Arashiyama (嵐山) means “storm mountain” and indeed it was a little rainy on the day we arrived. Most travelers end up taking a daytrip here from neighboring Kyoto, but it’s worth spending more time here.

How long to stay?

As mentioned above, I feel like most travelers who visit Arashiyama will only do so during daylight hours. As such, the area is optimized for visitors during that time (it can be difficult to find lots of options for dinner and there aren’t as many hotels in the area). Why spend more than a day here? It’s going to be hard to fit everything here into a single day if you’re going at a leisurely rate. I think a stay of 2-3 nights here is worth it if you’re looking to come here as part of a bigger Kyoto trip. In fact, we actually enjoyed Arashiyama much more than Kyoto with the serenity that comes when all the tourists leave the area in the evening.

Can you use Arashiyama as a base while you explore Kyoto or the neighboring area? Yes, but it’s not very efficient. It’s going to take you about half an hour to get from Arashiyama to the central Kyoto Station. If you want to explore the sights in Kyoto, I would recommend you actually stay in Kyoto to save on that transit time. Public transportation options are a little more limited in Arashiyama by comparison.

What we did

Arashiyama Bamboo Forest

This is probably the biggest benefit of staying in the area overnight. Everyone wants that perfect picture of walking in solitude amongst the bamboo shoots. But if you daytrip here, you’re going to find that everyone else has that same idea, making for a very crowded and not-so-serene walk through a beautiful bamboo forest.

We came here before breakfast and found the place completely vacated, with hardly another soul around. Coming here when no one else is around is every bit as cool as it sounds, and little Alex had fun enjoying the sights.

While you’re there, you can also visit the Tenryu-ji Temple, but again it can get hectic with the crowds.

Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama

Located just across the Katsura River is the Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama. Note there is a decently steep trail that leads up to the top where the monkeys are located (gentle warning for kids and pregnant women). Be sure to bring some water with you as you’ll likely need it.

Along the way up, we did find a small swing set to entertain Alex.

Once at the top, you’ll find the monkeys, which act like they own the place. There is an enclosed area where you are allowed to feed the monkeys, along with a set of rules to guide you on the proper procedure to do so. And of course you’ll see them walking around outside, so be sure to watch your step. It’s a fun, unique experience that is absolutely worth a visit.

Sagano Romantic Train

The Sagano Romantic Train has a bit of a funny name. What makes it romantic? It’s because it goes through a very scenic, beautiful area as it goes through forests and along the river. Just note that the train doesn’t run during the winter.

Once onboard, you’ll find covered outdoor seating on this 25 minute ride. As you might expect in Japan, the staff here is friendly.

If you have the time, you could pair this up with the Hozugawa river boat ride, which runs along the river below you. We ended up not doing it just because the timing of the boat ride wasn’t well-aligned with when we were on the train, so we just rode the train back to the start. However, I think it would be a more engaging experience to do both.

Where we ate

Kyo-Suiran

As I mentioned earlier, the town is prone to shut down at evening given all the tourists going back to their hotels back in Kyoto. One of the better fine dining experiences in Arashiyama is over at the Suiran, at their restaurant called Kyo-Suiran. Jenn and I were treated to a feast with a staff that seemed to absolutely love seeing children. We thoroughly enjoyed a multi-course meal here and I recommend it if you’re going to be in the area in the evening.

The kids meals here are cute, which is a bonus. Granted, Alex was just hoping for some noodles so he instead feasted on some of what we ordered instead.

Kijurou

I found that some of the food in the area seemed to be rather basic or gimmicky, catering to the tourist crowd. That said, we actually really enjoyed the food at Kijurou, a casual restaurant that offered good value for the price paid. The meat here was tender and flavorful while the noodles were excellent. It opens early enough to cater to the lunch crowd but also closes late enough where you can also have dinner here (in a fairly quiet restaurant in the evening).

Where we stayed

Suiran, a Luxury Collection Hotel

The Suiran holds a special place in our hearts and is one of our favorite hotels in the world. It’s an underrated gem, obscured from much notoriety within the frequent flier community because it’s not on the beaten path. The hotel has excellent service, has some of the best food in town, and feels like you’re far from society when you’re within its walls.

When you’re arriving, you can get a complimentary ride to the hotel. If you’re coming from Kyoto, you’re likely to end up at JR Kyoto Station, which will just result in a taxi ride for you. But if you’re coming from Osaka like we were, I’d recommend routing to an eligible location for the rickshaw ride (JR Saga Arashiyama Station or Keifuku Arashiyama Station).

We were picked up from the station and given a comfortable ride around town (our bags were separately picked up and driven to the hotel in a car, already waiting in our room upon our arrival).

Some rooms at the Suiran have an onsen inside them, but ours was did not. However, the view from the room was majestically serene and something I yearn to return to.

Marriott Platinum members and above are able to choose breakfast as their welcome amenity, with a choice of either the western or Japanese breakfast sets. It’s a personal preference on what you might find better, but both were delicious.

From what I can tell, an elite happy hour is still going on at the resort for Marriott Platinum members and above. You’ll get a drink of your choice and some light bites to share as you enjoy the scenery of the Katsura River.

While you’re here, check out our review of nearby Osaka or check out what we did in Tokyo.

Have you been to Arashiyama?