Arashiyama in Kimono: Bamboo Grove, Togetsukyo and Getting There from Kiyomizu
A day in Arashiyama in kimono after dressing at Kiyomizu: three ways across Kyoto, the bamboo grove without crowds, Togetsukyo, Tenryu-ji and when to return.
Sep 14, 2026·✍️ olablog·⏱ 7 min read
A day in Arashiyama in kimono after dressing at Kiyomizu: three ways across Kyoto, the bamboo grove without crowds, Togetsukyo, Tenryu-ji and when to return.
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Arashiyama (嵐山) sits on the opposite side of Kyoto from Kiyomizu: the bamboo grove, the Togetsukyo bridge over the Katsura River, Tenryu-ji's garden and the mountain behind them are a 45-minute journey west. Most visitors who want kimono photos in the bamboo rent in Arashiyama itself, but if you are dressing at OlaChill's Kyoto Kiyomizu shop, you can do both sides of the city in one long day, or better, split the day: Higashiyama in the morning, Arashiyama from early afternoon with a next-day return. This guide gives the three ways across, the timing that avoids the grove's crowds, and what a kimono can and cannot do in Arashiyama.
Three ways from Kiyomizu to Arashiyama
| Route | Time door to door | Cost per person | Kimono comfort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keihan + Hankyu: walk to Kiyomizu-Gojo, Keihan one stop to Gion-Shijo, walk to Kyoto-Kawaramachi, Hankyu to Katsura, change to the Arashiyama line | 50 to 60 minutes | About ¥400 | Two short walks, seated most of the way; ends on the south bank by Togetsukyo |
| Bus 206 or 100 to Kyoto Station, then JR Sagano line to Saga-Arashiyama | 50 to 60 minutes | About ¥470 | The JR leg is 15 minutes and lands you close to the grove; the bus can be crowded |
| Taxi or private car | 30 to 40 minutes | Metered taxi, or a chauffeured car quoted per trip | Door to door, no standing, obi intact |
For a group of three or four in kimono, a taxi from Higashiyama splits to a reasonable price and saves an hour of walking and transfers; a chauffeured car (OlaChill's private car service is quoted per itinerary) makes sense if you want the car to wait and bring you back. Our private car and kimono photoshoot guide explains how that day runs.
Arashiyama's timing problem
The bamboo grove path (竹林の小径) is 400 metres long and receives many thousands of people a day. From 10:00 to 16:00 it is a slow-moving line and every photo has strangers in it. Two windows work: before 09:00, and after 16:30 when the day-trippers leave for dinner. From Kiyomizu, the morning window is not possible on the same day (our shop opens at 09:00), which is why we suggest the afternoon-evening plan below with next-day return (+¥1,100).
The rest of Arashiyama is more forgiving: Togetsukyo is wide, the riverbank is long, and Tenryu-ji's garden absorbs crowds.
What to see, in a kimono-friendly order
- Togetsukyo bridge (渡月橋). Walk it from the south bank to the north, with the mountain and river as backdrop. Shoot from the riverbank east of the bridge for the full span.
- Riverside path and boat hire. Rowing boats are rented on the north bank; a kimono in a rowing boat is a lovely photo and a poor idea for the obi. Sit in a boat with a boatman instead, or enjoy the bank.
- Tenryu-ji (天龍寺). The garden by the pond, with the mountain borrowed as scenery, is the best kimono setting in Arashiyama and far calmer than the grove. Garden admission is ¥500. Exit through the north gate straight into the bamboo.
- The bamboo grove. Walk it; take the photos at the far (west) end near Okochi Sanso, where the path widens.
- Okochi Sanso villa. Admission includes matcha and a sweet, and the garden looks over the city. The path is steep in places; take it slowly in zori.
- Kimono Forest at Randen Arashiyama station. 600 pillars wrapped in Kyoto-dyed kimono fabric, lit at dusk. Free, and a nice final frame.
- Evening on Togetsukyo. The bridge and mountain are lit; the crowds are gone.
What kimono to wear
The grove is shaded and cool even in summer; the riverbank is open and bright. In summer, a yukata (women's ¥4,500, men's ¥4,000) is right, and the blue-and-white cotton patterns look made for bamboo. In spring and autumn, a lined kimono: the pale Komongi (¥5,500) against green bamboo, or the Kimono Ren (¥7,000) with a large pattern for the riverbank. Autumn colour on the mountain behind Togetsukyo (mid to late November) calls for deep reds and mustard.
Add the hair set (¥1,500): the river breeze at Togetsukyo is constant.
Plan your day (afternoon and evening plan)
- 09:00 Dressing at the Kiyomizu shop, next-day return booked. Kiyomizu-dera and Sannenzaka in the morning light.
- 11:30 Early lunch in Higashiyama.
- 12:15 Taxi or Keihan-Hankyu to Arashiyama; arrive about 13:00.
- 13:00 Togetsukyo and the riverbank.
- 14:00 Tenryu-ji garden, then out the north gate into the grove.
- 15:00 Okochi Sanso and matcha.
- 16:30 The grove again, now emptying. This is the pass for photos.
- 17:15 Kimono Forest at the Randen station as the lights come on.
- 17:45 Togetsukyo at dusk, dinner by the river.
- 19:00 Hankyu or JR back; return the kimono before 10:00 next morning.
For a one-morning Arashiyama with a same-day return, reverse it: dress at 09:00, taxi straight to Arashiyama by 09:45, grove and Tenryu-ji by 11:30, back at the shop by 14:00 and Higashiyama for the afternoon. You lose the empty grove but keep the day simple.
Checklist
- Next-day return (+¥1,100) if you want the evening window
- Flat, small bag; the Hankyu change at Katsura has stairs
- Blister plasters; the grove and Okochi Sanso are the longest walking of the day
- Cash for Tenryu-ji, Okochi Sanso and the boats
- A light shawl for the shaded grove in spring and autumn
FAQ
Is it better to rent kimono in Arashiyama instead? If Arashiyama is your only kimono day and you want the 08:00 grove, yes, a shop there gives you the morning. If you want Higashiyama's temples and lanes as well, dressing at Kiyomizu and travelling across is the way to get both.
Can I ride the Sagano Romantic Train in kimono? Yes, and it is one of the best kimono seats in Kyoto: an open-sided sightseeing train along the gorge from Saga to Kameoka, 25 minutes each way. Book seats ahead in autumn.
Is the monkey park possible in kimono? The path to Iwatayama Monkey Park is a steep 20-minute climb. Not in zori.
Where can we sit down? Tenryu-ji's garden benches, the riverbank, Okochi Sanso's tea room, and the cafes along the road to the station. The grove itself has nowhere.
What about a bamboo grove tour? Our Arashiyama bamboo grove local tour runs in the early morning for exactly the reason above; the Arashiyama bamboo grove article covers the path and the river in more detail.
Book your Arashiyama kimono day
Reserve at the Kyoto Kiyomizu shop with next-day return and tell us you are heading to Arashiyama so we suggest the lightest set for the walking. Prices and styles are on the kimono rental page.
