Best Alternatives to Arashiyama Bamboo Grove in Kyoto

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So you’ve heard about the bamboo grove in Arashiyama, but you also heard about the crowds.

Luckily, there are some less-crowded bamboo grove alternatives in Arashiyama.

But I recommend not coming just for bamboo (and then leaving).

Make a full day trip to Arashiyama to explore beyond the bamboo as there is much more to see and explore.

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First, Should You Even Try to Visit the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove?

These days, most people avoid the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove for one simple reason:

It’s too crowded.

The bamboo walkway is pretty, but should you really avoid it altogether? Is it not worth even checking out?

Adjust Your Expectations

If you adjust your expectations, you can enjoy your time at the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove.

Here’s what to expect at the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove:

Expect to not be able to get a photo without crowds in the background.
Expect to be constantly in the way of other people’s photos.
Expect to have to elbow your way through the crowds on the pathway.

How to Have a Better Experience in the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

Suggestions on how to make your experience better:

Go early. I know you’ve probably heard this before, but it’s solid advice. The number one tip for visiting the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is to go early and try to beat some of the crowds.
Walk farther down. Head to the very end of the bamboo grove, all the way down to the Okochi Sanso Garden. I found there were way less crowds at this end.
Don’t take (many) photos. Consider visiting without taking any photos. Just enjoy walking through the bamboo grove (quickly), and then move on to my alternatives below.

girl standing in the middle of a crowded bamboo grove path with blurred people rushing by — Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

Alternative 1: Tenryu-ji Temple

Cost: 500 yen for garden admission only (or 800 yen for garden plus building entry)
Hours: 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Location: Japan, 〒616-8385 Kyoto, Ukyo Ward, Sagatenryuji Susukinobabacho, ６８
Website: tenryuji.com/en/visit

Did you know that part of the famous Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is in Tenryu-ji Temple’s gardens?

Yes, you can see and admire the bamboo grove from the other side, in Tenryu-ji Temple, and there are far less crowds.

In fact, the north gate entrance to Tenryu-ji Temple is directly on the bamboo grove path.

So, if you enter from the main temple entrance, walk through Tenryu-ji Temple’s gardens, you can then exit out of the north gate directly onto the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, bypassing the busiest part of the bamboo grove pathway.

Do take the time to wander and stroll around Tenryu-ji Temple as there are lots of pathways, viewpoints, and gardens to admire.

It’s an incredibly beautiful place!

girl standing in front of a bamboo grove mixed with yellow maple trees — Tenryu-ji Temple

a bamboo grove mixed with yellow maple trees — Tenryu-ji Temple

girl holding a tote bag standing in front of red trees and bamboo — Tenryu-ji Temple

girl holding a tote bag standing near a trail with a view — Tenryu-ji Temple

Alternative 2: Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple

Cost: 500 yen
Hours: 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Location: 17番地 Sagatoriimoto Adashinocho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto, 616-8436, Japan
Website: nenbutsuji.jp/eng

Adashino Nenbutsuji is a Buddhist temple and memorial site that features 8,000 stone grave markers and a small grove of bamboo.

The bamboo lines a stairway on each side, curving to the right. It’s much smaller than the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, but the bamboo is densely packed and beautiful.

How crowded it is? Not very crowded at all!

Adashino Nenbutsuji is a one-mile walk from the Arashiyama city center, so not many tourists make it up to this more remote location.

For me, that’s a plus. This area is so beautiful and you have it almost all to yourself.

However, because the bamboo grove is so small, you can’t really distance yourself from other visitors. When we visited, there were less than a dozen other tourists, and we waited a few minutes for a photo once they’d passed.

What else is there to do? After visiting the bamboo grove, be sure to wander around the temple and learn its history.

How to get there: You can walk, like we did, or take a bus.

If taking the bus, use Google or Apple Maps to map your route and find accurate timetables.

We took the bus from here back to Arashiyama since it was raining so much, and I used Apple Maps to help find the nearest bus stop.

girl standing on a stairway in the middle of a bamboo grove — Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple

girl in front of hundreds of stone grave markers in the temple — Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple

hundreds of stone grave markers in the temple — Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple

red lanterns lit up at night at the temple — Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple

What’s Next?

Consider heading to Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple, which is about 10 minutes up the street from Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple.

Why visit? Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple has 1,200 unique stone statues, making it one of the most interesting temples in Japan.

I really, really wanted to visit it, but on the day of my visit it was heavily raining and turning to dusk, so it wasn’t in the cards for us.

How Long to Spend in Arashiyama Kyoto

I highly recommend devoting a full day to visiting Arashiyama.

Please don’t just come for the bamboo grove and then leave. There are some beautiful temples, gardens, and viewpoints in Arashiyama that are definitely worth visiting.

Arashiyama was my absolute favorite part of Kyoto — its beautiful nature and historical charm are truly unmatched.

I hope this post convinces you to stay a bit longer in Arashiyama. You won’t regret it.

Suggested Itinerary for a Day Visiting Bamboo Groves in Arashiyama

Morning:

Check out Kimono Forest in Arashiyama Station upon arrival
Walk across Togetsukyo Bridge and admire Katsura River
Visit Arashiyama Monkey Park
Wander Tenryu-ji Temple (Bamboo Grove No. 1)
Walk through the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove (Bamboo Grove No. 2)

Afternoon:

Lunch at Akamanma
Visit Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple (Bamboo Grove No. 3)
Visit Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple

How to Get to Arashiyama Kyoto

The best and fastest route to Arashiyama depends on your starting point.

Use Google Maps / Apple Maps to map out the best route for you.

Note that there are a few stations in Arashiyama with similar names.

Option 1: Take the Light Rail to Arashiyama Station

I ended up taking the light rail Randen Arashiyama Line to the last station, A13 Arashiyama Station. Arashiyama Station is right in the middle of the Kimono Forest and on the main street in Arashiyama.

You don’t need tickets and can just tap your IC card on the way on/off.

Option 2: Take the Train to Saga-Arashiyama Station

There is a train (the JR San-In Line Rapid) that leaves from Kyoto Station to Saga-Arashiyama Station, which is a little bit farther away from the city center.

view of a temple with trees with red and green leaves — Tenryu-ji Temple

Where to Stay in Kyoto for a Day Trip to Arashiyama

I visited Arashiyama as a day trip while staying in Kyoto.

There are a lot of options of where to stay in Kyoto, and in the end I’m glad I chose not to stay in the super touristy areas.

Where I stayed: I stayed at the ANA Crowne Plaza Kyoto, which is in a quiet neighborhood, by a major subway station — Nijojo-mae Station — and right across the street from the beautiful Nijo Castle. The hotel is in the process of being renovated, and we were fortunate to be put in one of the newly remodeled rooms (you can request one, too).

Free shuttle service: ANA Crowne Plaza Kyoto offers a free shuttle bus service to Kyoto Station. We used it almost every morning for day trips.

This is the most current shuttle bus schedule that matched the one I saw during my visit in November 2024. It may be different today, so call the hotel if the shuttle doesn’t appear. Some of the staff at this hotel also speak English.

Nearby restaurants: During our stay in Kyoto, we did three day trips including the one to Nara, and because of this we often returned late. It was so nice to have a go-to ramen restaurant for dinner and to be staying in such a quiet, safe neighborhood. It’s a fond memory of heading into the warm ramen shop every night, leaving the rain outside, and slurping the best noodles we had in Japan.

Ramen Fukuchian – Nijō-jō Castle: This corner ramen shop is open until 9 p.m. and it is so good. I also tried the famous Ichiran ramen while in Japan, and this ramen shop was way better. For vegetarians, they offer a vegetarian miso ramen!
Colorado Masusan: Just steps away from the hotel is this cute cafe that serves the most delicious egg toast and matcha milk. I am now a huge fan of the thick Japanese toast, and I loved eating here every morning.
7-Eleven: We became obsessed with the smoothie machine at 7-Eleven, and we walked here often, morning and night, to make our daily smoothie.

How to save money: For Americans, I recommend applying for an IHG credit card to receive a sign-up offer that will cover several nights at the ANA Crowne Plaza Kyoto hotel. That is what I did, and I was able to cover my entire stay with points.

view from the Ana Crowne Plaza Kyoto hotel which shows the adjacent Nijo Castle lit up at night — View from the Ana Crowne Plaza Kyoto hotel

a bowl of ramen on a table inside a ramen shop in Kyoto — Ramen Fukuchian

What to Pack for Your Trip to Japan

Comfortable and convenient footwear

You’ll likely walk a lot while visiting Japan, so a good pair of walking shoes is a must. However, one additional recommendation is make sure your sneakers are slip-in.

Why wear slip-in sneakers?

Many traditional places in Japan require guests to remove shoes before entering. Shoes with a lot of laces are hard to get off. But slip-ins? A breeze.

Slip-in sneakers — I wore this pair of slip-in sneakers from Skechers my entire trip to Japan, and it was so convenient! I didn’t even have to sit down to take off my shoes, like everyone else did. My shoes just slipped right off. I also felt comfortable in these shoes despite walking 20,000 steps every single day.
Ankle socks — Be sure to wear ankle-covering socks with your shoes so you don’t get blisters with all that walking. I wore these Hanes ankle socks every day of my trip to Japan and didn’t get a single blister.

Favorite travel essentials

I really recommend these compression packing cubes. They’re very thick and durable and allow you to pack more than you expect.
I also love this travel backpack that opens like a suitcase, fits almost as much as a carry-on, and has tons of pockets as well as a strap to attach to your luggage handle. It makes traveling so much easier and more organized.
I bring this AirFly receiver for AirPods with me on long-haul flights, so I can connect to the plane’s video screen with my own AirPods.
I no longer hop on a flight without wearing my Sockwell compression socks because they really do help relieve/prevent leg cramps from sitting so long in one place. I have the lotus pattern, but there are other patterns to choose from, such as this cat pattern or this flower pattern. See all sock patterns in the Sockwell storefront.
For Americans, I recommend getting the Capital One Venture X credit card to relax and eat free food in select airport lounges. I’ve had my Capital One Venture X credit card for a few years now, and accessing airport lounges is my absolute favorite perk of the card. Every lounge is different, but most have a buffet available where you can eat and drink to your heart’s content. The annual fee of this card is high, but it evens out with the $300 annual travel credit and 10,000 anniversary miles you get (on top of lounge access and free TSA PreCheck or Global Entry)!