Is the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove worth it?
Yes, if you go before 7:30 am. Then you can walk the path in near quiet, any day of the year. From late morning it is a slow shuffle among tour groups, and a quieter bamboo path nearby is the better choice.
How crowded does it get?
On a typical weekday the grove is Busy from about 9 am to 4:30 pm, and Very busy for 6 of those hours. On weekends it is Very busy for 6 hours, and in the autumn leaves and cherry blossom peaks for 8.
The path is short and narrow, so a few tour groups are enough to fill it. Photos without people in them are only realistic early in the morning.
Grove too packed? Go here instead
Bamboo and old streets a 10 to 25 minute walk from the crowds.
- Okochi Sanso GardenIts own bamboo, inside a paid garden. Tea is included. 5 min past the top of the grove.
- Adashino Nenbutsu-jiA short bamboo path behind thousands of stone statues. About 20 min north.
- Saga-Toriimoto streetThatched houses on a preserved old street. About 25 min north.
- Daikaku-ji TempleA large pond and covered corridors, rarely full. About 20 min, or a short bus ride.
Is Arashiyama worth it without the Bamboo Grove?
Yes. Tenryu-ji's garden, the riverside by Togetsukyo Bridge and the quiet streets north towards Saga-Toriimoto are reasons to come on their own.Many visitors also take the Sagano Romantic Train or the Hozugawa river boat, which need booking in busy seasons.
Questions people ask
Is the Bamboo Grove worth it in the middle of the day?
Only if you do not mind crowds. At noon our estimate is Very busy on a weekday and Very busy on a weekend. Walk it early and spend the middle of the day somewhere quieter.
Is it worth going in the rain?
Often, yes. Wet bamboo looks greener, and we lower our crowd estimate by 20% in hours with rain forecast.
Is there other bamboo in Arashiyama?
Yes. Okochi Sanso Garden has its own bamboo inside a paid garden, and Adashino Nenbutsu-ji has a short bamboo path behind its stone statues. Both are far quieter than the main path.
Crowd levels are estimates from typical daily patterns, weekends, holidays, seasons and the weather forecast, not live counts.How the estimates work