One Of Kyoto's Best, Most-Visited Sites Is A Serene Walk Through A Breathtaking Bamboo Forest

It's hard to take a bad picture in the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. The segmented green stalks grow as tall as 100 feet, and in the warmer months, their upper reaches burst with verdant leaves. The walkways are smooth and spotless, and each side is lined with bamboo railings and native grasses. The views are so symmetrical, so peaceful, so devoid of litter or technology, you may feel like you've stepped into a dream. Small wonder this UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the most visited destinations in Kyoto, the historic (and eighth most populous) city in Japan. Kyoto is so mobbed during high season, in fact, that the government has actually banned tourists from certain neighborhoods.

Bamboo groves are beloved in Japan, featuring prominently in artwork, films, and video games, and Arashiyama is your quintessential spot: Not only is the landscaping beautiful, but the grounds were originally cultivated during the Heian Period (794–1185), a full millennium ago. Kyoto was the capital of Japan at the time, and medieval nobles retreated to the grounds for peace and tranquility. The park is now open to the public and free to visit, making it extremely popular among residents and travelers alike.

The path through the grove is about 1300 feet long, starting at the small Nonomiya Shrine and ending at the Okochi Sanso Villa, a gorgeous house with sweeping roofs and views of the forested mountains. The house formerly belonged to Japanese film star Okochi Denjiro, and visitors can tour the traditional domicile for $6.75 — a treat for history buffs, film enthusiasts, and architecture fans. Arashiyama is also home to the Iwatayama Monkey Park, a mountainside home to 120 red-faced snow monkeys, who are likely to hang out within arm's reach for visitors. With such spectacular scenery and reasonable prices, it's no wonder Arashiyama is considered one of the unmissable destinations in Japan (that isn't Tokyo.)

If you have plans to visit central Japan, you might try May or June, as tourist season is still pretty slow, but Arashiyama's bamboo will be fully green. The park lies in the northwest corner of Kyoto, about six miles from city center. Both trains and buses run here from the middle of Kyoto, and it's about a 20-minute cab ride from Kinkaku-ji, also known as Golden Pavilion. 

Kyoto has a population of 1.4 million, but it can sometimes feel like a suburb of Osaka, a massive metropolis and business hub. You can easily get here by train from both Tokyo (2 hours and 20 minutes) or Osaka (45 minutes), or you can fly directly into Kansai International Airport. You'll find a dizzying range of hotels when you arrive, from $40 guesthouses to luxury resorts costing thousands per night.

Most people visit Kyoto for its history, culture, and architectural heritage, including the world-famous Fushimi Inari Shrine and its wood beam-covered walkway. But Kyoto is also an ultra-modern city with a feisty dining and nightlife scene. There are lots of places to shop for souvenirs for the folks back home, especially in the busy blocks around Kyoto Station. If you've never browsed the retail options in Japan before, here's the one crucial word tourists need to know before checking out at a store in Japan.