Saga Arashiyama is located in the northwest of Kyoto city, which was an ancient capital of Japan.
It is famous for its scenic beauty.
There are many picturesque places such as bamboo groves, mountain ranges, bridges, rivers, historical temples and shrines , scenic trains, and a 'Kimono Forest'.
On this tour we will walk down the mountainside, visit some peaceful temples, see the beautiful bamboo groves and attractive gifts (pottery, cocoon dolls, handmade bamboo products) there.
9:30
You can choose any hotel or train station near your accommodation.
If you stay at a hotel in Osaka, we will start the tour earlier.
Walking in a local area
Reaching the bus stop
The Toriimoto area is located at the foot of Mt. Atago, which is the highest sacred mountain in Kyoto city.
Toriimoto literally means the foot of the gate called 'Torii'.
The area was designated as an Important Traditional Cultural Property.
We can find traditional houses, town houses, visit a beautiful temple and see lovely products made in this area when we descend from the first gate.
There are some local restaurants. You can find your favorite food.
The unique pottery store is located when we descend the mountain.
In the store, there is handmade pottery, from earthenware and ceramics.
The owner makes all of them onsite in the store so each item is unique.
We can enjoy seeing different kinds of pottery, bonsai, miniature potted trees, and a beautiful garden in the shop.
Bamboo groves in Sagano and Arashiyama are very popular at home and abroad.
They have tremendous appeal at all times of the day.
You can enjoy the majestic view of bamboos in a quiet forest with cool air in the morning and the sunshine filtering through the branches of the trees during the daytime.
You can feel the serene beauty there.
Nonomiya Shrine is located on the bamboo grove path in Sagano.
This shrine enshrines the god for matchmaking.
In ancient times, a princess visited this shrine to purify herself before going to the main shrine in Ise.
The shrine was carefully chosen as a serene and sacred place.
The shrine was also used in the Tale of Genji, which is a Japanese famous tale about romance, so it reminds us of the romantic and beautiful scene.
You can enjoy some attractions in the shrine as well.
After visiting the shrine, we will visit another bamboo grove.
Let's walk this romantic path together.
Tenryuji Temple is a Zen Buddhist temple and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It was built during the Warring State Period and experienced fire damage eight times.
Now we can sit down in the hall and enjoy the great view of the garden and Arashiyama.
This garden is designed beautifully so that the scenery of Arashiyama could be adopted in the garden.
We can relax in the hall and stroll around the garden.
Togetsu bridge is the iconic symbol of Arashiyama.
We will walk along the riverside.
You can enjoy the harmony of mountains, rivers and bridges from the riverside.
You can also enjoy the alluring scenery with beautiful cherry blossom in spring, bright greenery in summer, the flaming colors of leaves in autumn, and a majestic blanket of snow in winter.
Let's enjoy walking in the peaceful riverside and its picturesque scenery .
Arashiyama is famous for bamboo forests but this area is not a bamboo forest !
It is a 'Kimono Forest' !
Kimono fabrics are inside of the poles placed at the tram station. They look like a forest because they are closed together.
We can see 32 different kimono patterns which are made in Kyoto. As well as bamboo forests, we can enjoy the sunshine filtering through the poles during the daytime and the flash of brilliant golden colored poles at night.
Let's walk in the Kimono Forest together !
At your hotel or other places that you will choose.
If you stay in Osaka, we will finish the tour later.
If the finishing time is too late for you, I will change this itinerary.
I will tailor the tour for you.
17:30
Guide fee, hotel pick-up
transportation fee for you and guide
admission fee for you and your guide ( Guides don't need admission fees for some temples.)
lunch costs for you and your guide
On this tour we'll enjoy tranquil walk, the beautiful nature, the picturesque scenery and historical places. If you want to visit other places, please feel free to let me know. I will arrange the tour according to your request.
Also, if you want to change the meeting time and finishing time, please feel free to ask me.
We'll be able to finish the tour at shopping district in Kyoto or Osaka if you want.
You will be able to enjoy the local food there.
This tour will show you the following;
・The tranquil places on the bamboo grove path
・The picturesque scenery
・ The history of Kyoto
・The correlation between Shinto and Buddhism for Japanese people.
・The traditional and beautiful gardens
・Special foods in Kyoto
Atsuko was informative and very friendly. It was a great way to start our Japan journey and experience Osaka. Atsuko was able to accommodate our dietary needs and helped us with little tips for the rest of our stay in Osaka including restaurant recommendations near our hotel (as well as ways to find our way back to the hotel). I would highly recommend booking with Atsuko for enjoyable tour. Arigatou gozaimasu!
Hello Ms. Tamara, Thank you for your kind review and comment for me. I am happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour on the 1st day of the trip in Japan. It was fun for me to talk with both of you and show some attractive places to you. Osaka has many attractive places. It was great you enjoyed your stay in Osaka. Thank you for joining my tour. Please say hello to Ayla. Best regards, Atsuko
We had a beautiful day with Atsuka. She is very patient and informative. Excellent person
Hello Mr. Chaim, Thank you for your kind review and comment for me. I really enjoyed this tour with all of you. It was fun to show you my home town, Osaka, and talk with all of you. Thank you. Best regards, Atsuko
Ms Atsuko is a professional and accomodating guide. She is attentive to our needs. She knows her way around Arashiyama and was able to organise her tour efficiently. Ms Atsuko even went out of the way to show us Kinkakuji when it was not part of the itinerary. Five stars!
Hello Mr. Augustine, Thank you for your review and comment for me. I am happy you enjoyed visiting Arashiyama and Kinkakuji Temple. We walked a lot today. Luckily, we could see the quiet bamboo forest in the temple. It was fun for me to talk with you and show you the beauty in Kyoto. Thank you for joining my tour. Please say hello to Agnes. Best regards, Atsuko
My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our tour with Atsuko. She took us to some great spots around Osaka. Atsuko was also very proactive, she even asked if we have any dietary requirements which is an extremely nice touch. She is also very knowledgeable when it comes to the history of the places that we visited and was very accomodating for any questions that we had. Would definitely book her again for our future trip.
Hello Mr. Jef, Thank you for your kind review and comment for me. I also enjoyed the tour with you yesterday. The weather was very strange. It was raining in the morning and sunny and humid in the afternoon. I think your wife, Azhar, must have been very tired. I am happy to join a part of your honeymoon trips. Please visit Japan again. I am looking forward to seeing you again. Thank you. Best regards, Atsuko