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Arashiyama Private Morning Tour: Bamboo Grove and Zen Temple (Kyoto)

Top rated
5.0
Activity provider: Cornwall Ltd
Arashiyama Private Morning Tour: Bamboo Grove and Zen Temple (Kyoto)
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3-hour tour in Kyoto, taking in Arashiyama, Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and Tenryuji Temple. Run by Cornwall Ltd, booked direct rather than through a reseller.

Highlights

  • Arashiyama
  • Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
  • Tenryuji Temple
  • Nonomiya Shrine
  • Runs 3 hours
  • Private local English-speaking guide

Arashiyama Private Morning Tour: Bamboo Grove and Zen Temple (Kyoto): Key Facts

PriceFrom $108.5 per person
Duration3 hours
LanguagesEnglish
Tour typeGuided Tour
BookingDirect with the local operator — no OTA markup

Full description

This is a 3-hour experience from Kyoto, built around Arashiyama, Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and Tenryuji Temple. It is run by Cornwall Ltd, 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 Private local English-speaking guide, Private morning walking tour of Arashiyama, Early morning visit to the Bamboo Grove, Zen temple visit with entrance ticket included and Cultural insights into Zen, Arashiyama. Everything included is listed in full on this page; if something is not on that list, assume it is not in the price.

TULLY’S COFFEE Randen Arashiyama Station Shop. We need at least one day's notice, and we confirm the date with Cornwall Ltd 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

TULLY’S COFFEE Randen Arashiyama Station Shop

Arashiyama

Photo stop, Guided tour, Sightseeing, Walk (15 minutes)

Arashiyama Bamboo Forest

Photo stop, Visit, Guided tour, Sightseeing, Walk (30 minutes)

Tenryuji Temple

Photo stop, Visit, Guided tour, Sightseeing, Walk (40 minutes)

Nonomiya Shrine

Photo stop, Visit, Guided tour, Sightseeing, Walk (15 minutes)

嵐山商店街

Photo stop, Visit, Guided tour, Sightseeing, Walk (30 minutes)

Katsura River

Photo stop, Visit, Guided tour, Sightseeing, Walk (15 minutes)

Togetsukyo Bridge

Photo stop, Visit, Guided tour, Sightseeing, Walk (15 minutes)

Finish at

Togetsukyō Bridge

Detailed Itinerary

Starting location: TULLY’S COFFEE Randen Arashiyama Station Shop

Arashiyama: Photo stop, Guided tour, Sightseeing, Walk (15 minutes)

Arashiyama Bamboo Forest: Photo stop, Visit, Guided tour, Sightseeing, Walk (30 minutes)

Tenryuji Temple: Photo stop, Visit, Guided tour, Sightseeing, Walk (40 minutes)

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

嵐山商店街: Photo stop, Visit, Guided tour, Sightseeing, Walk (30 minutes)

Katsura River: Photo stop, Visit, Guided tour, Sightseeing, Walk (15 minutes)

Togetsukyo Bridge: Photo stop, Visit, Guided tour, Sightseeing, Walk (15 minutes)

Includes

  • Private local English-speaking guide
  • Private morning walking tour of Arashiyama
  • Early morning visit to the Bamboo Grove
  • Zen temple visit with entrance ticket included
  • Cultural insights into Zen, Arashiyama, and local history
  • Peaceful riverside walk with local stories
  • Photography guidance at scenic spots

Important information

Meeting point

TULLY’S COFFEE Randen Arashiyama Station Shop

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 3 hours
Check availability to see starting times
Live tour guide
English
Wheelchair accessible

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Main Tour Price
Starting from $108.5
$108.5
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

5/5
based on 3 reviews
Guide
5/5
Value for money
5/5
Verified reviews from travelers on this operator’s experience
5
D
Daniel
May 30, 2026

Schöne Tour in kleiner Gruppe mit einigen netten Fakten zur Natur und Umgebung

Review photo 1Review photo 2Review photo 3
5
T
Traveller
September 10, 2026

The tour guide was very professional and nice, answered all our questions and customised the tour based on our ideas!

Frequently Asked Questions

TULLY’S COFFEE Randen Arashiyama Station Shop
Shoes off at every hall, quiet voices, and no photographs inside the halls unless a sign allows it. At a shrine, rinse hands and mouth at the basin, then bow twice, clap twice and bow once; at a temple, hands together without clapping. Dress is relaxed, but shoulders and knees covered is the courteous choice.
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.
Private local English-speaking guide, Private morning walking tour of Arashiyama, Early morning visit to the Bamboo Grove, Zen temple visit with entrance ticket included, Cultural insights into Zen, Arashiyama, and local history, Peaceful riverside walk with local stories, Photography guidance at scenic spots
The duration of the Arashiyama Private Morning Tour: Bamboo Grove and Zen Temple (Kyoto) is typically 3 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$108.5