Stroll Through Sagano Bamboo Forest Japan

“Standing at the start of the trail into the bamboo groves (嵐山の竹林), or sometimes known as the Sagano Bamboo Forest, I was astounded with how cinematic this place looked. Towering bamboos lined both sides of the trail (竹林の小道). As you looked into each side, you see such dramatic colors – greens so fresh, yellows so vibrant, and oranges so rich that makes this all seemed surreal. Bamboo shoots were sprouting from the moist, fertile soil.”

“I was expecting a huge crowd at Arashiyama, so I started out very early at 6:15 AM and arrived at the bamboo forest by 7:30 AM. However, I was late, and there was already a huge swarm of tourists along with their photographers blocking everyone's path. It was another cold day made miserable by hordes of tourists. After exploring the bamboo forest and its viewpoints for a while, I went to Tenryu-ji Temple.”

“Returning to the river and the train and the tourists, I stumbled upon a remarkable bamboo forest. These trees were far more mature than in the forest I walked through in Hawaii last August, likely because this area has been volcano-free for a longer period of time. I found no sign of undergrowth or midstory growth or any other kind of plant besides the bamboo trees. The forest scene is compelling.”