{"id":2171,"date":"2026-10-21T11:50:03","date_gmt":"2026-10-21T11:50:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thejapanpro.com\/blog\/?p=2171"},"modified":"2026-10-21T11:50:35","modified_gmt":"2026-10-21T11:50:35","slug":"arashiyama-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thejapanpro.com\/blog\/ko\/arashiyama-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Arashiyama 2026: How to Beat the Crowds, Station by Station"},"content":{"rendered":"

To beat the crowds in Arashiyama, arrive at JR Saga-Arashiyama before 8:00, walk the bamboo grove first, and be at Tenryu-ji’s gate when it opens at 8:30. By 10:00 the main street and the grove fill with tour groups, so spend the middle of the day on the river or in the quieter Sagano temples to the north, and save Togetsukyo Bridge for late afternoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arashiyama has three railway stations, and which one you use decides how your day goes. This guide works through them one by one: what is near each, when to be there, and what it costs. It also covers the big change coming: the Sagano Romantic Train’s current carriages make their last run on 29 December 2026, with new ones due in spring 2027. Everything was checked between 19 and 21 October 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n

8:30<\/p>

Tenryu-ji opens<\/p><\/div>

\u00a5500<\/p>

Tenryu-ji garden entry<\/p><\/div>

29 Dec 2026<\/p>

Last run of the current Romantic Train<\/p><\/div>

\u00a56,000<\/p>

Hozugawa river boat, adult<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n

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\"Arashiyama
The bamboo grove path in Arashiyama. Photo: Caleb Jack<\/a> \/ Unsplash, Unsplash \ub77c\uc774\uc120\uc2a4<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n\n\n

Which Arashiyama station should you use?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

All three stations are within about 15 minutes’ walk of each other, but they sit in different parts of town. Pick by where you want to start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\uc5ed<\/th>From central Kyoto<\/th>Fare<\/th>Nearest sights<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
JR Saga-Arashiyama<\/td>Kyoto Station, JR Sagano Line, about 15 min<\/td>\u00a5240<\/td>Bamboo grove (north end), Okochi Sanso, Torokko Saga for the Romantic Train<\/td><\/tr>
Randen Arashiyama<\/td>Shijo-Omiya, Keifuku Randen tram, about 20 min<\/td>\u00a5250<\/td>Main street, Tenryu-ji, bamboo grove (south end)<\/td><\/tr>
Hankyu Arashiyama<\/td>Kyoto-Kawaramachi or Karasuma, change at Katsura, about 20 min<\/td>\u00a5240<\/td>Togetsukyo Bridge, Monkey Park, riverside<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fares and times are from japan-guide.com<\/a>‘s February 2026 update. The JR line is covered by the Japan Rail Pass (see is the JR Pass worth it?<\/a>), and IC cards such as ICOCA and Suica work on JR and Hankyu, as explained in our IC card guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Avoid the bus if you can. Kyoto city buses charge a flat \u00a5230 but crawl through Arashiyama traffic at weekends, and the one-day bus pass is no longer sold. Our Gion-Shijo station guide<\/a> explains the 2024\u201326 bus changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you beat the crowds in Arashiyama?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Arashiyama is one of the busiest places in Kyoto, and in autumn it gets worse. Three rules make the biggest difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n