Upon stepping foot on Arashiyama, I can see why everyone wants to come here. This place is breathtakingly beautiful, full of unique Japanese charm and rich in cultural heritage. This is where the towering mountains, the lush bamboo forest, the extensive Katsura river with clear waters, the old school railways, the numerous shrines, the quaint buildings of both heritage and modernity exist together in harmony.
And I actually got some of my best buys of sweets and snacks from here. There are quite a number of great specialty shops here, like Malebrache and shop specialising in artisan handmade bamboo products.
Though being a popular tourist spot, this place is very crowded, especially at entrance near the train station and Togetsukyo Bridge. I can hardly walk when on the bridge. And with more tourists, I see more inconsiderate behaviours. I admit that I roll my eyes so many times when inching my way across the bridge.
There are some areas that are not as crowded, namely certain streets located further away from the train station, secret spots that only locals know, open areas and the banks of Katsura river (I have no idea why so many tourists want to take pictures of Katsura river from Togetsukyo bridge when I feel that the views from the banks are actually more scenic and beautiful).
Despite the crowd, I still enjoy myself a lot here due to the beauty of the place, the good food, specialty shops, Ebisuya Rickshaw and Bute Yataka boat ride.
