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Arashiyama Tour: Hidden Gems and Zen Gardens
4.9
398 Ratings
Kyoto
Immerse yourself in the tranquility of Arashiyama Kyoto Bamboo Forest with a guided Zen Temple and tranquil garden walk. Discover hidden gems, serene temples, and picturesque gardens with a knowledgeable local guide.
Immerse yourself in the tranquility of Arashiyama Kyoto Bamboo Forest with a guided Zen Temple and tranquil garden walk. Discover hidden gems, serene temples, and picturesque gardens with a knowledgeable local guide.
Duration:
5 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Bamboo Forest Street - Stroll through the renowned bamboo grove
- Bamboo Forest Street - Wander through the famous bamboo forest in Arashiyama Bamboo Forest Street. Pause for a moment to capture stunning photos.
- The Bamboo Forest Trail - Walk past the Bamboo Forest in Arashiyama
- Togetsukyo Bridge - Enjoy an authentic Kyoto-style…
- Bamboo Forest Street - Stroll through the renowned bamboo grove
- Bamboo Forest Street - Wander through the famous bamboo forest in Arashiyama Bamboo Forest Street. Pause for a moment to capture stunning photos.
- The Bamboo Forest Trail - Walk past the Bamboo Forest in Arashiyama
- Togetsukyo Bridge - Enjoy an authentic Kyoto-style lunch near Togetsukyo Bridge
- Arashiyama - Discover the bamboo forest
- Hokyoin - A secluded garden with a genuine Kyoto ambiance.
- Tenryuji Temple - At Tenryuji Temple, a World Heritage site, experience Japanese gardens and Zen paintings with insightful commentary from a guide.
- Okochi Sanso Garden - Denjiro Okochi, an actor famed for his period dramas, created this garden as his villa in the Kaiyu-style garden (offering views of Arashiyama to the east, Hieizan in the distance, and Hozukyo to the west). Visitors can also enjoy matcha (powdered green tea) here.
What's Included
- 5-hour tour with a local guide
- Photos during the tour
- Matcha drink with a small tea ceremony snack
- Lunch options (Vegetarian/Vegan/Gluten-free available with 1-day notice)
- Entrance fees to 2 temples and 1 Japanese garden included
- 5-hour tour with a local guide
- Photos during the tour
- Matcha drink with a small tea ceremony snack
- Lunch options (Vegetarian/Vegan/Gluten-free available with 1-day notice)
- Entrance fees to 2 temples and 1 Japanese garden included
What's Not Included
- Additional foods and drinks (Available for Purchase)
- Additional foods and drinks (Available for Purchase)
Additional Information
- Our knowledgeable local guide will lead you to a hidden gem, a serene Japanese temple, and a picturesque garden that often eludes tourists’ radars. We’ll provide insights on appreciating Japanese garden aesthetics, drawing intriguing comparisons between Eastern and Western beauty. The morning ambiance is truly invigorating, allowing for a leisurely…
- Our knowledgeable local guide will lead you to a hidden gem, a serene Japanese temple, and a picturesque garden that often eludes tourists’ radars. We’ll provide insights on appreciating Japanese garden aesthetics, drawing intriguing comparisons between Eastern and Western beauty. The morning ambiance is truly invigorating, allowing for a leisurely stroll through this enchanting area, with delightful stops at traditional shops along the way.
- 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.
Location
嵯峨嵐山駅北口タクシー乗り場
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".
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(398 Ratings)
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A584mhmatteop
Sep 24, 2025
Lovely day! - Ayuri is amazing!
She showed us many wonderful places, we aldo had the chance to learn a lot about japanese culture.
We also had a great lunch!
She's been really kind to us and we highly recommend her!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
70tommasov
Sep 21, 2025
What an experience! - Amazing experience, so far the best one in Kyoto and surroundings. Taisei is an amazing person who's going to take you to the most beautiful temples and gardens that the area has to offer! 10/10
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Peter
Sep 18, 2025
Great tour - I got a very good tour of the temples and zen gardens . Plus a dinner at a Michelin restaurant was arranged. All in all a very enjoyable experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Toddla2715jp
Sep 17, 2025
Hidden Gems in the Bamboo Forest - Highly recommend this tour, it's well worth the price. You get to take a less-tread path for the first half and experience the Saga area free of buzzing tourists. And when you do get to the tourist area, it's nice having a guide to help you cut through the crowds! Our tour guide Josh had unmatched passion and knowledge of the locations we toured and was incredibly accommodating and patient with us - highly recommend booking him if you get the chance.
It's a long tour though, so make sure to prepare yourselves - there are a good amount of rest stops and vending machines along the way, but there is a short patch halfway through where my group kind of had to tough it out, especially in the summer heat and humidity. But Josh's in depth explanations of each location's significance and history, opportunities to participate in local customs, and the Buddhist temple lunch to round it off made the sweating worth it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Stefano
Sep 15, 2025
Lovely morning in harashiyama - Thanks to Tea we really enjoyed this tour around arashiyama and the bambù forest! He is also a recommended photographer! His photos are great!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
336katim
Sep 14, 2025
Bamboo Forest, Shrines, and Temples with Hikari - Hikari was so friendly and knowledgeable. She brought diagrams that were easier to break down the history she was teaching. It was such a wonderful experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
616jamieleec
Sep 10, 2025
Your if can gardens and - My husband and I had a great tour!
We were the only people on this tour and had the majority of the temples and zen garden to our self!
Kana was a fantastic tour guide and catered to our needs!
Thankyou Kana
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Robertlv1637cu
Sep 8, 2025
Wonderful day! - Ayuri was our tour guide and was so prepared and cordial. I recommend her for your tours around Kyoto and the Bamboo Forest. She is so good and educating and presenting the culture and history or this area. She is so kind and made us feel like family.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Stefanobrunoi
Sep 5, 2025
magical trip tour at arashiyama - we took a tour with the guide beeing akira, he is an amazing guy and will do anything to make himself understandable.he also helped us buy some incense by speaking directly with the lady and making our requests clear.he is a really nice dude
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Explorer822531
Aug 11, 2025
Fun day with Tea. - Tea was such a great guide. Easy to hang out with and fun to chat with. He gave us lots of great suggestions for our trip and was very knowledgeable. Highly recommend! Thanks Tea.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
