cathedral
Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)
A Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto whose top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf.
5 km · about 10 min drive
AsiaJapanKyoto
Arashiyama
Kyoto, Japan · Asia
About Arashiyama
Arashiyama works well as a base: 10 minutes from Mukō, 6km from Nijō Castle.
Arashiyama is in Kyoto, Japan, with about 50,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Mukō, about 6 km away.
Arashiyama (嵐山, Storm Mountain) is a district on the western outskirts of Kyoto, Japan. It also refers to the mountain across the Ōi River, which forms a backdrop to the district. Arashiyama is a nationally designated historic site and place of scenic beauty.
Where to Stay in Arashiyama
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Arashiyama?
Within an hour or so of Arashiyama: Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) (5 km), Nijō Castle (6 km), Inoda Coffee Honten (8 km), Honke Daiichi Asahi (8 km).
Are there any good drives near Arashiyama?
The nearest famous roads are Philosopher's Path, Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Trail and Uradome Coast.
Where is Arashiyama?
Arashiyama is in Kyoto, Japan, about 6 km from Mukō.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 50,000
- Continent
- Asia
- Country
- Japan
- Region
- Kyoto
- Timezone
- Asia/Tokyo
- Coordinates
- 35.0148, 135.6775
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Japan
Japan Helpline (24h English assistance): 0570-000-911. An International Driving Permit (1949 convention) is required to drive.
Full driving guide for JapanTags
Worth the detour from Arashiyama
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
castle
Nijō Castle
A flatland castle in Kyoto built by the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, famous for its nightingale floors and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
6 km · about 10 min drive
cafe
Inoda Coffee Honten
A Kyoto kissaten founded in 1940, serving its Arabian Pearl blend pre-mixed with sugar and milk by default. The wood-panelled original room off Sakaimachi street is a working institution, not a revival.
8 km · about 15 min drive
restaurant
Honke Daiichi Asahi
A Kyoto ramen shop by the station serving soy-based pork-bone broth with stacked chashu and heaps of leek since 1947. Queues form outside from breakfast onwards, alongside its long-time rival next door.
8 km · about 15 min drive
landmark
Gion District
Kyoto's most famous geisha district with preserved wooden machiya townhouses, traditional teahouses, and cobblestone streets.
9 km · about 15 min drive
cafe
Kissa Soirée
A 1948 Kyoto tearoom lit entirely in blue, its walls hung with paintings by Seiho Takehisa. Famous for jelly punch, a glass of coloured gelatin cubes that glows under the blue light.
9 km · about 15 min drive
landmark
Fushimi Inari Shrine (Fushimi Inari-taisha)
An iconic Shinto shrine famous for its thousands of vermillion torii gates that wind through the forested slopes of Mount Inari.
10 km · about 20 min drive
landmark
Kiyomizu-dera
A historic Buddhist temple perched on a hillside with a massive wooden stage offering sweeping views over Kyoto.
10 km · about 20 min drive
Driving roads near Arashiyama
- Right herePhilosopher's PathA peaceful stone-paved canal path lined with hundreds of cherry trees, connecting major temples in Kyoto's eastern hills.
- 75 kmMount YoshinoJapan's most famous cherry blossom viewing spot with over 30,000 trees covering an entire mountainside in waves of pink each spring.
- 76 kmAmanohashidateA 3.6-kilometer pine-covered sandbar spanning Miyazu Bay, considered one of Japan's three most scenic views.
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