The scenic western district at the foot of the hills — the famous bamboo grove, riverside temples and gardens, a monkey park and a pretty river with a landmark bridge. Serene, green and touristy by day but blissfully quiet by evening; a lovely, calm base for those who want nature and tranquillity over the buzz.
A look around
What you’ll be living next to. Swipe through.
€120–220
typical per night in Japan
The sensible middle
Typical prices for Kyoto — neither steal nor splurge.
Where it sits
The circle is Arashiyama and roughly a 10-minute walk around it.
How far is everything?
From the middle of this area to the city's headline sights — pick your own on the city page and these become your list.
- Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)20 min taxi6.6 km
- Nijo Castle22 min taxi7.4 km
- Nishiki Market27 min taxi8.9 km
- Gion & the geisha district30 min taxi9.9 km
- The Higashiyama lanes31 min taxi10.5 km
- Fushimi Inari Shrine32 min taxi10.7 km
- Kiyomizu-dera33 min taxi10.9 km
- Ginkaku-ji & the Philosopher's Path36 min taxi12.1 km
On your doorstep
What you’re living next to if you stay here.
- 3.The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove — An otherworldly path through towering, swaying bamboo that filters the light green and rustles in the wind — one of the most photographed spots in Japan. Tiny and often mobbed; go at first light to have the ethereal grove almost to yourself, then explore the temples and riverside of Arashiyama around it.
- 8.Tenryu-ji & its garden — The great Zen temple of Arashiyama, with one of Japan's oldest and finest gardens — a serene pond-and-borrowed-mountain landscape designed in the 14th century and barely changed since, with the bamboo grove just behind. A masterclass in Japanese garden design and a calm counterpoint to the crowded grove.
When are you staying?
Booking.com & Airbnb open searched to Arashiyama; flights via Google Flights.