Arashiyama Bamboo Grove Guide (2026): Shrine, Food & Photo Tips

Stretching high into the sky

Where towering bamboo stalks gather

To form a beautiful bamboo forest

Arashiyama Chikurin

Bamboo Forest Street

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What is Arashiyama Chikurin?

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One of the unmissable attractions on a trip to Kyoto,

Arashiyama Chikurin!

With towering green bamboo stalks lining both sides,

It's a place where you'll feel like you're walking through a vibrant green tunnel.

As you walk along the 400-meter-long path,

Accompanied by the rustling sound of bamboo leaves in the wind,

You can soak in the tranquil atmosphere.

Beyond just the bamboo forest, you can also explore Nonomiya Shrine,

Making it a great destination to experience Kyoto's nature and traditional ambiance

All at once.

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🎋Kyoto Arashiyama Chikurin

Recommended for those who:

✔︎Want to capture breathtaking photos against a beautiful backdrop

✔︎Wish to enjoy a leisurely stroll through a bamboo forest

✔︎Want to explore Arashiyama Chikurin and its surrounding attractions

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Kyoto Travel Itinerary: My Visit to Arashiyama Chikurin

Arashiyama was the final stop on the Kyoto and Nara day bus tour

I took.

While Arashiyama boasts various attractions like Togetsukyo Bridge, the Monkey Park,

and the Kimono Forest,

The first place that comes to mind for me is

Definitely Chikurin, famous for its bamboo forest.

I remembered how much my parents enjoyed Juknokwon during our trip to Damyang last time,

So I thought they'd love this too,

And headed to the bamboo forest.

Upon entering the bamboo forest, towering bamboo stalks lined both sides so densely,

It reminded me of Damyang's Juknokwon.

I loved the unique ambiance of the bamboo forest,

The refreshing air as I walked along the path,

And the sound of the bamboo rustling in the wind.

Nonomiya Shrine

As I walked along the bamboo forest path, Nonomiya Shrine appeared.

Nonomiya Shrine is also famous as a shrine for matchmaking and good relationships.

Honestly, I had planned to visit Tsuyunoten Shrine, the shrine of love in Umeda,

So I wasn't particularly set on visiting this one; I thought I'd stop by if I saw it, otherwise, no big deal.

But as I walked, I saw a crowd of people, and upon checking it out,

It turned out to be Nonomiya Shrine.

So I went in to explore for a bit.

It wasn't a particularly large shrine,

But it was conveniently connected to the bamboo forest path, making it easy to visit both.

It's especially known as a place to pray for connections and various other wishes,

So if you're interested, it might be a good idea to visit it along with Chikurin.

Capturing Your Best Photos at Arashiyama Chikurin

After exploring the shrine, as I walked back along the bamboo forest path,

Our guide was taking photos for the tour group.

My family also asked the guide to take our pictures,

And we were very satisfied because they took some really great shots.

The bamboo forest is beautiful with its lush green backdrop no matter where you take a picture,

Making it a perfect spot for capturing those 'once-in-a-lifetime' photos.

Exploring the Arashiyama Shopping Street

Rilakkuma Merchandise Shop

As you exit the bamboo forest and walk towards where the buses are parked,

You'll encounter various souvenir shops and stores selling local treats.

Rather than just visiting Arashiyama Chikurin and heading straight back,

I highly recommend exploring the surrounding shopping street as well.

As I was browsing the shops, my eyes were drawn to a merchandise store featuring cute Rilakkuma characters.

To be honest, I'm not a huge Rilakkuma fan,

It seemed like a good place to buy gifts for my younger siblings' girlfriends,

so I went inside to take a look.

Perhaps because I'm not particularly interested in Rilakkuma,

I didn't find any merchandise that perfectly suited my taste,

but there was a photo zone inside the store, just like in the picture!

Thanks to that, I got to take a souvenir photo with the cute Rilakkuma.

Kyoto Arashiyama Food Recommendations

Pickled Cucumber

350 yen

Actually, these pickled cucumbers were a street food I'd been seeing frequently since visiting Kiyomizu-dera Temple.

They kept catching our eye in Arashiyama too,

so my mom, curious about the taste, suggested we buy one to try.

So, we bought one and shared it among the family.

For reference, when I saw them at Kiyomizu-dera, they were 500 yen,

but in Arashiyama, some places were selling them from the 300 yen range.

Perhaps because I'd seen them for 500 yen at Kiyomizu-dera,

I thought 350 yen was a reasonable price, so I bought it.

However, it seems the prices vary slightly from shop to shop,

so it might be a good idea to compare before making a purchase.​

Honestly, at first, I didn't think it would be my cup of tea,

but once I tried it, it was surprisingly refreshing and

crispier than I expected! It was surprisingly enjoyable?!

If you're looking to try a unique street food,

it might be worth trying at least once during your trip.​

For your information, there was also a kimchi-flavored one, but just looking at the visuals,

the original cucumber appealed more to me, so I went with that.

Matcha Ice Cream

600 yen

You can't come to Kyoto without trying at least one matcha dessert, right?!

While exploring the shopping streets, I spotted an ice cream that caught my eye,

so I tried a mixed soft-serve ice cream with matcha and chocolate.

The price was 600 yen! It seemed a bit on the expensive side,

but I found meaning in getting to taste a matcha dessert during my Kyoto trip.🤣

Kyoto Arashiyama Must-Visit Spots at a Glance

Beyond the Bamboo Grove (Chikurin), Kyoto's Arashiyama boasts a variety of other tourist attractions.

If you have some flexibility in your travel itinerary,

it would be great to visit the places below as well, wouldn't it?

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove (Chikurin)	The iconic tourist attraction of Arashiyama! It's a place where you can walk among towering bamboo stalks, enjoying the lush green scenery and tranquil atmosphere.
Togetsukyo Bridge	A bridge set against a backdrop of mountains and a river, making the scenery picturesque. Especially beautiful during cherry blossom and autumn foliage seasons! A great spot to sit down and rest for a bit. Legend has it that if you cross the bridge hand-in-hand with someone you wish to be with in your next life, without looking back until you reach the other side, you'll meet again in your next life.
Kimono Forest	A photo zone located at Randen Arashiyama Station, where pillars wrapped in various kimono fabrics line up. It's a great place to take photos with the charming Randen train in the background.
Tenryu-ji Temple	A temple registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its beautiful garden is particularly famous, and you can enjoy different scenery each season. It's conveniently connected directly to the Bamboo Grove, making it easy to visit both together.
Nonomiya Shrine	A charming shrine nestled in the heart of the bamboo grove, famous for prayers related to love and finding a partner.
Monkey Park	Where you can see wild monkeys up close, recommended if you're traveling with children.

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✔︎ Must-Visit Places in Kyoto

Review of Arashiyama Chikurin Bamboo Grove

My parents loved Juknokwon (Damyang Bamboo Forest) during our last trip to Damyang,

so I thought they'd enjoy this place too and brought them here,

but perhaps because there were quite a few mosquitoes in summer and we'd been diligently exploring since early morning,

they seemed a bit tired and just casually looked around..🤣

Nevertheless, they told me they enjoyed it after we came back,

which made me feel it was worthwhile to visit together.

Arashiyama Chikurin is a place where you can take a leisurely stroll along the bamboo grove and

enjoy Kyoto's unique natural scenery,

so if you're considering your Kyoto travel itinerary

together with Kiyomizu-dera Temple,

I recommend adding Arashiyama Chikurin to your schedule.

If you want to explore Nara and Kyoto thoroughly in one day,​

or if planning your own itinerary for a free-and-easy trip feels a bit daunting,

using a Nara-Kyoto one-day bus tour like I did, which allows you to comfortably visit major attractions,

is also a great option. I'll link the Raku Bus Tour I personally paid for and used!

🎋 The Raku Bus Tour I Personally Paid For and Used!🎋

⬇️Thinking about a Nara or Kyoto bus tour? Here are some related posts you might find helpful!⬇️

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🦌Nara Deer Park🦌

🇯🇵Kiyomizu-dera Temple🇯🇵

Cielso

ⓒ2026.Cielso All rights reserved.

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