The Bamboo Forest, Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, or Sagano Bamboo Forest is a natural bamboo forest in Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan. It consists mostly of mōsō bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) and has several pathways for tourists and visitors. The Ministry of the Environment considers it a part of the soundscape of Japan.[1]
Prior to 2015, there was a charge to access the forest.[2]
The forest is not far from Tenryū-ji temple, which is the headquarters of the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism, and the Nonomiya Shrine.[1]
The Sagano Bamboo Forest is situated northwest of Kyoto, near the Tenryū-ji temple and the Nonomiya Shrine. It covers an area of 16km2.[3]
The region experiences unpredictable weather, with a cool climate and bright sunlight. The summers are short, hot, and mostly cloudy. The winters are cold, windy, and partly cloudy. It is also wet year-round. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically ranges from 32°F to 89°F. The summers last for approximately two months, from late June until mid-September, with an average daily high temperature above 80°F. The winters last for approximately three months, from early December to mid-March, with an average daily high temperature below 53°F.[4]
In the 2014 Indian film Jilla, the song "Kandangi Kandangi", performed by actor Vijay alongside singer Shreya Ghoshal, includes a segment filmed at the Sagano Bamboo Forest.