A short bus/taxi/train ride from Kyoto, the Arashiyama bamboo groves are a world apart. They possess the same zen like character of many Japanese places but just a bit more amplified. The forest has been around for centuries but its origins and purpose (when planted) are not very clear.
The bamboo groves are a bit of a walk from the main town area so Ed and I fuelled up on Japanese fried snacks and matcha ice-cream before we started our trek. The area is serene and quiet with the lovely sound of bamboo trees whistling in the soft breeze. This is a very popular and highly photographed area so it was no surprise that the place was busy. However, Japanese tourists/day-trippers tend to be very quiet and respectful so it was all very pleasant.
After our maiko spotting in Gion, we were very excited to see what we thought was another maiko in Arashiayama. We eventually found out that we were wrong - apparently maiko/geisha dress-ups and photo-shoots are a popular activity amongst young Japanese women.
After a few hours of wandering the forest, exploring nearby temples and gardens, we made our way back to the train station to catch a train back to Kyoto. I must also mention that we taxied to Arshiyama and that was an interesting experience - we were under-charged (!!) for the taxi ride as when I originally asked the driver how much the fare was likely to be, he estimated the fare to be lower than it turned out to be. And he refused to let us pay the actual fare! Just another reason why I think Japan is quite wonderful.
Hope you are having a lovely Easter weekend! Ann x
Wearing Carven Paris map print dress, Helene Berman straw hat, Longchamp bag and Toms shoes.
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