Arashiyama, KYOTO 🌿 Discover Tenryu-ji Temple, Bamboo Forest & Kyoto Sweets! 🍵✨ | Japan Travel VLOG

Arashiyama, KYOTO 🌿 Discover Tenryu-ji Temple, Bamboo Forest & Kyoto Sweets! 🍵✨ | Japan Travel VLOG

[ Arashiyama, Kyoto ] Today, we are on our way to Arashiyama. One of the popular areas in Kyoto is known for its Bamboo Forest. It is the first time Umi has been there. So, she is very excited. I am also looking forward to it, although I am a bit tired from exploring Fushimi Inari Shrine at 6 am that day. Wow. So many people arrived at the same time as us. I guess it will be quite a busy day here. Let’s get out of the JR station, then. Our main destination for today is the Arashiyama bamboo forest. But because we want to be relaxed quite a bit, we plan to stop at some shops along the way from the station to our destination. There are many cherry blossom trees here. Spring in Japan is very beautiful. Umi said she wants to look around to find a nice dessert place. Not far from the station, we found this shop called “Petit Bonheur” They seem to be famous for a variety of crepes with a unique and tasty look So, we decided to order one with Uji matcha creme brulee flavour. Wow, the order came quite fast. It looked so picturesque at that time. And the matcha taste is quite rich too. If you guys are matcha lovers, I recommend you try this in Arashiyama. Let’s go further along the road. This local shop seems to be so famous for grilled fish. But because we were not quite craving for fish at that moment, we did not buy any of them to eat. There are so many dessert and sweet shops with a unique look everywhere around this street of Arashiyama. Suddenly, Umi decide that she wants to look into this shop to see if there is any interesting gacha. There are several gachas available here. Some of them look really weird and funny. Yeah. These are very weird. In the end, we decided not to buy any of them from the shop. Let’s walk further along the street to find more shops and look at the architecture. Wow. There are so many meats available here. Looks like Umi has found something that she wants to try again. This time, we found a shop that sells a really good-looking Korokke (Japanese Croquettes) Umi bought the beef korokke, and she confirmed that it tastes very good. Along the way, we walk past so main shops that rent out kimonos and other old Japanese-style clothes. These shops rent the clothes out for 3000 yen for an entire day. But since we arrived quite late today, we decided not to rent those clothes. We really love the vibe of the street in Arashiyama. There are also so many old buildings that look very beautiful. Looks like there is even a fortune machine that you can use here. We also found a house where the owner shows his rare Rolls-Royce car to the public. This 1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom car is very beautiful We also found this tiny, expensive-looking car in front of his house. Wow. This seems to be the smallest Rolls-Royce car in Japan. Before we go to the bamboo forest, Umi said that she wants to go into this area first. After further research, we discovered that this is the entrance to one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites. So we decided to go in. We are now within the UNESCO World Heritage site of Tenryu-ji Temple. Established in 1339 by Ashikaga Takauji, the temple’s founding abbot was the renowned Zen master Musō Soseki. The temple was completed in 1345. The temple holds a prestigious position as the top-ranked temple among Kyoto’s Five Great Zen Temples. Tenryū-ji’s site dates back to the early Heian period, when Empress Tachibana no Kachiko built Danrin-ji Temple. However, over the next 400 years, the temple gradually fell into ruin. During the mid-13th century, Emperors Go-Saga and Kameyama transformed the area into an imperial villa called Kameyama Detached Palace. The name “Kameyama,” meaning “turtle mountain,” was inspired by the shape of nearby Mount Ogura, which is said to resemble a turtle’s shell. In the Muromachi period, the villa was turned into a Zen temple at the request of Ashikaga Takauji. Takauji, who had risen to the rank of shōgun in 1338, had once been an ally of Go-Daigo during the failed Kenmu Restoration. But after turning against the emperor and being condemned by him, Takauji proposed the construction of a temple in 1339. He asked the famous Zen monk Musō Soseki to lead the effort. The temple was completed in 1345, coinciding with the seventh anniversary of Go-Daigo’s death, when a commemorative ceremony was held. At its peak, Tenryū-ji had 150 sub-temples and vast grounds, but it suffered repeated fires and destruction. These destructive events occurred during the Ōnin War and the Kinmon Incident. Today, the structures that remain are mostly Meiji-era reconstructions, as none of the original buildings survived. Still, the garden west of the abbey, designed by Musō Soseki, retains traces of his original vision. After some discussion, we decided to explore the Kuri of Tenryu-ji temple and its zen garden. We bought the ticket for the main building and the garden. It cost us around 800 yen per person. To enter the temple building, we have been told to take off our shoes. and then store it on the shelves. The Kuri is traditionally one of the seven essential buildings (shichidō garan) in a Zen monastery. It serves as the main kitchen and administrative centre at Tenryū-ji. Built in 1899 and restored in 2013, it is known for its elegant gabled roof and white-plastered, timber-framed exterior. This distinctive design has made the Kuri the most photographed building in the temple complex, often symbolising Tenryū-ji itself. Connect to the Kuri is Hōjō. The Hōjō, or Abbot’s Quarters, consists of two connected buildings: the Daihōjō (Large Hōjō) and the Kohōjō (Small Hōjō) The Kohōjō, built in 1924, serves as the temple’s reception area for guests and meetings. The Daihōjō, completed in 1899, is primarily used for formal ceremonies and large gatherings. The Daihōjō is Tenryū-ji’s largest structure, featuring wide verandas facing both the Middle Gate and Sōgen Pond The interior of the Daihōjō is arranged in six rooms. There are three rooms in the front and three rooms in the back, according to traditional Hōjō architecture. The central front space, which contains the Buddha statue at the back, measures 48 tatami mats. The side rooms are each 24 tatami mats in size. These areas can function as one large room or be separated by sliding doors. The calligraphy for “Hōjō” above the front entrance was created by Rev. Seki Bokuō (1903–1991), a former chief abbot of Tenryū-ji. At the heart of the Daihōjō is a statue of Shakyamuni Buddha, designated as an Important Cultural Property. It is the oldest surviving Buddha image at Tenryū-ji, having withstood all eight of the temple’s major fires. This set of sliding doors features a dramatic painting of a cloud dragon, created in 1957 by Wakasa Butsugai, an artist from Akita. Now, let us go and explore the amazing zen garden and its surroundings. The Zen garden is called Sōgenchi Garden. It was created nearly 700 years ago by the Zen master Musō Soseki. The garden has maintained its original design since the 14th century. It is the first site in Japan to be officially recognised as a Place of Special Historic and Scenic Beauty (Shiseki, Tokubetsu Meishō). Designed in the strolling pond style, the garden features a flat path encircling a scenic pond. The scenery invites visitors to enjoy the landscape from multiple viewpoints. The garden is featured in the 1799 guidebook Miyako Rinsen Meisho Zue (“Illustrated Guide to the Famous Gardens and Scenic Spots in the Capital”). The woodblock print included in the guide shows that the garden’s appearance has remained remarkably consistent over the centuries. The garden also utilises the technique of “borrowed scenery” (shakkei). It incorporates nearby mountains to enhance the garden’s sense of depth and harmony with nature. In its landscape, there are so many colourful trees. And during Spring, like this time of the year, most trees turn pink and white. The landscape gives out a very relaxing vibe. It makes us want to enjoy this relaxing scenery as well as enjoy taking photos. We decided to go further up to see the view of the Tenryu-ji from above. And the view is so beautiful. We have never seen anything like this before. It makes me and Umi happy that we happen to be in Japan during Spring. After a while, we decide to walk down the hill since it is now nearly their closing time. Even while we were walking down, the view of the temple with the sakura tree was so unreal. At the end of the pathway, we also found a nice little pond. The pond is full of sakura petals falling from the trees. There are also frog statues inside the pond. Having cherry blossom during this period make the Tenryuji-temple even more beautiful. From the central veranda of the Hōjō, one can view a group of large upright stones across the pond. These stones symbolise the Dragon Gate Falls on China’s Yellow River. According to Chinese legend, a carp that successfully leaps the falls is transformed into a dragon. While many Zen gardens include similar arrangements, typically placing “carp stones” at the base of the falls. Sōgenchi Garden is unique in placing the carp stone beside the falls. This suggests a carp in the midst of transforming into a dragon. The pond got its name, Sōgenchi, when Musō Soseki uncovered a stone inscribed with the phrase “Sōgen itteki” while deepening the water. It is now time for us to go to our next stop. Because it is now almost sunset, I hope that there are not many people at the bamboo forest. Looks like we are on the main street now. Looks like Umi wants to look into shops along this road first before we proceed to the bamboo forest. The first shop is the Rirakuma cafe and shop. It has so many souvenirs and dolls related to Rirakuma. They even have a place to take a photo at the back of the shop, including the area with the Rirakuma stone statue and the bamboo forest. They also have the statue of Rirakuma and the map of Japan. We also want to try out the Rirakuma cafe located on the second floor. But sadly, it is now past their closing time for that day. Umi also try to find a place for us to have dinner after we explore the bamboo forest. And then she also looking for something interesting in this shop. They seem to sell handmade glassware. They also sell chopsticks with a beautiful and unique texture. But in the end, we did not buy anything here. During this evening, we found that Arashiyama is so peaceful and relaxing I guess it’s because most of the tourists had already gone to other places. Along the way, we also found the Snoopy shop. The shop has items and sweets with a Snoopy on them. In the end, we bought some wafers to try. In front of the entrance of the bamboo forest, we also found a small stall selling dungos. We ordered two sticks with different sauces. One with sweet sauce and another with hojicha sauce. Each dango ball is really big. We really enjoy both flavours. Both have a very good taste. When we come back to Kyoto next time, we will come and eat dango from this store again. Finally, it is now time for us to explore the Arashiyama bamboo forest.

Join me and Umi on a beautiful day exploring Arashiyama, one of Kyoto’s most scenic and peaceful areas!

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In this Japan Travel vlog, we visit the stunning Tenryu-ji Temple, wander through the magical Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, and stroll around the charming streets filled with local shops and dessert spots. From traditional Japanese sweets to hidden gems, this area is full of surprises and beauty.

🛕 What’s in the vlog?
– Walking through the serene grounds of Tenryu-ji, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
– Getting lost (in the best way) in the iconic Bamboo Forest in the evening (with fewer people)
– Discovering cute local shops, snacks, and souvenirs
– Enjoying delicious Kyoto desserts, you can’t miss! 🍡🍰

Whether you’re planning a trip to Kyoto or just want to relax and explore Japan through the screen, this vlog captures the charm and atmosphere of Arashiyama. 🌸

📍 Location: Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan
📅 Record Date: 07/04/2025

📜 Learn about Ayashiyama and the significance of each attraction by turning on Close Caption [CC]

Timeline of Arashiyama Kyoto Vlog:
0:00:00 – Intro/Preview
0:00:44 – Saga Arashiyama Station
0:01:20 – Exploring the Neighbourhood
0:06:08 – Jisai-in Temple
0:07:57 – Tenryu-ji Temple
0:09:53 – Tenryu-ji Temple Garden
0:13:09 – Sagatenryuji Susukinobabacho
0:15:20 – Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
0:17:51 – Ozuru: Udon Restaurant
0:20:28 – Night at Arashiyama

#kyoto #japan #silentvlog #travelvlog

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🎥 Filmed in 4K Ultra high-definition for an immersive experience: https://amzn.to/48ur7ew
🎙️ Sound recorded using: https://amzn.to/3NR93S8
📸 Additional Footage and Image captured by: https://amzn.to/40zXYwi

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No part of this video may be used or reproduced without my written permission.
All material in this video is original and personally recorded by myself on location.