Documenting Lovely Moments
Kyoto’s Whimsical Bamboo Grove and Unique Kimono Forest
The bamboo grove in Kyoto’s Arashiyama district was in our list of must-visit places in Japan. Walking through the seemingly endless bamboo path felt peaceful and whimsical. The nearby Kimono Forest was a special added bonus that was worth visiting.
Getting To The Bamboo Grove Entrance
From our hotel in Kyoto, we used our JR Pass to ride the train to Saga-Arashiyama station (JR Sagano line). Then we walked for about five minutes from the station to get to the Bamboo Grove entrance.
Morning Walk in Kyoto’s Bamboo Grove
We purposely got there in the early morning to beat the crowd because this place is such a popular tourist spot. That was a great decision. It was an incredible feeling to walk among these soaring stalks of bamboos.
Peeking Morning Sun
The morning sun was peeking in between the stalks of bamboo by the time we were leaving.
Kimono Forest
Not far from the Bamboo Grove was a charming Kimono Forest located right next to Arashiyama train station. The Kimono Forest was artificially created with hundreds of poles, filled with traditional Japanese kimono fabric.
We walked through the paved path, taking the time to admire the pretty fabric in each pole. What an incredibly beautiful work of art! The Kimono Forest was beautiful when we visited during the day. And in addition, the poles light up at night according to their official website, which sounds amazing too.
At the end of the path, we found the Pond of Dragon, with a delicate sphere on top engraved with a golden dragon. We made a wish there. There was also a sign saying “If you immerse your hands in the water, your hearts would be filled with peace and you would be led to happiness”. So we did that. Why not?
By the time we were done exploring Kimono Forest, we needed a little break. We could not resist stopping at the pork shumai (dumpling) stand in front of Arashiyama train station because they smelled so good. These delicious dumplings, a cup of hot chocolate that we brought in our backpack, as well as warm coffee and bread from the nearby Tully’s cafe were exactly what we needed on that cold morning.
After the quick snack break, we were refueled and ready to continue our adventure in Arashiyama. Read more about our next stop: Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatama.
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I'm a happily-married mom of two. Our family enjoys an active lifestyle and spending quality time together. We love creating memories through travel, learning about different cultures around the world.
