Lazy Girl Guide to exploring arashiyama

Arashiyama Bamboo Forest is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Kyoto, but there’s actually so much more to see beyond the bamboo forest itself. The area is huge, with quieter residential streets where you can enjoy a peaceful walk away from the overwhelming crowds.

I love walking when I travel, but walking among crowds can be incredibly exhausting. Kyoto has been struggling with overtourism for the past few years, so visiting some of its most famous spots also means dealing with pretty terrible (human) traffic. Not exactly my idea of a peaceful walk.

I first found out about rickshaw tours on Instagram. When I lived in Tokyo, I saw rickshaws all the time around Asakusa, but somehow never even thought of trying one. Maybe because I wasn’t a tourist back then.

The one I discovered was Ebisuya Rickshaw, so I went to their website to find out more. When I planned my birthday trip to Kyoto last year, I decided this would be the perfect time to finally try it.

Early October was still quite warm in Kyoto. Add the huge crowds and all that walking, and you could easily end up drenched in sweat. So yes, sitting comfortably in a rickshaw while someone else did the walking sounded like a pretty good idea.

Booking Ebisuya Arashiyama

I booked directly through their website and received a confirmation by email shortly after. I went with the 70-minute rickshaw tour around Arashiyama, which gave me plenty of time to explore beyond the usual tourist spots.

The booking process was very easy, and the staff was super helpful (shout out to Larissa!). They sent me clear instructions on where to meet my guide and advised me to arrive around 5–10 minutes early.

Besides booking directly through their website, you can also book the experience through Trip.com or Klook.

Rickshaw Experience: [Early] Fall Edition

On the day of my booking, I arrived about 10 minutes early at the rickshaw stand near Togetsukyo Bridge. It was very easy to find, and this was where I met my guide for the day, Yopi-san.

Yopi-san is one of Ebisuya’s veteran guides and has worked at several of their locations across Japan. Before we started, he explained the different routes we could take and also gave me the option to upgrade to a longer tour. Since I already had other plans later that day, I decided to stick with my original 70-minute booking.

My tour started at 10:30 AM on October 1, and let me tell you, it was hot! The crowds were already starting to build up too, although according to Yopi-san, it actually wasn’t that bad since October 1 was still outside the peak season.

We started by heading towards the famous Bamboo Forest, which meant passing through a pretty dense crowd along a narrow street first. We then turned into a small pathway that only rickshaws were allowed to enter and stopped there for photos. It was really nice to get a clean Bamboo Forest background without hundreds of people behind me.

From there, we started exploring the surrounding areas and stopped at Hokyo-in Temple, a small but beautiful Buddhist temple tucked away in a residential neighborhood. I paid the ¥500 entrance fee, and Yopi-san walked around the temple with me while explaining some of its history.

I loved how serene it was, especially after coming from the crowded Bamboo Forest. I think I was the only tourist there at the time, with just a few other people who seemed to be there to pray. 

After that, we continued through the surrounding neighborhoods, and I loved the feeling of just wandering around this gorgeous little town without really knowing what we would see next. Before I knew it, 70 minutes had passed and we were already heading back to our meeting point.

Yopi-san was a wonderful guide, knowledgeable, resourceful, and very easy to talk to. He even recommended a nice place nearby for lunch after the tour.

Before we said goodbye, he gave me a little sticker and a discount coupon that I could use for my next Ebisuya booking. Apparently, the sticker you receive after each tour changes depending on the season, and since I visited in October, I got the autumn one. Such a cute little souvenir to end the tour.

Rickshaw Experience Part 2: Winter Edition

I was so happy with my first Ebisuya rickshaw tour that when I returned to Kyoto later that year in mid-December, I decided to do it again. This time, I booked a longer two-hour tour and finally got to use the discount coupon Yopi-san gave me after my first ride.

My guide this time was Lucas, who speaks French, English, and Japanese. Since we had more time, we were able to explore a little further around Arashiyama, including some of the quieter areas and local farmland.

It was early winter, so the weather was definitely much colder than my October visit, but with the sun out, it was actually really pleasant. And being comfortably wrapped up in the rickshaw certainly helped!

Just like Yopi-san, Lucas was a great guide. He was a little more junior, but incredibly knowledgeable and friendly, and we had so many fun conversations along the way. He also shared some of his favorite cafés and restaurants around Kyoto, which I always appreciate when recommendations come from someone who actually lives there.

Overall Experience

I honestly couldn’t say enough good things about my Ebisuya rickshaw experience. I think it’s especially great for first-time visitors to Kyoto who want a more personalized way to explore without spending so much energy on walking. And the rickshaw ride itself is such a unique experience.

As I mentioned earlier, I actually love walking when I travel. But after a few days of walking a lot around Kyoto, I just want to sit back, enjoy the view, and learn more about the culture and history without my feet doing all the work. So this was perfect for me.

Another thing I really liked was getting to explore the quieter parts of Arashiyama that many tourists probably wouldn’t venture into on their own. As a solo traveler, having a private guide was also really nice. You get someone who can tell you about the places you’re passing, recommend restaurants and cafés, and most importantly for us solo travelers, help take your photos!

Yopi-san told me that Ebisuya rickshaw guides go through different types of training, including photography and local culture, so you’re definitely in good hands.

A big thank you to the Ebisuya team, from Larissa, who was always so helpful with my bookings, to Yopi-san, Lucas, and all the other guides I met along the way who always greeted me with a friendly smile. You all made both of my Arashiyama experiences extra special.