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Kyoto Arashiyama

The Eternal Scenic Beauty

Arashiyama, located in the northwest of Kyoto, is a famous cherry blossom and maple viewing spot. The Katsura River flows through the foot of Arashiyama, and the Togetsukyo Bridge across the river is known as the symbol of Arashiyama. In addition to the beautiful natural scenery, the Saga Arashiyama area is also home to such attractions as Tenryu-ji Temple and Nonomiya Shrine.

Arashiyama 嵐山 (Storm Mountain), located in the northwest of Kyoto, stretches for several kilometers, with the highest point of 382m above Sea Level. Thousands of cherry trees and maple trees are planted all over the mountainside of Arashiyama. Every spring and autumn, the pink and white cherry blossoms and the delicate red leaves wrap around Arashiyama, making it a famous Cherry Blossom and Maple Viewing Spot in Kyoto.

The Katsura River 桂川 flows down the Arashiyama Gorge, and the rapid water and the steep mountains form a Magnificent Picture. The Katsura River is 114 kilometers long and runs through the entire city of Kyoto, merging with the Kamogawa River 鴨川, another major river in Kyoto, and then flowing into the ocean from Osaka.

At the foot of Arashiyama, a 154-meter-long Togetsukyo Bridge 渡月橋 (Moon Crossing Bridge) spans over the Katsura River. The Togetsukyo Bridge dates back to the Jowa period in Japan, 1200 years ago, and its appearance is modeled after the original ancient wooden bridge. It is also the Symbol of Arashiyama Area.

Manywhere Trivia:
Arashiyama is also a stage of the hit anime movie “Detective Conan: The Crimson Love Letter”.

Streets of Arashiyama

Crossing the Togetsukyo Bridge from the north shore, the island in front of you is called Nakanoshima 中之島. Nakanoshima is a small island with cherry blossoms everywhere in March, attracting many visitors to enjoy the Sakura season.

In addition to the beautiful natural scenery, the Saga-Arashiyama area has many more cultural attractions. Tenryuji Temple 天龍寺, the main temple of the Tenryuji school of Rinzai Buddhism in Japan, was built to appease the spirit of Emperor Go-Daigo 後醍醐天皇. The Sogen Pond 曹源池 uses the Arashiyama Mountain as its backdrop, forming a unique landscape and becoming an iconic traditional Japanese garden. Outside the north gate of Tenryuji Temple is a verdant bamboo forest. Walking through the Bamboo Forest Trail, the light dispersed by the bamboo leaves drifts, shining brightly and dimly on your body with the rustling sound of the leaves rubbing together, creating a harmonious and relaxing experience.

Premier Zhou Enlai of China, who studied in Japan in 1919, visited Arashiyama decades later and left a poem entitled “Arashiyama in the Rain”. To commemorate Premier Zhou’s great contribution to improving Sino-Japanese relations, the Japanese people Carved This Poem as a Monument and permanently erected it at the foot of Arashiyama in 1979.