15 Jun Kyoto’s Sagano Bamboo Forest and Tenryu-ji Temple
We made our way out of the city as the clouds looked like they were about to burst. Crossing our fingers for good weather, we hoped we weren’t about to get stuck on a rainy day trip to Arashiyama, a district of Kyoto.
As luck would have it, the rain held out most of the day and we only had a few sprinkles while we were wandering underneath the towering stocks of the bamboo forest. Arashiyama is definitely a special place, especially the Sagano Bamboo Forest with the giant bamboo swaying peacefully in the breeze. The sounds of the forest are mesmerizing–the bamboo creaks and the leaves rustle magically with each breeze that passes through.
After we arrived by train, we followed the signs that led us through the town’s small streets and right towards our final destination.
Our first stop was the path leading through the bamboo forest. We wandered along trying to take the perfect photo–you know, like the one that’s on the cover of Lonely Planet, and thankfully, we had a chance to attempt our own version when the crowds dispersed due to the light sprinkling rain.
Next up was a walk through the Tenryu-ji Temple. We were intending on walking through the temple’s main hall, but we didn’t go through the correct entrance and ended up purchasing admission for just the Hojo Garden.
We were fine with that though, and didn’t purchase the extra admission because you could still see inside the temple from the gorgeous gardens. The pond is framed by a rock garden in the foreground and mountains in the background, and the blue skies that welcomed us were a perfect compliment to the beauty of the landscape.
If you have time, make sure to check out some of the other temples, ponds and other sights in the nearby vicinity. There are multiple activities to explore in the immediate area that are worth a visit, but unfortunately we were out of time.
Although we loved our afternoon spent wandering through bamboo lined paths and around the temples and gardens, the crowds were a little too thick for our liking. I feel something like this would be best enjoyed in peace and quiet with no crowds, but the beauty is still worth enduring the masses. It is definitely a sight worth seeing with your own eyes!
