Arashiyama, Kyoto · Things to do
Things to Do in Arashiyama: 11 Places with Hours, Prices and Access
11 things to do · checked October 20, 2026
11 things to do in Arashiyama, from the river to the hills and Okusaga
Hours, prices and access checked against each place's own page on October 20, 2026. They change; check before you go.
1Togetsukyo Bridge渡月橋
Landmark bridge · Arashiyama (riverside)
A wooden bridge over the Katsura River in front of Arashiyama mountain, a landmark of the district for over four hundred years. Spring cherry blossoms and autumn colour draw large crowds.
- Access
- About 500 m northwest of Hankyu Arashiyama Station.
2Tenryu-ji天龍寺
Zen temple and garden · Arashiyama (riverside)
A UNESCO World Heritage temple with a pond garden. The garden is ticketed on its own; entering the halls costs ¥300 more, and the Cloud Dragon painting in the Dharma Hall is a separate ¥500 ticket.
- Access
- 5 minutes on foot from Keifuku (Randen) Arashiyama Station; 13 minutes from JR Saga-Arashiyama Station; 15 minutes from Hankyu Arashiyama Station. City bus 11, 28 or 93, or Kyoto Bus 61, 72 or 83, to Arashiyama Tenryu-ji-mae.
- Hours
- 8:30–17:00 (last admission 16:50). The Dharma Hall (Cloud Dragon) opens on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays and during set spring and autumn periods only.
- Closed on
- Scheduled closures in 2026: 1 April from 12:30 and 29–30 October. The Dharma Hall is closed 28–30 October 2026 and 2 January 2027. The halls can also close without notice for ceremonies.
- Price
- Garden only: high school and over ¥500; elementary and junior high ¥300; preschool free. Garden plus halls: ¥300 more. Cloud Dragon painting: ¥500 extra.
3Arashiyama Bamboo Grove嵐山の竹林（竹林の小径）
Bamboo path · Sagano
A short path through tall bamboo, with an extra stretch beside Nonomiya Shrine. Kyoto's tourism association reports knife graffiti cut into stalks, which cannot be repaired, and asks visitors not to damage the bamboo.
- Access
- 10 minutes on foot from JR Saga-Arashiyama Station, or from Torokko Saga Station. Tenryu-ji has a side gate onto the grove.
4Kimono Forestキモノフォレスト
Station art installation · Randen Arashiyama Station
600 poles wrapped in Yuzen-dyed fabric, set up like a grove inside Randen Arashiyama Station and designed to glow with light. The station complex also has a footbath on the platform (¥250) and a rooftop terrace.
- Access
- At Keifuku (Randen) Arashiyama Station, the end of the Randen Arashiyama Line.
- Hours
- Shops in the station complex: floors 1 and 3, 10:00–18:00; floor 2, 11:00–18:00. The operator does not give separate viewing hours for the poles.
5Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama嵐山モンキーパークいわたやま
Wild monkey park on a hill · South bank of the Katsura River
About 120 wild Japanese macaques live in the park. From the entrance it is about a 20-minute climb, starting with 120 steps, to the rest hut at 160 m, which has a view over Kyoto and where visitors can feed the monkeys from inside.
- Access
- The entrance is about 20 m upstream along the river, south of Togetsukyo Bridge, through the grounds of a shrine on the bank (the entrance is on the left once inside). On foot: 7 minutes from Hankyu Arashiyama, 10 from Keifuku Arashiyama, 15 from JR Saga-Arashiyama; bus stop Arashiyama-koen, 5 minutes. No car park of its own.
- Hours
- 9:00–16:00 (summit until 16:30). Closes early if the monkeys go back up the mountain.
- Closed on
- Irregular closures; closed in heavy rain, heavy snow or typhoons; closed 1 January
- Price
- Adults (16+) ¥800; ages 4–15 ¥400; 3 and under free. Cash only. Food for the monkeys is sold at the hut for ¥100 a bag; food brought in cannot be given.
6Okochi Sanso Villa and Garden大河内山荘庭園
Villa and stroll garden · Top of the bamboo grove
The villa and garden of the film actor Okochi Denjiro, at the top of the bamboo grove. It has views over Kyoto, and admission includes a Japanese sweet and hot matcha in the teahouse.
Opening hours and fee are not stated on the pages checked for this list; confirm at the gate.
- Access
- At the upper end of the Arashiyama bamboo grove path.
7Sagano Romantic Train嵯峨野トロッコ列車
Scenic sightseeing train · Torokko Saga / Torokko Arashiyama stations
A sightseeing train through the Hozu River gorge, about 25 minutes over a 7 km line, running from Torokko Saga through Torokko Arashiyama and Torokko Hozukyo to Torokko Kameoka. From 24 October to 29 December 2026 an autumn illumination, “Fantasy Train of Light”, runs between Torokko Arashiyama and Torokko Kameoka.
- Access
- Torokko Arashiyama Station is about 20 minutes on foot from Torokko Saga Station. The bamboo grove is about 10 minutes on foot from Torokko Saga.
- Hours
- Reserve seats online, or buy on the day at the station counters (not Hozukyo) until sold out; a limited number of standing tickets go on sale after the seats do.
- Closed on
- The official calendar (checked 20 October 2026) marks 21 October and 16 December 2026 as suspended and is published to 29 December 2026. Later dates are not yet shown.
- Price
- One way, same fare for any section: adults ¥880; children ¥440
8Hozugawa River Boat Ride保津川下り
Gorge boat ride · Kameoka to Arashiyama
A ride of about 16 km down the Hozu River gorge from Kameoka to Arashiyama in a flat wooden boat, about two hours. Children under 80 cm cannot board.
- Access
- Boats leave from the operator's pier in Kameoka and finish at Arashiyama. Its access page covers JR Kameoka Station, the Hankyu line and the Torokko train, and says the boat can be boarded even when the Torokko train is full.
- Hours
- 10 March–30 November: weekdays from 9:00, roughly hourly; the timetable page gives the last boat as 15:00 in one place and 15:30 in another. 1–13 December: weekdays 9:00–13:00 hourly, last boat 14:30. 14 December–9 March: 10:00, 11:30, 13:00, 14:30. Saturdays, Sundays and holidays: boats leave as soon as seats fill.
- Closed on
- 29 December–4 January. The operator also posts suspensions on its homepage; 21 October 2026 was listed as a suspended day on 20 October.
- Price
- Adults ¥6,000; children (infants to elementary school) ¥4,500
9Jojakko-ji常寂光寺
Temple known for autumn colour · Sagano (Ogurayama)
A Nichiren-sect temple on the slope of Ogurayama, founded in the Keicho era (1596–1614). Its own page says autumn colour usually starts in the second week of November, peaks from mid to late November and lasts in part to the first week of December.
- Access
- On foot: 12 minutes from city bus stop Saga Shogakko-mae; 15 from JR Saga-Arashiyama; 20 from Keifuku Arashiyama; 30 from Hankyu Arashiyama.
- Hours
- 9:00–17:00 (last admission 16:30). No night opening or illumination.
- Closed on
- Open every day; no reservation needed
- Price
- ¥600
10Gio-ji祇王寺
Moss garden and thatched hermitage temple · Okusaga (Saga-Toriimoto)
A small temple tied to a sad tale in the Tale of the Heike, with a thatched hermitage and a moss garden. Tripods and monopods are banned, and there is no visitor toilet.
- Access
- 25 minutes on foot from JR Saga-Arashiyama Station or Keifuku Arashiyama Station. City bus 28 from Hankyu Arashiyama (about 10 minutes) to Saga Shakado-mae, then 15 minutes on foot.
- Hours
- 9:00–16:30 (last admission)
- Price
- Adults ¥500; elementary to high school ¥100. A joint ticket with Daikaku-ji (hall area) is ¥1,000 for adults.
11Adashino Nenbutsu-jiあだし野念仏寺（化野念仏寺）
Temple with stone Buddhas · Okusaga (Saga-Toriimoto)
A Jodo-sect temple at the foot of the hills in Okusaga, on a site used for burials since the Heian period. The temple's own pages describe the stone Buddhas and stone pagodas of the Sai-no-Kawara area.
- Access
- Stations named by the temple: JR Saga-Arashiyama and Keifuku (Randen) Arashiyama. The temple does not give walking times; from either it is a taxi, a walk or a Kyoto Bus ride.
- Hours
- 9:00–16:30 (last admission); 9:00–15:30 in January, February and December
- Closed on
- Closed when a storm warning is issued for Kyoto City or when there is snow or ice on the ground; may close for religious ceremonies
- Price
- Adults ¥500; junior high and high school ¥400; elementary and under free with a guardian
Good to know
Arashiyama splits into three parts. The riverside core is Togetsukyo Bridge, Tenryu-ji, the bamboo grove and the Kimono Forest at Randen Arashiyama Station; Tenryu-ji is 5 to 15 minutes on foot from the stations and the grove about 10 minutes from JR Saga-Arashiyama. The Monkey Park and Okochi Sanso are up the hillside, and the Sagano Romantic Train and the Hozugawa boat run down the gorge. The temples of Okusaga, Jojakko-ji, Gio-ji and Adashino Nenbutsu-ji, are a 15 to 25 minute walk out.
The train and the boat are two ways down the same gorge. The train runs about 25 minutes from Torokko Saga to Torokko Kameoka; the boat runs about two hours from Kameoka back to Arashiyama. The boat operator's access page lists the Torokko train as one way to reach its pier, and says the boat can be boarded even when the train is full.
Dates to plan around: Tenryu-ji is closed 29–30 October 2026 and its Dharma Hall 28–30 October. The Sagano train is marked suspended on 21 October and 16 December, and runs its “Fantasy Train of Light” illumination from 24 October to 29 December. The Hozugawa boat has a winter timetable from 14 December and no boats from 29 December to 4 January. Jojakko-ji's own page says its autumn colour usually starts in the second week of November. The Arashiyama Bamboo Light-up is listed for 30 September to 8 November 2026, and Adashino Nenbutsu-ji stops admission at 15:30 in December, January and February.
Riverside, hillside, gorge or Okusaga
Getting there, what it costs to get in, and the latest you can start. Adult prices; children's prices are on each card above. Walking times are the ones each place states.
| Where | Getting there | Entry (adult) | Latest start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside: Togetsukyo Bridge, Tenryu-ji, bamboo grove, Kimono Forest | Tenryu-ji 5 min from Randen Arashiyama, 13 from JR Saga-Arashiyama, 15 from Hankyu Arashiyama; bridge about 500 m from Hankyu Arashiyama; grove about 10 min from JR Saga-Arashiyama | Tenryu-ji garden ¥500 (+¥300 halls) · others: no fee stated by the sources checked | Tenryu-ji 16:50 |
| Hillside: Monkey Park, Okochi Sanso | Monkey Park entrance 7 min from Hankyu Arashiyama, plus about a 20 min climb · Okochi Sanso at the top of the bamboo grove | Monkey Park ¥800 · Okochi Sanso not stated | Monkey Park 9:00–16:00 (summit 16:30) |
| Gorge: Sagano Romantic Train | Torokko Saga, about 10 min on foot from the bamboo grove; Torokko Arashiyama about 20 min on foot from Torokko Saga | ¥880 one way | See the official timetable; calendar marks 21 Oct and 16 Dec suspended |
| Gorge: Hozugawa boat | Pier in Kameoka; the ride ends at Arashiyama (about 16 km, about two hours) | ¥6,000 | Weekdays 15:00 or 15:30 (March–November); 14:30 from December |
| Okusaga: Jojakko-ji, Gio-ji, Adashino Nenbutsu-ji | Jojakko-ji 15 min from JR Saga-Arashiyama; Gio-ji 25 min from JR Saga-Arashiyama or Randen Arashiyama; Adashino by JR or Randen plus walk, taxi or bus | Jojakko-ji ¥600 · Gio-ji ¥500 · Adashino ¥500 | Last admission 16:30 at all three (15:30 at Adashino in Dec–Feb) |
By kind of trip
Half a day on foot from the station
These four sit close together on the riverside. Tenryu-ji takes its last visitors at 16:50, the Kimono Forest shops run 10:00–18:00, and the Tenryu-ji side gate opens onto the bamboo grove.
Togetsukyo Bridge · Tenryu-ji · Arashiyama Bamboo Grove · Kimono Forest
Autumn colour
Jojakko-ji's page gives mid to late November as its usual peak. The Sagano train adds an illumination run from 24 October to 29 December 2026, and Tenryu-ji is closed 29–30 October.
Jojakko-ji · Tenryu-ji · Sagano Romantic Train · Togetsukyo Bridge
Quiet temples in Okusaga
Gio-ji, Adashino Nenbutsu-ji and Jojakko-ji are small temples a 15 to 25 minute walk beyond the main streets. Last admission is 16:30 at all three, and Adashino stops at 15:30 from December to February.
Down the gorge by train or boat
The train takes about 25 minutes and costs ¥880 one way; the boat takes about two hours and costs ¥6,000 for adults. The boat runs from Kameoka to Arashiyama, so the two can be combined.
With children
The Monkey Park is ¥400 for ages 4–15 and free for 3 and under, with a 20-minute climb starting with 120 steps. Tenryu-ji's garden is ¥300 for elementary and junior high pupils, the train is ¥440 for children, and boat passengers must be at least 80 cm tall.
Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama · Tenryu-ji · Sagano Romantic Train · Hozugawa River Boat Ride
Questions
Which places in Arashiyama charge admission, and how much?
Tenryu-ji garden ¥500 (¥300 more for the halls, ¥500 extra for the Cloud Dragon painting); Arashiyama Monkey Park ¥800 for adults and ¥400 for ages 4–15; Jojakko-ji ¥600; Gio-ji ¥500; Adashino Nenbutsu-ji ¥500. The Sagano Romantic Train is ¥880 one way and the Hozugawa boat ¥6,000. Okochi Sanso's admission includes matcha and a sweet, but the pages checked for this list do not give the fee.
How long does it take to walk from Arashiyama to the Okusaga temples?
Jojakko-ji is 15 minutes on foot from JR Saga-Arashiyama and 20 from Randen Arashiyama. Gio-ji is 25 minutes from either of those stations. Adashino Nenbutsu-ji names the same two stations but gives no walking time. City bus 28 from Hankyu Arashiyama reaches Saga Shakado-mae in about 10 minutes, and Gio-ji is a 15-minute walk from there.
Can I take the Sagano Romantic Train and the Hozugawa boat on the same day?
They run on the same gorge in opposite senses: the train goes from Torokko Saga to Torokko Kameoka in about 25 minutes, and the boat goes from Kameoka to Arashiyama in about two hours. The boat operator lists the Torokko train as one way to reach its pier and says the boat can be boarded even when the train is full. Check the train's calendar (21 October and 16 December 2026 are marked suspended) and the boat's timetable (last boat 14:30 from December).
What is closed or changes in late October?
Tenryu-ji is closed 29–30 October 2026, and its Dharma Hall (Cloud Dragon) 28–30 October. The Sagano train is marked suspended on 21 October, and the Hozugawa boat operator posted 21 October as a suspended day on 20 October. From 24 October the Sagano train also runs its autumn illumination, and the Arashiyama Bamboo Light-up runs until 8 November.
Is there anything to see at night in Arashiyama?
The Arashiyama Bamboo Light-up is listed for 30 September to 8 November 2026, with its venue given as Saga Tenryuji Tateishicho. The Sagano train's “Fantasy Train of Light” runs between Torokko Arashiyama and Torokko Kameoka from 24 October to 29 December 2026. Jojakko-ji has no night opening, and the Kimono Forest poles are designed to glow with light, but the operator gives no separate viewing hours.