Arashiyama Bamboo Groove
December 15, 2017
Arashiyama Bamboo Groove
5:30 am | Day 4 | Kyoto
When
we started planning our Kyoto trip, Arashiyama District was on top of our
list. Mainly because, it is where the famous Bamboo Groove can be found. Probably
you have seen its pictures on screensavers or wall decorations somewhere – yes, that
popular! And for us, we could not miss the opportunity to see it in person and
photograph it – and selfies of course.
Arashiyama
is located west of Kyoto. It is about 45 min from our guesthouse which is near Kiyomizu-Gojo
Station. Based on what we have read, the place gets really crowded from morning
until late afternoon. The best time to be there is really early – and we mean
very early.
We
woke up before 5:30 am, prepared ourselves and left. From Kiyomizu-Gojo
Station using ICOCA card, we headed to Kyoto Station. We had hot drinks from vending machine –
which was cheap and good, and headed to Saga-Arashiyama Station. Upon arrival
in the station, tourists were already in groups going to the Bamboo Groove. It was passed 6:00 am then and the place was getting crowded. From the station,
we walked about 10 minutes before we reached the place. We did not see any signs leading to the groove
but because of other tourists heading it, we just followed them. We recommend to use Google maps to easily locate the
place.
The
path leading to the groove was covered with trees making swishing sounds while we passed
by. Along the way, we have seen few clusters of bamboo trees that signifies that we were
getting closer. With much anticipation, we hurried and arrived at the entrance.
We
got there about 6:30 am and as expected, there were others much earlier than
us. Most of them were photographers having a photo shoots. Nevertheless, we had
our fair share of the place. Being under the towering bamboo trees that covered
the sky, we felt like a tiny speck in the face of nature. The sound of the swinging
bamboos were like a tranquil symphony. That otherness sense left us in awe.
The bamboo groove was just probably 500 meter long (about 5 min. walk). It was just a short walk yet relaxing. The path will lead you to Okochi-Sanso Garden which we did not enter. After taking photographs, we headed to the riverside which is popular for its colorful mountain during autumn.
Aside
from the scenic view of Arashiyama Mountain, a local coffee shop is popular in
the area - Percent Arabica or % Coffee. It is a must try while enjoying the
cold weather and amazing view.
With
lots of musing, we did not noticed that we spent almost the whole morning just
walking around the area. So we decided to head back to Tokyo Station, had lunch
and went back to our guesthouse and rest.
Time
Spent: 5 hour
Admission : Free
Opening Time: No closing time
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