Arashiyama Bamboo Forest & Hidden Gems Bike Tour (Early Bird)
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
Discover the true essence of Arashiyama with our exclusive bike tour, offering early access and a journey beyond what most visitors see. Explore Kyoto’s most naturally beautiful area, known for its blend of cultural and natural wonders, including charming rice fields, photogenic landscapes, and scenic country backstreets far removed from the city’s bustle. Ride along Kyoto’s most breathtaking roads and uncover the hidden gems of Arashiyama beyond the iconic Bamboo Forest . As the only Arashiyama-based bike tour, we’re excited to share the unmatched beauty and depth of this captivating region with you.
*AGE REQUIREMENT: Children must be at least 10 years old to participate. Please book our "Arashiyama Bamboo Forest Family Bike Tour (Infants & Toddlers)" for families with children under 10 years of age.
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Please provide heights of all guests at time of booking
All guests will be required to sign a liability release waiver prior to the tour
*AGE REQUIREMENT: Children must be at least 10 years old to participate. Please book our "Arashiyama Bamboo Forest Family Bike Tour (Infants & Toddlers)" for families with children under 10 years of age.
What To Expect
Bamboo Forest Street
Explore the beauty of the bamboo and be transfixed by the one of the top soundscapes of Japan. This is one of the top visited places in Kyoto and provides a perfect backdrop for a memorable photo.
Tenryu-ji Temple Sogenchi Teien
Stroll through one of the most beautiful Japanese Zen gardens in Kyoto at the World Heritage Tenryuji Temple.
Options
Early Bird Tour
Lets get an early start and go explore the beauty of the bamboo, temples and the best our scenic Arashiyama has to offer without all the people!
What‘s Included
Native English speaking bilingual guide
Bottled water
Bicycle
Helmet
Gratuity for your guide (always appreciated!)
Hotel pick up or drop off
E-bike (We use standard Cannondale city bikes)
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
717 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Wonderful, knowledgeable...
Sarah E,Jun 23, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Wonderful, knowledgeable tour guides. They had a great pace and gave plenty of time for exploring and taking pictures. I loved that they took pictures of our group for us so we could focus on the experience.
Great experience
Road109820,Jun 16, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
3.00We had a wonderful time! Ray was a terrific guide, so knowledgeable and interesting. Highly recommend.
Best experience in Kyoto!
darcydporter,Jun 15, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Highly recommend a bike tour through Kyoto with the Kyoto Bike Tour company! We had Ray as our guide and he was so knowledgeable and helped us cover a lot of ground while avoiding the crowds. This was absolutely a highlight of our trip and cannot recommend enough!
Great tour of Arashimaya!
kellydT4397BY,Jun 13, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a great time with Rob and got to learn a lot about Japanese culture. It was a great trip and he was very thoughtful. I would recommend this tour!
A fun way to see Arashiyama with the family!
Escape621583,Jun 13, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This bike tour was one of our favorite tours to do during our trip to Kyoto. We visited the bamboo forest and managed to get there before the large crowds. Don was an AMAZING tour guide! He was very considerate, allowing my family to get snacks and necessities at the station before our tour started and helping adjust our bikes to our liking. We took many breaks and got time to take nice pictures along the way! He was very knowledgeable and we learned so much about the sites we visited, which really added to the experience. My family’s favorite part was when he took us through the rice fields and we got to eat rice crackers. If you want to learn more about this quaint town of Arashiyama other than seeing the bamboo forest, make sure to do this bike tour and request for Don!
Great way to see Arashimaya with fewer crowds.
Kelly D,Jun 12, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00We had a great tour with Rob this morning. We got to see all parts of Arashimaya and avoided the crowds. The ride was not difficult and we got to see a good amount of the countryside.
Fantastic way to see Kyoto
Eve B,Jun 12, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00What a fun and informative morning! We loved learning more about Japanese culture while enjoying both the bamboo forest and less crowded temples and shrines. Cass was an excellent guide - relaxed, fun, and highly knowledgeable. We all enjoyed the bike ride. We didn’t use e-bikes, but it was not too strenuous. A few hills and need to wear the right clothing to bike comfortably. Recommend bringing sunglasses! My college-age teens and I thought it was one of the highlights of our trip.
A Wonderful Bike Ride & Tour
X2154JMkathrynf,Jun 12, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our bike trip with Rob was fantastic! Not only is he a super personable guide, he took us to many interesting & beautiful sites. He’s from the U.S. originally, so we got perspective on many aspects of Japanese culture and practice that was different from what we would have learned had our guide been Japanese. The bamboo forest was a highlight, as was a stop at one of the Shinto shrines where people go to keep their good head of hair. Highly recommend.
Must do if you are visiting Kyoto
Tommy L,Jun 11, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Wow – what a highlight of the trip. We set off early in a small group from the train station with our guide, Rob, and he was absolutely fantastic. He shared loads of relevant, fascinating information throughout the ride, took brilliant photos of us on his phone (so we could just enjoy the experience), and even treated us to a drink and some snacks at the end – such a nice touch. I’d gone into this thinking the bamboo forest would be the main event, and while it is incredible to see, it was actually everything else that made the tour so special. The shrines, temples, and especially cycling through the rice fields ended up being the real highlights. It was such a great way to experience the countryside and learn more about Japan at the same time. The early start was also a bonus – it felt like we’d really made the most of the day and still had plenty of time left for other things in the afternoon. Definitely a must-do if you’re visiting Kyoto.
Great tour!!
Venture706752,Jun 11, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Ray gave us an awesome tour of the Asharayama area, including riding through rice paddies and dreamlike neighborhoods; walking through the bamboo forest; experiencing a Shinto shrine and a Buddhist temple with valuable descriptions of how Buddhism and Shinto fit into modern day Japanese life; and many insightful descriptions of what we were seeing along the way. He took photos for us along the way. Highly recommend!
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Operated by Kyoto Bike Tour