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Kyoto
From Osaka: Kiyomizu-Dera Temple, Nara Park Day Trip
One Day Trip From Osaka/Kyoto To Nara Park
One-Day Arashiyama Train Tickets Crossing Tour from Osaka/Kyoto
Kyoto Ninenzaka Photography Experience
See tours in Kyoto
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Arashiyama Free Tour in Kyoto: Bamboo Forest, Hidden Gems & Monkeys
Walk Arashiyama the local way: time the Bamboo Grove, visit Nonomiya and Mikami Hair Shrine, climb to a quiet Kameyama Park viewpoint, and cross poetic Togetsukyo Bridge. Optional: Monkey Park. Small group, easy pace, stories and photo tips.
Things to do Arashiyama Free Tour in Kyoto: Bamboo Forest, Hidden Gems & Monkeys
Small groups. Real stories. No tourist scripts. Just Kyoto through the eyes of a local resident, shaped by years of conversations, reading, and personal discoveries. Kyoto is a city that invites you to look beyond the famous sights, to slow your pace and discover the depth of its culture. Perhaps you'll find that the true beauty of Japan lies in the most ordinary, often overlooked corners. And for those who appreciate the finer layers of Japanese culture, Arashiyama has always held a special place. Let me take you beyond the tourist trails and share the stories, traditions, and quiet beauty of a place I'm now proud to call home. At the end, you decide what the experience was worth to you. *There is a short hike of about 10 minutes to a viewpoint overlooking Kyoto city and the Arashiyama river. If you have any knee concerns, please consider whether this route is suitable for you. *Strollers are welcome, but please make sure they can be easily folded when using stairs. I can help carry one stroller if needed, but may not be able to assist if there are multiple.
Included
Mikami Shrine
Togetsu-kyo Bridge
Arashiyama Park Kameyama Area
Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama
Nonomiya Shrine
Meeting point
Kyōto Sagano maison matcha cafe
Reviews (38)
2026-11-06 15:05:19
“Great tour with Ben!”
We really enjoyed our tour of Arashiyama with Ben. Go ahead and book it! Ben was also kind enough to answer a follow up question I had after the tour.
Michele Dietrich (English)
2026-10-20 13:30:58
“Great tour”
the tour was very complete not very exhausting and Ben is a great guide, with very interesting histories and facts but also very funny jokes, the tour is a must for enjoying the Arashiyama area.
Raul Sainz (English)
2026-10-16 23:07:14
“Excellent guide, amazing places”
We were lucky both with the tour selection as well as with the guide. Ben was very knowledgeble, completent and on top of that also pleasant guide. Thanks to him we saw not only very beautiful piece of Kyoto but got many information about history, culture and overall life in the city.
Igor Snopek (English)
2026-10-09 15:45:36
“Fantastic!!”
I recommended! Ben is friendly, and super profissional.
Nib Costa (English)
2026-09-23 11:57:17
“Definitely a small group”
Highly recommended! Benjamin is very knowledgable and good at photography. It’s only just 6 of us. I truly enjoy the tour. Side note: If you are not able to book via freetour, check guruwalk too!
Bryan Lihardinata (English)
2026-09-23 07:01:44
“Arashiyama is beautiful ”
Ben was a kind, gracious and very informative guide. He knows the Arashiyama area quite well. We greatly enjoyed our time with him & highly recommend him as a guide.
Pamela Herman (English)
2026-08-28 10:44:40
“Great Tour”
Ben knows cool details, great guid, we learned a lot and had a lot of fun.
Samuel Polierer (English)
2026-08-03 09:12:02
“Pleasant morning walk”
We had a good tour and Benjamin Tang is a very kind and knowledgeable person. He took the time for us and explained a lot about the area and Japanese customs in general. I would recommend this tour as a nice morning walk in good atmosphere.
Jilles van de Peppel (English)
2026-07-15 04:43:32
“Great tour!”
Ben was an incredibly kind, helpful, and knowledgeable guide. He gave us many thoughtful recommendations and guided us throughout our entire day in Arashiyama. We felt truly supported and well taken care of. Highly recommended.
Maude St-Hilaire (English)
2026-07-04 11:04:22
“Arashiyama Bamboo tour”
I had a wonderful experience on this tour! The guide was patient, friendly, and very knowledgeable. He took the time to show me all the must-see places while sharing insights about the area’s history and Japanese culture. His explanations made the tour both enjoyable and informative. I truly appreciated his kindness and professionalism, and I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Kyoto!
U SEETA UTHAYA KUMAR (English)
2026-07-01 04:59:52
“Awesome tour”
It's a must!
Marta Avelar (English)
2026-06-05 04:34:16
“Amazing tour experience with Ben”
Ben is really friendly and easygoing. He gave us a great tour, explained a lot of interesting things, and took some wonderful photos for us. It was a truly memorable experience. We're very grateful!
Debora Jesus (English)
2026-05-24 00:04:13
“Great guide”
Ben is a local so he actually knows about the places. He is very energetic and has great humour. We had great time, guide was detailed, not-rushing. As well he has great skill taking photos.
Laurynas Kačinauskas (English)
2026-05-19 06:16:05
“knowledgeable and entertaining ”
Don't. miss
benny Lewis (English)
2026-05-18 22:02:57
“A delightful guide.”
Ben was engaging and informative. We learned so much from his tour. Great communication before the tour. I would recommend this experience run by Ben.
jillian balodis (English)
2026-05-13 06:00:04
“We had a great tour with Ben this morning”
Highly recommend! Ben took us to the best spots in 2h tour to the Bamboo forest. Best tour we did in Kyoto.
Roy Zelinger (English)
2026-05-01 06:14:10
“Great tour with Ben”
We had an amazing tour with Ben. He is very knowledgeable and energetic, with a strong understanding of history. He showed us all the beautiful sides of the bamboo forest, along with glimpses of local life, scenic spots, and hidden gems. Highly recommended!
Lena Sad (English)
2026-04-29 06:14:59
“Exclusive small group tour”
Our guide Ben specializes in small group tours so you have a very personal experience. Plenty of time for pictures. He had many tips about where to eat and what to do. He also guided us through huge crowds of tourists to quieter spots. We didn’t want to get up early, but I would strongly recommend the 730 tour if you want to avoid crowds.
Cynthia Cycon (English)
2026-04-24 20:54:07
“Excellent Tour”
The walk was delightful especially since at that time, crowds were less and Ben took a route which had few tourists. We covered a lot of ground which was great!
deepa sharma (English)
2026-04-18 12:11:00
“Arashiyama Bamboo Forest”
Ben was an excellent guide and shared a lot of information.
Diana Alfonso (English)
2026-04-12 00:46:19
“Exceptional Guide”
Highly recommend!
Paul Fuchs (English)
2026-04-10 13:44:48
“Perfekt day”
Ben was amazing. Great Tour!!!! A must do Tour
Klaudia Drensla (English)
2026-04-06 07:46:41
“Awesome Guide”
Ben is a very knowledgeable, kind and helpfull guide. Flexible, easy in contact with every person in the group.
He took great pictures of everyone even in the most crowded places, and showed us really hidden beautiful spots we never would have discovered on our own.
Marjon Nederpelt (English)
2026-04-01 06:20:26
“Ben gives a fun and relaxed tour”
… to some if the most beautiful spots in his neighborhood. He’s relaxed and good-spirited - and knows how to make the best pictures, too! Highly recommended.
Martin Stavenhagen (English)
2026-03-24 22:45:19
“Highly recommend”
We much enjoyed the Arashiyama Walking Tour. Ben is a great guide and knows a lot about the area.
Highly recommended
Theresa Arnold (English)
2026-03-22 09:12:11
“Bamboo Forest ”
Ben was a great guide. He was knowledgeable about the area, not just the sites we saw, but also restaurant & activity recommendations. He was personable and ensured we had time to explore each area to its fullest. Definitely recommend Ben.
Kia Solari (English)
2026-03-21 23:49:55
“Great Guide, Great Tour”
Had a great experience! Ben was a knowledgable guide and very personable.
Christopher Donahue (English)
2026-03-20 14:27:12
“One of my favourite Japanese tours ever!”
I had an absolutely amazing experience on the Arashiyama Walking Tour with Benjamin! He guided us through the bamboo forest and the surrounding area with shrines, sharing fascinating stories about the town along the way. Benjamin is extremely knowledgeable and has a fantastic sense of humour, which made the tour both fun and memorable.
He also went out of his way to take the best photos of our entire group, capturing moments we’ll always cherish. The combination of his expertise, humour, and attention to detail made this experience a perfect 12/10. I highly recommend Benjamin to anyone visiting Arashiyama!
Maria B (English)
2026-02-17 10:43:49
“Great day in Arashiyama”
We enjoyed our tour with Benjamin today and we were lucky to have a beautiful weather which made are photos wonderful and the atmosphere pleasant.
We visited the main spots in Arashiyama and received all the information and tips we needed.
Stands of food were everything and we really enjoyed the various and tasty Kyoto specialities.
Very satisfied and happy of our visit today.
Big thanks to Benjamin!
Yasmina Limame (English)
2026-02-16 11:45:59
“nice walk and a lot of information”
we have made a nice romantic walk through the Bambou-Forrest and have got a lot of information about the district and about shinto. Ben is a very sympatic guide :-)
Bettina Hemme (English)
2026-02-07 12:08:54
“BEST GUIDE IN KYOTO”
Ben is the best guide I have ever used. We got along so well that he took me back to his wife's business, making kimonos and at a ceremony we then went back to my Hostel and drank four bottles of plum wine with the guests of the hostel. And we all went out to dinner after that!
This was above and beyond the two hour tour! I think we ended up spending 10 hours together. It was awesome.
Hunter S Thompson II (English)
2026-01-25 07:22:59
“Excellent guide”
Has a great visit of the bamboo grove and received splendid recommendations for meals and activities !
john lim (English)
2025-11-30 16:34:23
“Top!”
Ben est très agréable! Nous avons passé un très bon moment et une visite très pertinente... Mais Ben ne se limite pas à ça et est plein de bons conseils pour les autres choses à découvrir sur Kyoto avec cerise sur le gâteau: partage de ses bonnes adresses ! Encore merci Ben
Sandrine Bacquaert (French)
2025-11-17 03:18:53
“Bamboo bliss and much more!”
This was a great trip led by Ben. We learnt so much about Japanese culture, history and religion as well as seeing some fantastic sights along the way - including one of Jack Ma’s houses! The autumn foliage was wonderful and my camera was constantly clicking away. We finished walk at monkey forest where we sampled eel, octopus balls and sweet potato. Thank you once again Ben.
Melvyn Lintern Lintern (English)
2025-11-12 10:58:49
“Brilliant ”
Benjamin was an excellent guide, very welcoming and genuinely heartwarming.
He showed us all the described locations, answered every question with patience, and gave us plenty of great recommendations for further exploration. The highlight was when he showed us the best spot to buy Wagyu A5 beef so we could cook it at our accommodation — honestly the best recommendation we could have received!
Edwin (English)
2025-10-23 08:17:20
“Arashiyama Free Tour ”
My family of four had an absolutely amazing time on this walking tour through the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. From the moment we started, it was clear that this wasn't just a walk—it was an enriching experience. Our guide Ben, was incredibly knowledgeable, not just about the local history and significance of the forest and surrounding temples, but also about the best times for photos and how to navigate the crowds. He brought the area to life with fascinating stories and context we would have completely missed on our own. Ben was incredibly helpful, finding us the best route back to our hotel. Highly, highly recommend!
Viktoria (English)
2025-10-16 12:11:37
“Fantastic day out with an exceptional Guude”
We had an amazing experience with Ben (Benjamin Tang)! Our small group of seven couldn’t have asked for a better guide – he was super organized, punctual, and really knowledgeable about all the key spots we visited. He timed everything perfectly so we could enjoy the sights without the crowds, and he’s also a brilliant photographer – our photos look like we had the whole place to ourselves!
What really stood out was how caring he was. He looked out for everyone, especially the older members of our group, offering encouragement (and even carrying handbags up hills!). He went above and beyond the whole afternoon and even stayed longer than planned just to make sure we had the best experience.
Highly recommend – professional, friendly, and genuinely passionate about what he does. Keep up the great work Ben!
Priya (English)
2025-10-14 09:35:19
“Great tour”
I can only recommend this tour. It was really interesting and covered good places in Arashiyama. Ben is a great tour guide who explains everything well and answers every question. And the list of recommendations for sightseeing, restaurans etc. makes staying in the area even more enjoyable
Conny (English)