Our 7 Month Travel Blog

• Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
• Sagano train through the Hozu Ravine

On our second full day in Kyoto, we started the day with a visit to Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, known for its towering bamboo which grows up to 20m high.

It was cool walking through the bamboo forest particularly as it was in the shade on a very hot and humid day with temperatures around 29°c.

As Kyoto lies in a basin with mountains all around it traps the heat and humidity, and there is very little wind. In the summer temperatures can get up to 45°c – we were lucky to be visiting in spring!

After a quick coffee break we decided to take the scenic train through the Hozu Ravine! It was a really good shout and turned out to be a highlight of Kyoto. The old-fashioned sightseeing train takes 25 minutes to wind it’s way through the mountains with incredible views of the river below!

Sections of the train are open carriages with the ceilings made of glass so you can get great views out of the windows.

One option to travel had been getting the boat through the river, but seeing it go by we thought we’d made the right choice as the health and safety looked even more questionable!

The train was a great end to our time in Kyoto. One interesting thing in Japan is there are lots of stamps that you can collect at different sites, including at train stations and temples. Bethany has been getting these in each location, which is turning into a really cool scrapbook!

See you in Osaka!