December 4, 2017
by. Hinako Uematsu, Aina Sasaki, Mina Ito
When you come to Kyoto, where do you want to go? We recommend Arashiyama. It is the one of the most popular places in Kyoto for tourists. There are many shops here and you can feel you are in “Japan.” There are four things you must do in Arashiyama.
Togetsu Kyo Bridge
The first thing to do is walk across the Togetsukyo Bridge, which is Arashiyama’s iconic landmark. The name of the bridge, Togetsu, means “moon crossing.” It was originally built during Heian period (794-1185) but was recently reconstructed in the 1930s. Togetsukyo is 155 meters in length are spans the Katsura River, which flows leisurely down from the mountains in the north. The bridge looks very attractive against the background of forested mountainsides. In a riverside park, you can see cherry blossoms in the spring, or red leaves in autumn or covered with snow in the winter. Beautiful views abound adjacent to the bridge.
River Trip
The second thing to do is take a river trip from Kameoka to Arashiyama.This trip uses traditional style, flat-bottomed boats that are manned by boatmen who guide the craft with oars and bamboo poles. The boats take about two hours to leisurely make their way down the river. This journey is a relaxing way to see the natural views of the natural Kameoka ravine. Cruises are offered year round, but are particularly popular from the middle of November to early December when the leaves change their color. The boats are heated in winter and still go down the river during light rain. Seated passengers will be covered in a plastic tent, but service is canceled in case of heavy rain or large changes in the water level.
Bamboo Groves
Arashiyama has very famous bamboo groves. The third thing to do is to take one of many walking paths by foot or by bicycle that cut through one of these bamboo groves. The groves are particularly attractive when there is a light wind and the tall bamboo stalks sway gently back and forth. The bamboo is used in various products, such as baskets, cups, boxes and mats. These have been made at local workshops for centuries. Nowadays people from many countries visit here.
Food
The fourth and last thing that is essential to your visit in Arashiyama is eat at one of the many fine restaurants there. Many restaurants retain their old traditional exteriors. So if you go to here you can feel the Japan of the past. In hot weather we recommend eating shaved ice, or kakigoori. There have many kinds of shaved ice shop and there hare many places to eat shaved ice in Arashiyama.
These are four things we recommend for you to do. Please enjoy your time in Arashiyama.