Kyoto, Japan is mainly known for its long history (founded in 794) and is full of palaces, temples, and old markets. We spent several days exploring these sites, but also took a day to rent bicycles and explore the Arashiyama district on the western outskirts of the city.
Arashiyama is situated on the banks of the Ōi River, and offers great views from a main bridge. The district (like much of Kyoto) is full of temples and shrines, but there are also several “star” attractions including the Bamboo Forest, Tenryū-ji Zen Temple, and the Itawayama Monkey Park. Follow along as we explore all of these sites and more.
As a bonus, we visited at a great time – right at the start of cherry blossom season! You’ll catch a few trees blooming in this video as well.
Stay tuned for a longer video of our experience hand-feeding the monkeys at Itawayama – that deserves its own post.
