Walking Tours

Kyoto Arashiyama Self-Guided Audio Walk: Bamboo Grove, Nonomiya Shrine and Togetsukyo Bridge

Walk Arashiyama from the Kimono Forest through the bamboo grove and Kameyama Park to Togetsukyo Bridge.
See Tenryu-ji's gate, Nonomiya Shrine's bark-on torii, the bamboo grove, the Hozu gorge and the river boats.
Discover who arranged Arashiyama's famous views, from a temple garden that borrows a mountain to a merchant who cleared a river.
Lay a hand on Togetsukyo's cypress rail, wood on a concrete bridge so that it would not spoil the view.
9 stops over 2.3 km, about 75 minutes, with English audio you start whenever you like.

Self-guided audio tour in English: 9 stops, 2.3 km, 75 minutes
Stops at Tenryu-ji's gate, Nonomiya Shrine's bark-on torii, bamboo grove
GPS map and walking directions in your phone browser, no app needed
Lifetime access: start any day, at any hour, and replay it

Entry to Tenryu-ji
Entry to Okochi Sanso
Hozu boat ride
Museum and monument tickets
Live guide

체험 시작 24시간 전까지( 24 ) 티켓을 취소하고 전액 환불받을 수 있습니다.

Arashiyama looks like untouched nature. It is a landscape arranged with great care, and this walk shows you the hands behind every view.
Start in the Kimono Forest, six hundred poles wrapped in Kyoto yuzen fabric. Learn how Tenryu-ji's garden borrows the mountain beyond its walls, why Nonomiya Shrine keeps the bark on its torii, and how the bamboo grove is fenced and protected. Hear about a film star's thirty-year garden and a merchant who began cutting a channel through the Hozu gorge in 1606. Climb to the Kameyama Park lookout, named in 1927 as the place to view Arashiyama, then come down to the river boats and along the water to Togetsukyo Bridge, concrete under its cypress rails.
Nine stops, about 2.3 km and 75 minutes, at your own pace, in English, with one short climb and a long flight of steps down. Daylight only. Entry to Tenryu-ji and Okochi Sanso and the Hozu boat ride are not included.

What to bring

Booking number: Enter your booking number on the Roamer redemption page before you set off while you still have signal.

Phone access: Open the tour in your phone browser; you do not need to download any app.

Charged phone: Bring a fully charged phone so the GPS map and audio can run for the full walk.

Earphones: Bring earphones so you can hear the audio clearly as you walk.

Data or Wi-Fi: Use mobile data, or open the tour on Wi-Fi before you leave if you do not have data.

What's not allowed

Drones: Do not use drones, as they are banned across most of Kyoto City.

Littering and smoking: Do not litter or smoke on the street in Arashiyama, as fines can apply.

Bamboo etiquette: Do not touch, lean on, or carve the bamboo in the grove.

Accessibility

Step-free route: There is no step-free way down from Kameyama Park lookout; to avoid steps, skip stop 6 and return via the bamboo path and main street.

Additional information

Best time: Aim for early morning on a dry day, as the bamboo grove and Togetsukyo Bridge get very crowded.

Daylight only: Walk Kameyama Park and the riverside in daylight, as the park and lookout have no lighting at night.

Tour duration: Expect about 75 minutes of walking over 2.3 km across 9 stops.

Start point: The walk begins inside Randen Arashiyama Station, in the Kimono Forest area.

End point: The walk ends at the north end of Togetsukyo Bridge, a few minutes' walk from Randen Arashiyama Station.

Kimono Forest: Enjoy this free stop, which is lit from inside after dark, and note the station shops' limited opening hours.

Tenryu-ji timings: Check Tenryu-ji garden and hall opening times and special hall closure dates before planning a visit.

Tenryu-ji north gate: With a garden ticket, you can exit through the north gate directly into the bamboo grove.

Zazen meditation: Free zazen meditation at Tenryu-ji runs on the second Sunday of each month at 9:00.

Nonomiya Shrine event: Expect crowds and possible lane closures on the Saigu procession day in 2026 at Nonomiya Shrine.

Okochi Sanso hours: If you visit Okochi Sanso, note its daily opening hours and last entry time.

Hozu boat boarding: You cannot board Hozu river boats at Arashiyama, as all boats depart from Kameoka upriver.

Hozu boat schedule: Check the seasonal Hozu boat operating dates, daily start times, and winter and New Year breaks.

Hozu landing walk: From the Hozu boat landing, allow 15 to 20 minutes on foot to reach JR Saga-Arashiyama Station.

Traffic crossing: Cross Nagatsuji-dori only at the zebra crossing in front of the station and watch for buses and cars.

Narrow pavements: Between stops 2 and 3, keep to the narrow pavements and let other pedestrians pass.

Shared lanes: On Nonomiya lane and the bamboo path, keep to the edge, as rickshaws and occasional cars use the route.

Park ascent: Between stops 5 and 6, you follow a steady gravel climb into Kameyama Park, with no steps on this section.

Steep steps: Between stops 6 and 7, you descend two long flights of stone steps without a handrail that can be slippery when wet.

Boat landing safety: At the Hozu boat landing, stay back from the water's edge and clear of the boatmen's work area.

High water caution: In heavy rain or typhoons, stay away from the riverbank, as the river can flood and boats stop in high water.

Riverside road: Between stops 8 and 9, keep to the riverside pavement while sharing the road with cars, taxis, and rickshaws.

Bridge crowds: On Togetsukyo Bridge, stay on the sidewalks and expect heavy crowds at peak times.

Crowd camera: You can check current crowds on the bridge using the Kyoto tourist association's live camera on kyoto.travel.

Places of worship: At Tenryu-ji and Nonomiya Shrine, keep your voice low and behave respectfully at their gates.

Local fines: Be aware that littering and street smoking in Arashiyama can incur significant fines.