Neighborhood 48H guide

Arashiyama: Where to Stay & What to Do in 48 Hours

Tenryū-ji, the river and the scenic railway.

Togetsukyō Bridge in Arashiyama
Photo: Rakuten0708 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Arashiyama is in the western hills: the Togetsukyō Bridge over the river, Tenryū-ji’s garden, the bamboo grove and the Sagano Scenic Railway up the gorge.

Photo gallery

Why stay here

See the bamboo grove and temples early, before day-trippers arrive.

Who it's for: Nature lovers and onsen fans.

Pros

  • Scenery
  • Early access
  • Onsen ryokan

Cons

  • Far from centre
  • Crowded midday
  • Quiet nights

48H in Arashiyama

Temple, train.

  1. 08:30 – Tenryū-ji

    The garden first, then the bamboo grove behind it.

  2. 11:00 – Sagano Scenic Railway

    Book seats ahead in busy seasons.

Named recommendations

Real places with links to their official site or a Maps place page. We do not invent hours, prices, or ratings.

See / do

Outdoors

Where to stay

Specific named properties—not vague city-wide searches. Expedia stays use tracked Creator links; others open the hotel's official site.

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Vacation rentals

Prefer an apartment or whole home in this neighborhood? Browse Vrbo listings for Arashiyama.

Under Japan’s Private Lodging Business Act, private homes rented to guests (minpaku) must be notified to the local government and can host guests for at most 180 nights a year. Kyoto City asks visitors to stay only at licensed accommodation and publishes a list of licensed places. Book only listings that show a minpaku notification number or a hotel/inn licence.

Browse vacation rentals in Arashiyama on Vrbo →

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