The view of bamboo trees standing in neat rows high in the sky and the fresh green covering the sky is breathtaking.
The sound of leaves rustling in the wind and the pale light shining through the gaps between the bamboos make this one of Kyoto’s most popular tourist attractions, where you can feel the Japanese atmosphere.
Since the Heian period (794-1185), Sagano has been famous as a scenic spot where the imperial family and aristocrats had their detached palaces and villas.
Mt. Ogura in the northwest is famous for its autumn leaves, and Arashiyama across the Katsura River has been a popular cherry blossom viewing spot since the end of the 13th century, when Emperor Gosaga transplanted cherry trees from Yoshino to Arashiyama.
However, the details of when and how this bamboo grove was created are not known at all.
Many tourists are attracted by this magnificent bamboo grove.
The path through the bamboo grove begins in the middle of the path and leads to Nomiya Shrine.
Nomiya Shrine is also the setting of "The Tale of Genji," a long tale written by Murasaki Shikibu in the Heian period (around 1000). The shrine has a beautiful moss garden and a "Kuroki no torii," a torii gate with bark still attached, giving it an air of longevity.
A short walk from Nomiya Shrine begins again at the north gate of Tenryuji Temple, which is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a "cultural asset of the ancient capital of Kyoto," and continues to the Okochi Villa Garden.
Since the color remains green throughout the year, you can see the same scenery no matter what season you visit, but the bamboo is most beautiful during the season of autumn leaves.
As "bamboo spring" is used in haiku as a seasonal term for autumn, the bamboo leaves turn fresh green in autumn and turn yellow and fall in early summer, the opposite of the seasons for deciduous trees.
The color of bamboo also changes as it grows, with young bamboo turning a pale green color, mature bamboo turning a dark green color, and old bamboo turning a dull green color.
When it is cloudy, the entire sky is covered with bamboo, making it dim even during the day.
In snowy landscapes or in the early morning when there are few people around, the bamboo grove illuminated by the lights creates a sense of the extraordinary and invites you into a world of the ethereal.
Arashiyama and Sagano are famous for cherry blossoms and autumn leaves,
You can take a rickshaw ride to visit Watarazukibashi Bridge and the small path through the bamboo grove.
Free to walk
6 min. walk from Randen Arashiyama Stn.