This article is based on a visit made on Monday, 14 May 2018.
Edit 10 October 2019: Updated prices to reflect the increase in Japan's national sales tax.
Previously on Sekai Ichi, I wrapped up a day-trip from Kyoto to
Iga City. In contrast to the rainier, hectic-paced day before, the next day, which we spent around Kyoto, was far sunnier and more leisurely. And it began with a trip over to Arashiyama (嵐山, lit. 'storm mountain'), a district in Kyoto's western outskirts.
We didn't spend too much time in Arashiyama, only an hour and a half. The three spots I focused on were the Tokgetsu-kyo bridge, Tenryu-ji temple, and the adjacent bamboo forest. All three spots are within short walking distances of the local tram station. Speaking of...
To get there from our hotel, we took the Tozai subway line to its western end, where we hopped on to the Keifuku tram line at an adjacent station. This car had a small advert for Toei Kyoto Studio Park on its bumper. All in good time, my friend...
The last stop on the tram line is right in the centre of Arashiyama. The platform is lined with pillars of kimono fabric patterns. I think they get lit up at night, too!
The central part of Arashiyama is a charming, if touristy, neighbourhood of shops and restaurants. In that way, it's much like
Higashiyama on the other side of town. Arashiyama is also a pleasant place to get a rickshaw tour. We passed on it for the time being, but there would be other places ahead offering the same services...
One of Arashiyama's most famous landmarks is the Togetsu-kyo (渡月橋, lit. 'moon-crossing bridge'). This 150m (500-foot) bridge crosses the Katsura river to a small island. The first version of Togetsu-kyo was built way back in the Heian Period (9th-12th centuries AD), but the current one dates back only to the 1930s. This river is one of the places in Japan where
cormorant fishing (鵜飼,
ukai) is performed nightly during summertime. Just beyond this river is the Arashiyama Monkey Park, a popular attraction which I personally have no interest for.
Our next stop was Tenryu-ji (天龍寺, lit. 'sky dragon temple') a Buddhist temple of the Rinzai Zen sect. Originally an imperial villa, it was converted to a temple by the shogun
Ashikaga Takauji (足利 尊氏, 1305-1358) in 1345, as a tribute for the deceased
Emperor Go-Daigo (後醍醐天皇,
Go-Daigo-tennō, 1288-1339). Tenryu-ji is part of the
UNESCO World Heritage listing for Kyoto's historic shrines and temples.
Admission to the temple's buildings and garden are separate; we opted just to tour the garden. Although most of Tenryu-ji's original bulidings were destroyed, the current reconstructions dating back just over a century, the garden is the original one from the temple's inception. As brilliant as this place was in May, I'm sure this would be even more so during the autumn colour season. I actually thought of visiting Arashiyama the last time I was in town during that season, but that didn't quite work out.
The garden path follows the edge of this pond. I got another nice panorama out of it, so here it is. Blogger's a bit funny about how it handles pictures,
so click this link to see it in full resolution.
One of Arashiyama's back roads, which the exit of Tenryu-ji's garden leads right out onto, cuts through a large, dense bamboo grove. The bamboo from this little forest has been harvested for use in crafts for centuries.
This is just about the largest and densest mass of bamboo I've ever seen, but unfortunately, this applied to the people visiting, too. Keep in mind that this is a public road, so you may have to make way for the occasional car or taxi, too. If you want to have the place to yourself, you'll want to come as early as possible, in particular before 8 AM.
Still, if you just look up, it's not that bad. In fact, it makes me wonder how, despite how thin and top-heavy bamboo plants can be, and how easily they sway in the wind, they are so resistant to falling down. Amazing, eh?
Just past the east side of the bamboo grove is a Shinto shrine, Nonomiya-jinja (野宮神社).
There's so much else to see in Arashiyama, however, that my barely-an-hour visit couldn't do it justice. If you have more time on your hands, there are other places I would recommend, starting with the Okochi Sanso. This villa was owned by a famous film actor named
Denjiro Okochi (大河内 傳次郎,
Ōkōchi Denjirō, 1898-1962), and was converted to a public attraction after his death. At ¥1,000, the admission fee is slightly expensive compared to nearby temples, but it includes a cup of matcha tea and a sweet snack.
To the north are a row of three Buddhist temples. The first two, Jojakko-ji and Nison-in, have sweeping views of Arashiyama from their upper grounds. And the third, Gio-ji (pictured), has a brilliantly green moss garden. All three are also famous for autumn foliage in November.
And if you have even more time, go further north and walk up the Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street. At the end you will find Adashino Nenbutsu-ji, a temple with a vast field of stone mini-statues.
Alternately, you could take a ride on the Sagano Scenic Railway. This leisurely-paced, 25-minute train ride snakes above the Hozu river (the upper section of the Katsura river), on a section of what used to be the JR Sagano line before it was re-routed in the late 1980s. On your way back, you can choose to return by a two-hour boat cruise down the river, ending right around the Tokgetsukyo bridge.
But back to the present. The garden at Tenryu-ji includes a viewing platform of the bamboo grove, and that's where my grandmother and I took today's sign-off selfie. I would definitely enjoy a return visit to Arashiyama someday, but for now, it's off to Toei Kyoto Studio Park, next time on Sekai Ichi!
Access: Three train lines service the area: the Keifuku Arashiyama
(A) tram line, the JR Sagano
(E) line, and the Hankyu Arashiyama
(HK) line. The tram line starts at Shijo-Omiya, and ends in central Arashiyama (25 minutes, ¥220). The JR line starts at Kyoto Station, and stops at Saga-Arashiyama (12-15 minutes, ¥240, JR Pass OK). Central Arashiyama is a 10-minute walk from this station. The Hankyu line starts at Kawaramachi station in east-central Kyoto, requires a transfer at Katsura, and ends across the river at Hankyu's Arashiyama station (20 minutes, ¥230). Central Arashiyama is a 15-minute walk from this station.
Tenryu-ji
Hours: Open 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM, or to 5:00 PM from late October to late March. No regular closing days.
Costs: ¥500 for entrance to the gardens, ¥300 for the temple buildings.
Address: 68 Saga Tenryū-ji, Susukinobaba-chō, Ukyō-ku, Kyōto-shi, Kyōto-fu 〒616-8385
Access: Tenryu-ji is 5 minutes on foot from the Arashiyama tram station.
Directions: From Arashiyama station, turn right, then take the next left. Keep straight until you reach a dead-end, then turn right and left around the temple building to reach the entrance.
Website:
(English) (Japanese)
