Day 3: Arashiyama Bamboo Grove - Kyoto, Japan

Turns out is it very easy to get to Arashiyama Bamboo Grove.  We took the train to Kyoto station.  Then transit to another one to get to the Saga Arashiyama Station.  The information booth has a foreigner that can speak several languages and he even prepared a very easy to understand card listing out all the usual station tourists go to and which track we can find the train~  

About a 10 to 15min train ride from Kyoto Station, we arrive at Nijo Saga Arashiyama Station.  Definitely a place for tourist.

Right next to the Saga Arashiyama Station is the station to purchase the Romantic Train tickets, which I didn't get on.  We were there for that Romantic Train anyways.  We just wanted to visit the bamboo forest.

However, in that train station, there is a gift shop where we could make a mini me key chain.

You buy the body you want.  Then take a picture on the machine which will print your face onto the body.  I think it was 800 yen in total.  Fun and surprise it wasn't more expensive.

The street to the bamboo forest is lined with gift shops and restaurants.  We could easily spend all of out money without realizing it. 

We didn't want to push through the crowd so we thought we could find short cut.  Go a bit lost, but that was ok.  It was nice to walk around and the smaller streets reminded me of the streets in the cartoon Doraemon.

So, we saw some kimono experience/rental.  Not cheap.  But it was too hot that day.  I can't imagine wearing so many layer of clothes.  It would be like paying $ to be tortured.

The little street leading to the bamboo forest is super crowded.

There are some hot snacks store at the entrance of the street at well.  It was too hot that day for me to enjoy any street food though.

Finally, after pushing through the crowd, we saw some bamboo!

There were a couple temple in the middle of the bamboo forest too.

To take a full body picture, I'd recommend setting your phone on the ground like below.

Many people online said the bamboo forest can be done in 10 minutes, but then I find the place to be able to take hour at least an hour or 2 of our time.  Definitely worth going.  There are so many little shop and little museum and temple to visit there as well.  

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is at point h in Places Part 2 on the map below:

Chi

Day 1: Check in Airbnb in Nipponbashi > Takoyaki Truck at Doton Plaza > Osaka Horumon stand up BBQ > Dotonbori > Enya Beef BBQ > Doutor Ice Cream Coffee > Kinnotorikara Stick > Donki

Day 2: Kuromon > 天地人拉麵 Ramen > Osaka Castle > Umeda Station Katsu Don & Food Market > Hep Five Ferris Wheel

Day 3: Convenience Store breakfast > Arashiyama Bamboo Forest > Kyoto Station Udon > Inari Temple > Miyazaki Bar Ebisu > Hinodeyokocho Fujihachishoten

Day 4: Kuromon breakfast > Seria > Maidreamin > Umeda Food Hall  >  Pasta de Pasta

Day 5: Nakanoshima Fish Market > Nara deer feeding > Todai temple Nara > Americamura > Kobe Beef Burger > ELK Cafe > Torisoba Zagin Niboshi Ramen > Shinsekai > Donki at Shinsekai

Day 6: Last Kuromon breakfast