Sagano Bamboo Forest is located in the Arashiyama area, the western part of Kyoto, Japan. This forest is a major tourist attraction in the last decade. Now the popularity of this forest is widespread in recent years. This forest is even crowned as one of the best forests in the world.
Kyoto, the city where the Sagano Forest located, in ancient times was known as the imperial capital of Japan. The predicate has been held by Kyoto for over 1,000 years before it was moved to Tokyo in 1868. Kyoto is also known as a historic old town that holds a number of ancient relics of Buddhist temples, palaces, and bamboo forests.
Sagano Forest is one of the relics of ancient times. This bamboo forest attracts many tourists because of its beauty. This forest is touted as an area that must be visited before dying and become one of the most beautiful forests in the world. The towering green bamboos will spoil the eyes of the visitors. The sound of tree-generated whispers is also the main attraction for this forest.
The 16 square kilometer bamboo forest is selected by the Japanese government to be included in the list of the best audio areas in Japan that need to be preserved. A few years ago the Sagano Bamboo Forest was included by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment on the “100 Soundscape of Japan” list, which is a daily voting selection aimed at encouraging residents to enjoy the natural sounds of natural music. In the Arashiyama bamboo forest, the sound of bamboo creaks is heard as the wind blows through the grove of trees colliding in the wind, twisting, then creating a melodious and reconstructive foliage. This forest is very unique and very nuanced nature.
The best time to enjoy the beauty of Bamboo Grove Forest is in the morning or late at night when the forest is not crowded. Avoid visits on weekends when Japanese tourists descend into the forest. In spring and autumn should also be avoided because at that time Arashiyama usually filled with tourists. There is no entrance fee for a trip to this forest and it is open to the public for 24 hours every day.
Around this bamboo forest area, there are also many other tourist attractions. Right next to the entrance, there is the northern gate of Tenryu-Ji Temple, a UNESCO protected World Heritage Site. There is also one of Kyoto-gozan or five main temples in Kyoto. In Japan, bamboo forests, Shinto shrines, and Buddhist temples are usually adjacent because they are considered as a means of deterring an evil aura, while bamboo is seen as a symbol of strength.
The Sagano Bamboo Grove can be directly accessed from Arashiyama’s main street, not far from the north entrance of Tenryu-ji Temple. There is only one path through the forest that will eventually bring visitors slowly to the top of the hill. Arriving at the top of the hill which is one end of the forest, tourists can find Okochi-Sanso Villas. The villa is the former home of the silent film star Denjiro Okochi built over an area of 20,000 square meters in 1930 and just completed construction ten years later.
Okochi builds his villa with the main house in traditional Japanese style. Inside the villa, the area is also built area for a tea room, study room, Jibutsudo (Buddhist temple relic Meiji era), the museum that highlights the life of Denjiro, as well as a very large garden complex. The gardens are planted with trees and plants that depict the four seasons.
Arashiyama region has indeed been a high-class holiday area in Japan since the 8th century. Therefore many interesting sights can be found there, including Sagano Bamboo Grove. All around the bamboo forest is still very beautiful and back to nature vibes. It is unfortunate that such a place should be tarnished by the act of irresponsible elements.
That is the reason why the Japanese government includes this place as one of the areas that need to be protected. Its uniqueness and beauty are worth preserving. For that purpose, eco-friendly travel should be applied by everyone who visits this Sagano Bamboo Forest.