Hi Caroline, we would do Arashiyama on our own especially if staying in Kyoto. It is easy to get to and there is so much to see and do depending on your interests, how much time you have to spend and how far you are prepared to walk. If time or walking is limited you can take a taxi to the further out place you want to see then work your way back on foot. I would recommend a tour if time is very limited, if you don't really enjoy the process of researching and planning your trip or if you want a deeper understanding like the food culture or the history because the few tours we've done in Japan have done that very well. The downside of a tour is most go to the most popular and therefore busy places, you will likely want to see the Bamboo forest and Tenryuji, they are popular for a reason but on your own itinerary, you can plan to go to busy places early or late in the day and spend time in others too. We have been to the small bamboo forest behind Tenryuji that you will see in many photos and it is lovely but there are others in Arashiyama where we were the only people there that we discovered walking around and that solitude made them very special too.

Thanks Jo, it's lovely to hear we've been able to provide something useful for other visitors. Have a fabulous time over there!

Hi Bryn, yes it does vary a bit, Shinto Shrines are generally free to enter, even the large ones such as Fushimi Inari in Kyoto. Buddhist Temples that are open to visit will often but not always have a fee and it can vary from Y300 to Y1000. It's usually around Y400 or Y500. The fee is charged in different ways, sometimes at the entry gate (the Golden Pavilion and Ryoanji for example) while at others it's charged for entry to a particular temple building such as the main hall at Kiyomizudera others might charge for entry to an inner garden area such as at Heian Shrine.

Thanks for the feedback Ella, have a fabulous trip.

It was - I loved it so much I came back and have been in Japan for the last 3 years. Bikes are by far the best way to experience Kyoto, especially to get to the temples you're talking about. And they're stunning - definitely worth the effort. Plus, it's a great excuse to enjoy some more ice cream 🙂

Hi Krystal, Thanks for visiting the site. Visiting Kyoto as an exchange student must have been a fabulous experience and I could easily spend a whole lot of free time in Arashiyama. I thought we might try hiring cycles next time we are there and get to some of the temples even further out.