Arashiyama Bamboo Grove: Stations, Temples and River Stops
Photo: Hiroko Nakagawa / Pexels
Contents
Arashiyama works best when you plan by station and treat the bamboo grove as one stop in a wider neighborhood. The grove sits beside Tenryu-ji, while Togetsukyo Bridge and the Monkey Park lie farther south by the river. The scenic train and the river boat are outings of their own, with their own tickets and timetables.
Choose the station for your first stop
Three rail lines reach Arashiyama, and the stations are not interchangeable. The grove is a ten-minute walk from JR Saga-Arashiyama Station.[1] Tenryu-ji is within walking distance of all three lines.[2]
| Rail approach | Walk | Best first stop |
|---|---|---|
| JR Sagano Line, Saga-Arashiyama Station | 10 minutes to the grove,[1] 13 minutes to Tenryu-ji[2] | The grove or temple |
| Keifuku Randen, Arashiyama Station | 5 minutes to Tenryu-ji[2] | Tenryu-ji and the grove |
| Hankyu Line, Arashiyama Station | 15 minutes to Tenryu-ji[2] | The temple, then the river area |
Pick the station that suits where you are coming from and where you want to begin.
Things to Do
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Pair the grove with Tenryu-ji
The grove lies in Sagano on Kyoto’s west side, and the path through it is short. An additional section extends to nearby Nonomiya Shrine, a good detour if you want to explore beyond the main bamboo path.[1]
You can step into the grove from Tenryu-ji’s side gate.[1] The temple is a separate paid visit: garden admission is ¥500 for high-school students and older, ¥300 for elementary and middle-school students, and free for preschool children. Entry to the buildings costs an additional ¥300.[2]
Tenryu-ji is open from 08:30 to 17:00, with last admission at 16:50. The buildings can close without notice, and the temple posts its scheduled closures for 2026, so check its page if the buildings are why you are going.[2]
Add the river side if you have time
The Monkey Park entrance is near the south side of Togetsukyo Bridge.[3] It is open from 09:00 to 16:00 and may close early when the monkeys return to the mountain, with irregular holidays and bad-weather closures. Admission is ¥800 for adults and ¥400 for children, paid in Japanese yen cash only.[3]
Price the train and boat as separate outings
The Sagano Romantic Train costs ¥880 one way for adults and ¥440 for children in standard class.[4] It runs from Saga or Arashiyama toward Kameoka, or the reverse.[4] Same-day counter tickets are sold first come, first served at the station counters other than Torokko Hozukyo, so book ahead if you want a particular departure.[4]
The Hozu River boat ride costs ¥6,000 per adult and ¥4,500 per child in a shared boat, and takes about two hours, depending on the water volume.[5] Service can stop in severe weather or high water, and the boats do not run from December 29 through January 4.[5] Treat the boat as its own excursion and check the timetable before you travel.
A practical way to shape the day
If the grove and temple are your priorities, start at the station nearest your first stop and keep the morning for the sights around them. Add the Monkey Park when you want time by the river. The scenic train and the Hozu boat are separately ticketed, so pick the one that fits the time you have.
Official pages: JNTO Arashiyama guide, Tenryu-ji admission and access, Monkey Park hours and admission, Sagano Romantic Train tickets and Hozu River Boat Ride fares.
Sources and background
Numbers in the text such as [1] refer to these sources.
- [1] Japan National Tourism Organization: Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. Retrieved October 17, 2026.
- [2] Tenryu-ji Temple: Admission and Access. Retrieved October 17, 2026.
- [3] Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama: Hours and Admissions. Retrieved October 17, 2026.
- [4] Sagano Romantic Train: About Train Fares. Retrieved October 17, 2026.
- [5] Hozu River Boat Ride Association: Reservation and Usage Fees. Retrieved October 17, 2026.
- [6] Kyoto Hanatouro Promotion Council: History and conclusion of Kyoto Hanatouro. Retrieved October 4, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
The grove is a ten-minute walk from Saga-Arashiyama Station on the JR Sagano Line. Tenryu-ji is a five-minute walk from Keifuku Arashiyama Station and fifteen minutes from Hankyu Arashiyama Station. Choose by your starting point and first stop.
Yes. You can enter the grove from Tenryu-ji’s side gate. The temple is a separate paid visit: the garden ticket is ¥500 for high-school students and older, with an additional ¥300 for the buildings.
Tenryu-ji is open from 08:30 to 17:00, with last admission at 16:50. The buildings can close without notice, so check its admission page before your visit.
Admission is ¥800 for adults and ¥400 for children, in Japanese yen cash only. It is open from 09:00 to 16:00, but may close early when the monkeys return to the mountain, and it has irregular holidays and bad-weather closures.
A one-way standard fare is ¥880 for adults and ¥440 for children. Same-day tickets are sold first come, first served at station counters other than Torokko Hozukyo. For a specific departure, reserve through the operator.
Shared-boat fares are ¥6,000 per adult and ¥4,500 per child, and the ride takes about two hours, depending on the water volume. Severe weather and high water can stop service.
They are separately ticketed services with their own operators and schedules. Check the train’s direction and departure, then the boat’s timetable. The boat ride alone takes about two hours, so leave time for transfers and waiting.
