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Arashiyama Bamboo Temple, with Monkeys or Secret Sake Brewery (Kyoto)

Top rated
4.9
Activity provider: Japan Tour Adventure
Arashiyama Bamboo Temple, with Monkeys or Secret Sake Brewery (Kyoto)
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Half-day tour in Kyoto, taking in On foot, Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and Nonomiya Shrine. Run by Japan Tour Adventure, booked direct rather than through a reseller.

Highlights

  • Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
  • Nonomiya Shrine
  • Okochi Sanso Garden
  • Tenryuji Temple
  • Runs 5 hours
  • Bilingual local guide

Arashiyama Bamboo Temple, with Monkeys or Secret Sake Brewery (Kyoto): Key Facts

PriceFrom $113 per person
Duration5 hours
LanguagesEnglish
Tour typeGuided Tour
BookingDirect with the local operator — no OTA markup

Full description

This is a 5-hour experience from Kyoto, built around Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Nonomiya Shrine and Okochi Sanso Garden. It is run by Japan Tour Adventure, an operator we book with directly rather than through a reseller, which is why we can hold your place with them before we treat your booking as final.

Arashiyama, on Kyoto's western edge, is the bamboo grove, the Togetsukyo bridge over the Katsura river, the gardens of Tenryu-ji and the monkey park on the hill above. The bamboo path is about 500 metres and is photographed empty in every guidebook because those photographs are taken before 7:30; by mid-morning it is a procession. Rickshaw runs, the Sagano scenic railway along the gorge, and boat rides down the Hozu rapids all start here. Autumn colour peaks in the second half of November and cherry blossom around the first week of April.

The price covers Bilingual local guide, Entry ticket to Okochi Sanso Garden, Entry ticket to the Tenryuji Temple, Entry ticket to the Monkey Park and Green tea. It does not cover Hotel pickup and drop-off, Lunch, Additional drinks and Souvenirs, so budget for those separately. Everything included is listed in full on this page; if something is not on that list, assume it is not in the price.

Saga-Arashiyama Station. We need at least one day's notice, and we confirm the date with Japan Tour Adventure before treating your booking as final. If they cannot take your date we tell you and refund you rather than leave you waiting.

Tour Itinerary

Itineraries are customisable as per your request

The schedule below is a suggested plan and can be adjusted to suit your preferences.

Starting location

Saga-Arashiyama Station

On foot

(15 minutes)

Arashiyama Bamboo Forest

Photo stop, Visit, Walk (25 minutes)

On foot

(5 minutes)

Nonomiya Shrine

Photo stop, Visit, Sightseeing (15 minutes)

On foot

(10 minutes)

Okochi Sanso Garden

Photo stop, Visit, Tea, Free time, Sightseeing, Walk, Scenic views on the way (40 minutes)

Tenryuji Temple

Photo stop, Visit, Free time, Shopping, Sightseeing, Walk, Self-guided tour, Scenic views on the way (30 minutes)

Arashiyama

Visit, Guided tour, Shopping, Walk, Food tasting, Regional food (30 minutes)

Kimono Forest

Photo stop, Sightseeing, Walk, Scenic views on the way (10 minutes)

Togetsukyo Bridge

Photo stop, Sightseeing, Walk, Scenic views on the way (5 minutes)

Iwatayama Monkey Park

Photo stop, Visit, Sightseeing, Walk, Hiking, Self-guided tour, Scenic views on the way, Wildlife viewing (1 hour)

On foot

(20 minutes)

2 drop-off locations

Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama, Saga-Arashiyama Station

Detailed Itinerary

Starting location: Saga-Arashiyama Station

On foot: (15 minutes)

Arashiyama Bamboo Forest: Photo stop, Visit, Walk (25 minutes)

On foot: (5 minutes)

Nonomiya Shrine: Photo stop, Visit, Sightseeing (15 minutes)

On foot: (10 minutes)

Okochi Sanso Garden: Photo stop, Visit, Tea, Free time, Sightseeing, Walk, Scenic views on the way (40 minutes)

Tenryuji Temple: Photo stop, Visit, Free time, Shopping, Sightseeing, Walk, Self-guided tour, Scenic views on the way (30 minutes)

Includes

  • Bilingual local guide
  • (Please confirm the availability of your preferred language on your date and departure time. Thank you)
  • Entry ticket to Okochi Sanso Garden
  • Entry ticket to the Tenryuji Temple
  • Entry ticket to the Monkey Park
  • Green tea
  • Souvenir pictures

Excludes

  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Lunch
  • Additional drinks
  • Souvenirs

Important information

Meeting point

Saga-Arashiyama Station

Know before you go

  • Free cancellation available up to 24 hours before the activity starts

About this activity

Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Secure payment
Complete your booking safely with Razorpay. Full refund if you cancel 24h prior. Read more
Duration 5 hours
Check availability to see starting times
Live tour guide
English
Wheelchair accessible

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Main Tour Price
Starting from $113
$113
Need a custom booking or have a larger group?Contact Support via WhatsApp
Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Secure payment
Complete your booking safely with Razorpay. Full refund if you cancel 24h prior. Read more

Traveler Reviews

4.9/5
based on 942 reviews
Guide
4.9/5
Value for money
4.7/5
Verified reviews from travelers on this operator’s experience
5
M
Melanie
May 1, 2026

We had an amazing day. Our guide Kevin paced the tour beautifully so as to enjoy the bamboo forests and the main shopping street. We really felt like we had time to enjoy the surroundings and appreciate the beauty. Highly recommended

Review photo 1Review photo 2Review photo 3
5
N
Noah
August 7, 2026

The guide was excellent, personable and clearly passionate about Japanese history. I was lucky enough to end up with a private tour. Great tour, well worth the money.

5
U
Ursa
July 27, 2026

The tour was amazing. The tour guide Remi had a lot of fun facts and stories.

5
B
Bailee
July 11, 2026

Tom was an amzing guide!! I cannot express it enough. He was very cheerful and passionate about the things he toured us on. He was very well informed and happy to share what he knows. The tour was well organized and had a good balance of tourist and local experience. Even though it was a hot summer day, Tom kept the spirits up and regularly checked in with us to see if we needed anything before moving forward. I highly recommend the tour and the guide that came with it.

5
H
Helen
July 10, 2026

I could not even begin to explain how outstanding Tom was from start to finish. He was extremely kind, positive and was a great teacher. The tour itself had beautiful scenery and was well worth it.

5
A
Amy
June 9, 2026

Tour with Rafael was excellent. So relaxing and informative!

5
R
Ruth
May 21, 2026

Very good. Our guide was very pleasant and easy to talk to. The forest and gardens were beautiful. The hike to the monkey park was tough in the heat but the view of the city was worth it.

5
S
Sunny
April 21, 2026

It is an amazing trip and Tom is an amazing too ! What a great day and highly recommend to everyone visits Kyoto :)

5
T
Trenton
April 11, 2026

Our guide Tom was great, very knowledgeable and took us to some less crowded spots. The bamboo forest was very busy, but the gardens nearby were less crowded, and well worth a visit. The sake brewery was fantastic, with the chance to taste quite a wide variety of different types.

5
D
D
April 8, 2026

The tour was very exciting, we saw and learned a lot. Our guide Toru was great, he shared with us very interesting facts and stories about the places we visited. I recommend the tour and the guide.

5
J
Jason
March 27, 2026

Our guide Augustin was fantastic, knowledgeable and friendly.

5
S
Sophie
March 19, 2026

We started early which was great as we beat the crowds to.most places I loved the gardens and Augustin was very knowledgeable

Frequently Asked Questions

Saga-Arashiyama Station
The price does not cover hotel pickup and drop-off, lunch, additional drinks and souvenirs. Everything it does cover is listed in full on this page, so if something is not on that list, budget for it separately.
Yes, if you tell us when you book rather than on the day. Dashi, the fish stock, is in almost everything, so vegetarian and vegan need to be named specifically and the host will plan a kombu-based version. Halal-certified restaurants exist in the big cities but are fewer, so say so early.
We confirm your booking with the operator before we treat it as final, and we need at least one day's notice. Once it is confirmed you get the meeting point, the time and a contact number for the day. If the operator cannot take your date we tell you and refund you rather than leave you waiting.
Bilingual local guide, (Please confirm the availability of your preferred language on your date and departure time. Thank you), Entry ticket to Okochi Sanso Garden, Entry ticket to the Tenryuji Temple, Entry ticket to the Monkey Park, Green tea, Souvenir pictures
The duration of the Arashiyama Bamboo Temple, with Monkeys or Secret Sake Brewery (Kyoto) is typically 5 hours. We recommend arriving 15 minutes before the scheduled start time for a smooth check-in. Your guide will meet you at the designated meeting point and ensure the experience runs on schedule while remaining flexible to your pace.
For most experiences, we highly recommend an early morning start. This allows you to avoid the midday heat, bypass the largest crowds, and capture the best lighting for photography. Your guide can advise on the optimal timing based on the season and specific attractions included.
Yes, once your booking is completed via our secure payment gateway, you will receive an instant confirmation email with your tour details, meeting point address, guide's name, and direct contact information. You can also view and manage your booking through your AsiaByLocals account dashboard.
Yes! All our private tours are fully customizable. Whether you want to add extra stops, skip certain locations, change the pace, or adjust the start time — simply let your guide know in advance or on the day. We aim to create a personalized experience tailored to your interests and energy level.
We offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before the scheduled start time for a full refund. Cancellations within 24 hours may be subject to a partial charge depending on the tour type. Weather-related cancellations for outdoor and boat tours are handled on a case-by-case basis, with full refunds or free rebooking offered when safety is a concern.
Most of our experiences are family-friendly and suitable for children of all ages. However, some tours involving extensive walking, water activities, or early morning starts may be better suited for children aged 5 and above. Please check the specific tour description for age recommendations, or contact us for personalized family itinerary advice.
After booking, you will receive detailed meeting point instructions via email. Most tours include complimentary hotel pickup within the central area. For tours without pickup, your confirmation email will include the exact address, Google Maps pin, and your guide's phone number for easy coordination. Guides typically arrive 10 minutes early and will message you on WhatsApp.
We accept all major credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), PayPal, Apple Pay, and Razorpay for Indian cards. All payments are processed through a PCI-compliant secure gateway with 256-bit encryption. You can also pay in multiple currencies — the price is automatically converted to your local currency at checkout.
Yes, all AsiaByLocals guides are licensed professionals who have been rigorously vetted through background checks, skill assessments, and customer reviews. Many hold government-issued tourism licenses, university degrees in history or cultural studies, and have years of experience leading tours for international travelers. Every guide maintains a minimum 4.5-star rating to remain active on our platform.
Late March to early April for cherry blossom, or mid-to-late November for peak autumn foliage. Kyoto sits in a basin and runs hotter in summer and colder in winter than Tokyo, even at a similar latitude. Full month-by-month figures are in our best time to visit Kyoto guide.
Kyoto never built an extensive subway — just two lines (Karasuma and Tozai) — so the city bus network does most of the work, especially for Higashiyama, Kinkaku-ji and Ginkakuji. Fushimi Inari and Arashiyama are best reached by JR rail instead. See getting around Kyoto.
Three days covers the essentials well: a day for Higashiyama and Gion, a day for Arashiyama and Kinkaku-ji, and a day for Fushimi Inari plus a Nara or Uji day trip. Our 3-day Kyoto itinerary has the full route with timing.
Arrive by 6:30-7am — the shrine is open 24/7 and free, and most visitors only walk the first 20-30 minutes anyway. Past that point the crowds thin out fast. Full hike details in our Fushimi Inari guide.
Yes — it's a public path with no entrance fee and no set hours. The trade-off is that it gets shoulder-to-shoulder by mid-morning; arrive before 8am for a nearly empty walk. See the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest guide.
Kyoto restricts photography on certain private alleys in Gion after complaints about tourists chasing and blocking geiko and maiko, with fines for violators. Public streets like Hanamikoji-dori remain open, but never chase, touch or block a real geiko/maiko anywhere. Full etiquette in our Gion geisha district guide.
Yudofu (simmered tofu, best near Nanzen-ji or Arashiyama), kaiseki and shojin ryori temple cuisine, and Nishiki Market's stalls of tako tamago and fresh yuba. Uji, just south of the city, is one of Japan's top matcha-growing regions. See the Kyoto food guide.
Starting from$113