Hey Steemians,
In this episode of Xcape we’ll explore the city of Arashiyama. For those who have never been to Japan, Arashiyama is approximately 30 minutes West of Kyoto (by train). The district is frequently referred to as a place of natural beauty and when you visit you’ll see why.
When I visited Arashiyama I visited the Iwatayama Monkey Park and the Famous Bamboo Forest, which I both highly recommend. I also recommend checking out the town, which is spectacularly beautiful particularly during late afternoon and evening. Please feel free to check out my video below of my trip to Arashiyama where you’ll see some of the places I visited and hopefully gain an appreciation for its beauty.
Iwatayama Monkey Park
The Iwatayama Monkey Park is located on top of Mt Arashiyama which is a short walk from the Arashiyama train station. Entry into the park is ¥1000 which you pay for at the base of the mountain. I’d recommend that if you plan to visit the monkey park that you dress accordingly in some loose pants, as the walk up the mountain is approximately 30-45 minutes and is fairly tiring. Luckily the climb is fairly scenic and has plenty of stops along the way to rest.
Check out a few of my photos from the mountain climb below.
When you reach the top of the mountain you’ll be amaze to see a large pack of cute monkeys which you can take photos with and interact with by feeding them whilst in the safety of an enclosure. Check out some of my photos from around the park.
You can also purchase pieces of fruit to feed the monkeys for about ¥150. If you’ve never seen or interacted with a monkey this can be quite an experience.
The monkeys aren’t the only thing to admire as the hike up the mountain also provides you with some amazing views over Arashiyama.
After your visit to the Monkey park I also recommend you check out the famous Arashiyama Bamboo Forest.
When you visit Arashiyama you’ll likely notice a lot of tourist and locals dressing up in the traditional Japanese dress style (kiminos). If you wish to hire out some of these clothes you can do so from a number of shops in Kyoto. Ochacha no Kimono is one of these stores and is conveniently located near the Arashiyama Train Station.
I also recommend checking out the Togetsukyo Bridge and Katsura River. You can’t miss it because you’ll most likely need to cross the river to get to the Bamboo Forest from the Monkey Park.
Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
The other attraction I also highly recommend is the walk through the Bamboo Forest. The walk through the forest is extremely peaceful and you’ll definitely be amazed at just how tall some of the bamboo trees are. When I visited I felt like an ant walking amongst giant blades of grass. Some parts of the track are shrouded in darkness as the towering bamboo can blocks a lot of the light along the walkway.
Check out a few of my photos below from my walk through the bamboo forest and some other gardens near the Bamboo forest.
Regardless of what you decide to see and do in Arashiyama I’m sure you’ll enjoy the experience and tranquility of this place.
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