Arashiyama, Kyoto

Arashiyama is a beautiful little town near Kyoto. The Togetsukyo Bridge and nearby bamboo forest are Arashiyama's well known landmarks. We spent a full day here, although we could have spent even longer - since we ended up cramming everything in! Here's a quick glimpse of our day in Arashiyama...

The Togetsukyo Bridge or "Moon Crossing Bridge," is Arashiyama's most well-known landmark. It dates back to 794 and makes for a nice picture spot since it sits nestled between the mountains.

Togetsukyo Bridge, Arashiyama

Next we headed to Arashiyama's famous bamboo forest. The path that cut through the bamboo groves made for a gorgeous walk. I read that this bamboo has been used to manufacture various products, such as baskets, cups, boxes, and mats at local shops for centuries.

Arashiyama Bamboo Forest

After the bamboo forest, we ventured even deeper into the woods to see a few temples. Gio-ji Temple is nestled way back in the forest, and is known for its bright green moss garden. The temple and main gate both have thatched roofs. The main building enshrines the statue of Budha Dainichi, who symbolizes oneness with the universe. There are also 4 statues of nuns, including one of Gio herself.

Gio-ji Temple, Arashiyama

Nison-in Temple sits on top of a hill and has beautiful views of the city. The graves of many historic figures are located here. It was somewhat eerie walking through the graveyard, but the sites from the top were really pretty, as were many of the buildings.

One of the buildings inside the Nison-in Temple complex.

We saved the biggest temple for last! One of the major temples in this area, Tenryu-ji, was built in 1339. It's ranked among Kyoto's 5 great Zen temples and is the largest temple in Arashiyama. This temple and surrounding gardens are a World Heritage Site.

One of the buildings of Tenryu-ji, overlooking the pond and gardens.

One of the rooms inside Tenryu-ji Temple.

We also took the Saga Scenic Railway, otherwise known as "Sagano Romantic Train," which is a sight-seeing train that runs 7-km from the town of Arashiyama to nearby Kameoka. The route runs through the mountains down the beautiful Hozugawa River. The train only goes about 25km/hr, so we were able to enjoy the scenery. I'm told that the most popular time to visit is in the fall, during the autumn color season in mid-November. We might have to make the journey back for this!

On the Saga Scenic Railway journey.

Elodie enjoyed the ride, too!

It was a very fun, but busy day! It was really nice to get out of the city and spend some time breathing fresh air, walking through the forest, and sight-seeing. I get so wrapped up in wanting to travel and see the world that I often forget that I LIVE IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY!! This weekend was the perfect reminder to enjoy every second that we have the opportunity to live here. We had a great time being complete tourists this weekend... and we're looking forward to seeing much more of Japan throughout the rest of this year.