Day Trip to Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple from Kyoto: Hidden Bamboo Forest in Japan! #japan #travel

Day Trip to Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple from Kyoto: Hidden Bamboo Forest in Japan! #japan #travel

Today we are taking you on a little day trip from Kyoto, Japan to a place that feels like a secret from another time. We are traveling to Adashino Bamboo Forest and the hauntingly beautiful temple Adashino Nbutsuji. Unlike the famous Arashiamyama bamboo forest, which is usually packed with people and selfie sticks, this place is quiet. It’s offbeat, calm, and honestly kind of magical. Let’s start our journey. But first, don’t forget to subscribe to our channel for more Japan videos. The most efficient way to reach Adashino temple from Kyoto is to first get to Arashyama station. You can take the bus like we did. Get on to the Kyoto city bus number 28 from Kyoto station to the Arashyama 10uji May bus stop. The duration is around 45 minutes depending on traffic. This would set you back around 230 yen one way. If you travel by train, you can take the JR Sagano line. Hop onto the train heading towards Saga Arashyama station. The ride takes approximately 20 minutes and costs you 240 yen. From Arashyama station, you have to take a local bus to a small station called as Torioimoto. While returning as well, you can follow the same route like we did. We took a train back from Arashiamyama via Uzu Masa Tenjinga station back to Kyoto city. All in all, the journey would cost you just over 500 yen one way to get to this destination from Kyoto. Make sure you download Japan Transit app or use Google Maps. It is easy to navigate using these tools in Japan. Just make sure you’re ready to walk. Finally, we got off at Torioto and stood there, not really sure where to go. No signs, no crowds, just a few other travelers also kind of lost looking around, probably thinking the same thing. Where exactly is this hidden temple bamboo forest? So we just started walking and soon we found ourselves in a quiet little Japanese village. A place with narrow lanes, wooden houses, and the kind of stillness you only find far away from cities. As we kept walking through the sleepy town, we saw a set of stone steps. Hidden between trees and silence was Adashino Nenbudsuji. This temple is unlike anything we have ever seen. The temple was established in the 8th century. Inside are nearly 8,000 stone statues or burial grounds. Each one representing a soul which had no family and which was passed on. They are also called as nenbutsu statues. Most of these graves are old, weathered, covered in moss. Some are cracked. Others lean gently to the side like they’ve been slowly settling into the earth for centuries. The 13 tier pagora is something to witness. It is located right in the center of the temple surrounded by the stone statues. This is symbolic to the Buddhist faith associated with the souls who passed on. The Buddha temple here practices a form of ritual reciting the name of Amida Buddha to ensure rebirth in a paradisel-like realm. And next to the temple is the serene bamboo forest which is little known to people. The Adashino bamboo forest is quaint and stunning. No crowds, no noise, just the sound of wind brushing through tall, slender stalks of green. People looking to beat the crowds of Arashiama forest can plan this day trip to Adashino Bambu forest and the temple for an offbeat experience in Japan. After visiting the temple and walking through the forest, we didn’t rush back. We wandered around the little village. We felt like someone had taken us back to ancient rural Japan. Some olden Japanese households still remain here. Some run tiny shops or quiet little cafes. You will find handmade souvenirs and other beautiful handiccrafts. Don’t forget to browse and take something back with you. Well, this trip to Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple and Bamboo Forest was one of our favorite parts in our entire Japan visit. This whole trip was not about ticking off places on a list. It was about soaking in the past and being okay with getting a little lost. Everything was slow here and that’s the point. We highly recommend you to visit this destination and take back a piece of Japan with you. Once you’re back in Kyoto and wondering what to do, our 24 hours guide in Geon District, Kyoto can give you a glimpse of how to spend your day. Find the link in the description below. Don’t forget to follow us and subscribe to our YouTube channel for lots more countries and local travel content.

Beat the crowds of Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, by taking a trip to this unique hidden bamboo forest.
Take a day trip to Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple and Bamboo forest for a unique experience. It’s not just the quiet forest that ll astonish you, but the 8000 graves that surround the Adashino Nenbutsuji temple.

Wondering how to spend time in Kyoto, watch our 24 hours in Gion District Kyoto, the most culturally rich and vibrant streets in Japan’s urban hub: https://youtu.be/ANhQcw0ZU7s?si=zpjMOocFKovuFUQ5

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