The iconic Arashiyama Bamboo Groves is needless to say a place one must visit when visiting Japan. Just walking through the bamboo groves is already a refreshing experience.
You also get to explore Kyoto and pass by the Togetsukyo Bridge and other landmarks as you walk to the Arashiyama Bamboo Groves.
Last Day In Japan For This Trip
We checked out at Fuku Yado Fuku Hostel and we were allowed to leave our things at an area near the hostel lobby as we visit Kyoto for the day before going to the airport.
Some tourists tour the Arashiyama Bamboo Groves riding the human rickshaw.
Fuku Yado – Fuku Hostel to Arashiyama
- Take the Saikusiji Line for Kita-senri train from Nippombashi station to Awaji station.
- Transfer to the Hankyu-Kyoto Line for Kawaramachi at Awaji station to Katsura station.
- Transfer to the Hankyu-Arashiyama line for Arashiyama to Arashiyama station. Travel time: 1 hour. Fare: JPY600 ~ Php300.
- Take a scenic walk from Hankyu Arashiyama station to the Bamboo Groves.
Wonder how this prenup shoot went with the stampede of people.We followed Google maps to make sure we were in the right direction but there were plenty of signs towards the Arashiyama Bamboo Groves. You can also always ask around.
Sat down with the pigeons as we walked around the Togetsukyo Bridge.We spent our day walking around beautiful Kyoto before we headed back to Osaka in the afternoon for our late night trip back to Manila.
I could sit down beside this stream and the Togetsukyo Bridge the whole day and just ponder.We passed by a ceremony among the Kyoto local police on our way to the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. They had mascotts that at first glance you would think it’s a children’s activity.
Kyoto Police ceremony looked like a children’s activity at first glance. 🙂It was still around 9 am when we arrived at the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove but there were already too many people flocking around the area.
Walking around Kyoto will not only make you pass by traditional Japanese houses and structures. You will also pass by stores, restaurants, and food stalls along the street which took care of our lunch and last-minute buying of souveneirs.
I had a walking lunch with really good food bought here and from the other stores we passed by.
Arashiyama Bamboo Groves to Osaka
- Walk and enjoy the scenery from the bamboo groves to the Hankyu Arashiyama station.
- Take the Hankyu-Arashiyama line train for Katsura from Hankyu Arashiyama station to Katsura station.
- Transfer to the Hankyu-Kyoto line for Hankyu-Umeda at Katsura station to Awaji station.
- Transfer to the Hankyu-Senri line for Tengachaya at Awaji station to Nippombashi station. Travel time: 1 hour. Fare: JPY600 ~ Php300.
Sakura ice cream and mochi (not in picture) for dessert as we walked back to the train station.We still had enough time to go around Osaka in the afternoon before we went back to Fuku Yado Fuku Hostel. It was hard to finally say sayonara to Japan but we had to make our way to the airport.
Hugged a tree again as we say goodbye to Kyoto for this trip.
Nankai Namba Station to Kansai Airport
Take the train along the Nankai Line Airport Express to from Nankai Namba station to Kansai Airport. Travel time: 46 minutes. Fare: JPY920 ~ Php460.
This concludes our 6-day trip around Tokyo, Osaka, Nara, and Kyoto. Japan has been amazing!
I can see myself sitting under this tree and just reading or pondering on a fine weather like this day. If I only had the free time to do that! 🙂
See you on my next destination! Guess where I will be hugging trees again? 🙂| Tokyo-Osaka-Nara-Kyoto Itinerary: Day 6 of 6 | |
| On Conversion: JPY1000 ~ Php500 | |
| On Time Zone: GMT + 9 (Japan Time is 1 hour advanced compared to Philippine Time, e.g. 7 am in JP is 6 am in PH) |
| Day 6 | Kyoto Day Trip from Osaka: Togetsukyo Bridge and Arashiyama Bamboo Groves |
| 7:00 AM | Eat free breakfast (6am PH time). Check out. Leave bags at hostel. |
| 7:30 AM | Visit Arashiyama, Kyoto |
| Fuku Yado – Fuku Hostel to Arashiyama | |
| 1. Take the Saikusiji Line for Kita-senri train from Nippombashi station to Awaji station. | |
| 2. Transfer to the Hankyu-Kyoto Line for Kawaramachi at Awaji station to Katsura station. | |
| 3. Transfer to the Hankyu-Arashiyama line for Arashiyama to Arashiyama station. | |
| 4. Take a scenic walk from Hankyu Arashiyama station to the Bamboo Groves. | |
| Travel time: 1 hour | |
| Fare: JPY600 ~ Php300 | |
| 8:30 AM | Enjoy the Bamboo Groves and Arashiyama. |
| 12:00 PM | Lunch (JPY1000 ~ PHP500). Lots of food stalls and restaurants around. Remember your meal budget as you decide. 🙂 |
| Go back to Osaka for last hoorah. Roam around Dotonbori, etc. | |
| Arashiyama Bamboo Groves to Osaka | |
| 1. Walk and enjoy the scenery from the bamboo groves to the Hankyu Arashiyama station. | |
| 2. Take the Hankyu-Arashiyama line train for Katsura from Hankyu Arashiyama station to Katsura station. | |
| 3. Transfer to the Hankyu-Kyoto line for Hankyu-Umeda at Katsura station to Awaji station. | |
| 4. Transfer to the Hankyu-Senri line for Tengachaya at Awaji station to Nippombashi station. | |
| Travel time: 1 hour | |
| Fare: JPY600 ~ Php300 | |
| 4:00 PM | Go to Kansai airport via Namba Nankai Airport Exp. (JPY1000~PHP500) |
| Nankai Namba Station to Kansai Airport | |
| Take the train along the Nankai Line Airport Express to from Nankai Namba station to Kansai Airport. Travel time: 46 minutes. Fare: JPY920 ~ Php460. | |
| 7:00 PM | Check in. Dinner. (JPY1000~PHP500) |
| 8:00 PM | ETD to Manila |
| 11:30 PM | ETA NAIA, Manila. |
| Estimated Expenses each: PHP2600.00 |
- This excludes all other expenses not specified in this itinerary.
- Expenses on food is also just an estimate and will vary depending on what and where you choose to eat.
- Actual prices may also have changed.
- Spend frugally!
Japan Trip Notes
We stayed for 6 days on a very tight budget.
Use Google to know which train to board at a real-time schedule by specifying your specific departure train station and your arrival train station on the search box, e.g. “Narita Airport station to Oshiage station” or “Kansai Airport station to Nankai Namba station”.
Use Google / Google Maps to navigate around by specifying your specific location and your desired destination on the search box, e.g. “Asakusabashi station to Hostel East57”, “Nankai Namba station to Fuku Yado Nagomi”, or “Hankyu Arashiyama station to Arashiyama Bamboo Groves”.
We already paid for our air fare, accommodation, admission tickets, and passes months before this trip with complete list below. Click each highlighted item to book or know the details.
Accommodation
3 nights in Tokyo at Hostel East57 Asaskusabahi
2 nights in Osaka at Fuku Yado – Fuku Hostel
Pocket Wifi
Unlimited 4G Wifi for 6 Days (Narita Airport Pick up, Kansai Airport Drop off)
Passes and Tickets
Tokyo Disneysea Admission Ticket
Universal Studios Japan Admission Ticket
Reloadable Smart Card
Suica Card or Pasmo Card (Can be used across Tokyo, Osaka, Nara, and Kyoto)
Plane Tickets
Manila to Tokyo via Cebu Pacific
Tokyo to Osaka and Osaka to Manila via Jetstar
- We only had to bring cash for our meals and fare around the Osaka-Nara-Kyoto region and very few parts in the East which were not covered by our passes.
- We had to stick to our budget as we only had so much.
- Our passes and loaded smart cards made us ride the trains and buses conveniently.
- A pocket wifi is a necessity, it’s your life-saver as you go around Japan.
- You get to explore more of Japan if you get lost. 🙂
It was also quite fun despite being pretty time consuming trying to find out how to flush when you visit their toilet for the first time.
You can play false flushing sounds to overlap some unwanted sounds that you make. 😉I read and tried to understand all these characters and drawings around 3 times (and experimented how they work) before giving up and looking elsewhere to find out how to flush. First-timer problems!
Flushing is as simple as hovering your hand on the sensor not on your seat but on the wall beside you or behind you. What a good laugh! 🙂
Seat cleaners are even available!
8 Travel Tips from A Frugal Traveler
Keep these travel tips in mind to help you make the most of your travels.
Natasha is a full-time banker who gets to take a breather when she travels. She loves being challenged. Adventures and whatever engages her logic get her excited.