Descending Arashiyama
A Magical Day Floating Down From the Western Mountains
We begin our day with a stroll through the lush gardens of one of Japan’s first Zen temples. We then catch a short taxi to the foothills of the mountains. Peacefully strolling down the hillside towards the town, we visit over 1,000 stone Buddhas on a hillside, have tea and sweets at a 300-year old cafe, explore a burial ground with ties back to ancient times, and enjoy a delicious traditional Japanese lunch.
Afterwards we spend time in the lush moss garden at a temple founded by two former geisha, meet a master potterer and take a tour of his studio, walk the grounds of the villa of a silent film actor, and a take in the other-worldly surroundings of a majestic bamboo grove. We end our day with a walk along the river, enjoying one of the most iconic views of Kyoto. This wonderful day will undoubtedly stand out in your mind as you think back to your time here in Kyoto.
Itinerary:
Tenryuji, Otagi Nenbutsuji, Hiranoya Cafe, Adashino Nenbutsuji, Lunch, Gioji, Okochi Sanso, and the Sagano Bamboo Forest
Length: 8 hours
Meeting Point: JR Arashiyama Station or Randen Arashiyama Station
A moment in time at Otagi Nenbutsu-ji
Sites Descriptions:
Tenryu-ji
One of the first Zen temples in Japan and home to a masterpiece Zen garden created by Muso Kokushi- known as the “grandfather of Japanese gardens”. The views here are stunning and will instantly clear your mind for the rest of the day.
otagi nenbutsu-ji
As we walk the grounds of this temple you will intimately get to know the 1,200 stone Buddha statues that make their home at this temple. Through my close friendship with the head monk of this temple you will hear the fascinating inside story to how these statues came into creation.
hiranoya
Originating in the Edo period, this restaurant offers a multi-course meal of sweet river fish (ayu). Also, it doubles as a cafe which serves seasonal sweets paired with a selection of satisfying beverages. This is a must-visit while in this part of town.
adashino nenbutsu-ji
Walk among over 8,000 memorial stones gathered from the surrounding mountains and arranged at this temple. On the grounds is also a small but very picturesque bamboo grove.
gio-ji
Visit what was once a nunnery founded by two ex-geisha. As you walk through this moss garden surrounded by the dense bamboo forest you might feel as if you are in a fairy tale world not of this existence.
koto-en
Enter into the pottery world of Hasegawa Shouichi, a pottery legend in the Arashiyama area. Meet Mr. Hasegawa and wander through and appreciate the creations in his atelier.
okochi sanso
Spend time on this sprawling estate of a well known silent film actor. We will explore the main residence area, a shrine, tea house, yoga platform, events hall and small open-air museum. The views from this site are some of the best in all of Arashiyama.
sagano bamboo forest
Stroll through this well-known bamboo grove and hear some facts about bamboo that are sure to surprise you.
Guest Review: “So Much More than the Bamboo Path”
“I decided to take this tour after participating in Andrew’s Zen Garden, Zen Mind tour. The garden-tour was amazing so I had high expectations when joining Andrew in Arashiyama. And I wasn’t disappointed – I had been to Arashiyama five times before but only during the tour with Andrew I felt that I truly and deeply experienced this area.
The tour is very well designed- in a way that allows to avoid the crowds as much as possible. Andrew told stories that you would not find in the guidebooks and drew my attention to aspects that I had overlooked when I was doing sightseeing on my own. He also showed us some hidden gems that are not easy to discover when you just pass-by.
Andrew’s extremely competent guiding made me truly appreciate and understand the meaning and beauty of Arashiyama. Arashiyama is so much more than the bamboo path and with Andrew’s expertise this place got a completely new dimension.”
- Karolina, Norway, March 2020