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Arashiyama Tour with optional Sagano Romantic Train in Kyoto

Top rated
4.4
Activity provider: TripGuru Japan
Arashiyama Tour with optional Sagano Romantic Train
Arashiyama Tour with optional Sagano Romantic Train 2
Arashiyama Tour with optional Sagano Romantic Train 3
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3-hour tour in Kyoto, taking in Mikami Shrine, Kyoto, Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and Tenryuji Temple. Run by TripGuru Japan, booked direct rather than through a reseller.

Highlights

  • Train
  • Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
  • Tenryuji Temple
  • Local café
  • Runs 3 hours
  • English-speaking tour guide

Arashiyama Tour with optional Sagano Romantic Train: Key Facts

PriceFrom $136 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 Train, Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and Tenryuji Temple. It is run by TripGuru Japan, 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 tour guide, Entrance fees to Tenryu Temple and Sagano Romantic Train Ride. It does not cover Personal Expenses and Food and drinks, 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.

TripGuru Japan sends the meeting point and time by email as soon as the booking is confirmed. We need at least one day's notice, and we confirm the date with TripGuru Japan 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.

2 starting location options

Torokko Arashiyama Sta., Umahori Station

Train

(30 minutes)

Mikami Shrine, Kyoto

Visit, Guided tour (15 minutes)

Arashiyama Bamboo Forest

Visit, Guided tour (45 minutes)

Tenryuji Temple

Visit, Guided tour (20 minutes)

Local café

Local snacks (30 minutes)

Arashiyama

Visit, Guided tour (30 minutes)

Finish at

Arashiyama Station

Detailed Itinerary

2 starting location options: Torokko Arashiyama Sta., Umahori Station

Train: (30 minutes)

Mikami Shrine, Kyoto: Visit, Guided tour (15 minutes)

Arashiyama Bamboo Forest: Visit, Guided tour (45 minutes)

Tenryuji Temple: Visit, Guided tour (20 minutes)

Local café: Local snacks (30 minutes)

Arashiyama: Visit, Guided tour (30 minutes)

Finish at: Arashiyama Station

Includes

  • English-speaking tour guide
  • Entrance fees to Tenryu Temple
  • Sagano Romantic Train Ride (if option selected)

Excludes

  • Personal Expenses
  • Food and drinks

Important information

Meeting point

TripGuru Japan sends the meeting point and time by email as soon as the booking is confirmed.

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 $136
$136
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

4.4/5
based on 27 reviews
Guide
4.9/5
Value for money
4.8/5
Verified reviews from travelers on this operator’s experience
5
M
Mark
June 7, 2026

We had a great tour with our wonderful guide, Joanne. The scenery was amazing, and there were heaps of great places to visit. Joanne set the perfect pace for our tour, and we had plenty of opportunities to create many memories and explore. Amazing mountain scenery, lovely forests, and lots of info about everything we saw.

Review photo 1Review photo 2Review photo 3
5
B
Beatrice
December 2, 2025

We were not able to get the train we booked too late. The communication was great and they outlined all our options. We went with just the tour and Shingo was a great guide. He took very good care of us stopping to rest when we needed a break and setting up the best photo moments. He was extremely knowledgeable about the tour sights and helped us with some restaurant recommendations which is always helpful from a local! We had a wonderful day with Shingo I highly recommend this tour.

Review photo 1
5
c
carolina
October 6, 2025

The tour with Eloise was incredible. The historical commentary on the area was very interesting, as was the description of the iconic sites. It was also excellent that she guided me to the best locations to take good photos and try amazing local food.

Review photo 1Review photo 2
5
G
Geffrey
April 3, 2026

Really had a great time with Eloise. She was very friendly and knowledgeable. We went on the romantic train and toured Arishiyama. We walked to the top of the monkey park and got great views of Kyoto.

5
A
Anat
July 22, 2025

we learned some new things about japan that we did not know in histiry and in the future. we learned about the types of believing in japan

5
M
Michelle
June 25, 2025

Just wanted to say I had a blast on that walking tour! Eloise was an amazing guide – she really knew her history. I learned so much, and she was super helpful giving us recommendations for eating and shopping in the area. Definitely recommend it!

5
V
Valerie
March 29, 2025

This was SUCH a fun trip. I'd been to Kyoto before but this time was visiting with out of town visitors. I booked with Trip Guru and was so glad I did. Our guide, Leo, was friendly, knowledgeable, and so personable. We were traveling with a six year old and our guide made it fun for her as well. The arrangements were easy. I really liked this particular itinerary and it was just the right amount of activity , especially out in the forest.

5
J
Jamie
March 4, 2025

The tour was a lot of fun, great scenery and our tour guide, Katsuhiko was amazing!

5
T
Traveller
June 7, 2026

Great tour! Our guide Shingo made a rainy day enjoyable. He was very knowledgeable about the sites and catered our tour to our interests.

3
T
Traveller
April 1, 2026

Probably not worth the money. Learned some stuff but it was a long tour and we concluded we would have rather done our own thing.

5
N
Nushrat
April 17, 2025

Really enjoyed the tour. Our guide knew which route to take to see the best of the tour. Very interesting discussions with the guide to understand historical background.

5
A
Anna
April 18, 2026

Wir hatten einen ganz tollen Tag. Die Zugfahrt war sehr schön und unser Guide Chan einfach wunderbar. Der Ausflug war unbeschreiblich schön!!Dankeschön 🇯🇵🏯☀️

Frequently Asked Questions

TripGuru Japan sends the meeting point and time by email as soon as the booking is confirmed.
The price does not cover personal expenses and food and drinks. Everything it does cover is listed in full on this page, so if something is not on that list, budget for it separately.
Unless the option says private, this runs as a small group. The operator caps it rather than filling a coach, and if you want it to yourselves the private option is priced separately on this page.
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.
English-speaking tour guide, Entrance fees to Tenryu Temple, Sagano Romantic Train Ride (if option selected)
The duration of the Arashiyama Tour with optional Sagano Romantic Train 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$136