their favorite tour yet.
Julie_M, Feb 2026
This is a great tour! Our tour guides, Pedro and Lydia, did an excellent job showing us the included sites. They shared a lot of knowledge and history of the area. The guides and group were friendly and enjoyable. We were not rushed and all questions were answered. The climb to the monkeys looks daunting, but is not bad once you get started - and the view and the monkeys are worth the trip! We loved this tour and would highly recommend it.
Michael_T, Feb 2026
Good tour overall. But it might have been nice to get a bit off the beaten path. Everything on tour is the obvious stuff. But the context provided by the guide was useful at times. Note the monkey park is on your own. Basically the tour ends at the entrance. So guided tour is a bit over 3 hours
Kathyleen_B, Feb 2026
A great comprehensive tour to see two temples, bamboo forest, taste sake, matcha ice cream and see monkey park. Highly recommend it. Our tour guide Angelia Tyen very nice and informative.
Jeff_R, Dec 2025
We did several things on this tour and had a good tour guide. It was a tour group of 12 people and the tour guide handled us well. Four hours is a long tour but the tour guide broke it up nicely and made sure we had enough breaks and bathroom stops.
Margarita_V, Nov 2025
Wonderful tour. Loved it. Sofia was very informative and attentive. We had a very good time. Definitely worth it.
Noel_B, Nov 2025
Pedro ably supported Shen we’re very informative surrounding history of the locations we experienced. We had a lot of fun and would thoroughly recommend this to others albeit those who are not in great health will struggle to climb to the monkey location.
Kyla_T, Nov 2025
I really enjoyed this tour! Beautiful scenery, friendly staff, and a peaceful atmosphere! It was such a memorable experience!
Stuart_G, Nov 2025
Great experience! Tour guide was wonderful and very knowledgeable. Flexible with us when we got lost and very friendly
Jayde_N, Nov 2025
Honestly, I don’t understand how this tour has so many 5-star reviews.
The tour started late
because some guests arrived late, which was unfair for us who arrived on time.
The guide’s explanations were messy, limited, and felt scripted.
The whole experience was done in 2.5 hours despite being advertised for 4 hours. There was a lot of waiting and awkward silences, and the guide lacked confidence leading the group.
“Inclusions” were tiny food samples and one small item of choice (ice cream, shaved ice, or matcha).
Very disappointing and not worth the price. Even if everything had gone smoothly, this wouldn’t come close to a 5-star experience. I ended up exploring most of it on my own.
Clarissa_T, Nov 2025
Nay was our tour guide and he was outstanding. He took us to all of the sites and shared many interesting facts. Everyone in our tour was so thoroughly impressed with the information he shared and his enthusiasm for the culture. It is a fair amount of walking so be sure to wear comfortable shoes. Thanks again Nay for an amazing tour!
Kim_N, Oct 2025
Super friendly and knowledgeable guides. Gabri and Meg were great! They had lots of tips and info to share
Karen_B, Oct 2025
We thoroughly enjoyed our trip. I was a bit worried about the monkeys but they didn't approach you unless you went to the feeding area. Our guide Tim was excellent, he explained the history of the areas visited. The Tenryu-ji temple is well worth a look. The icecream was an added bonus.
Pia_S, Oct 2025
Great tour. Lots of uphill walking to see monkeys. Depending on weather can be treacherous. Beautiful scenery, lots of historical information. Lovely to stop for matcha ice cream which was included.
MichellePaul, Oct 2025
Shin and Maggie (who was training) did a fabulous job especially since we had a large group! He explained all the sites and history of each. My husband and I each had a hospital stay this past year so we didn’t do the uphill climb to see the monkeys but our friends did and gave us photos.
Clay_P, Oct 2025
The Zen atmosphere at Tenryu temple was incredibly peaceful and restorative. Those carefully designed gardens felt like stepping into a meditation retreat. The bamboo forest afterwards provided such a beautiful natural contrast to the formal temple setting.
Kailyn_M, Oct 2025
There was a small delay but it was quickly fixed and we had a great time with Tim. He was informative and great to chat with. He pointed out many different places to eat it experience and he really showed how much he loved this job. The monkeys were great to see and it ends right near the river tour 100% recommend.
From $51.15
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Kyoto: Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Monkeys, Matcha & Temple Tour
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