Bamboo, Monkeys, and Kimono, Kyoto Beyond the Temples

When the temples start to blur, Kyoto has a whole other side that gets kids moving, and most of it is in one district.

Arashiyama, on the western edge of the city, is the family day I never skip. The bamboo grove is a path through towering green stalks so tall you crane your neck, and it feels like another world. It is short and free and right by the train.

Then climb up to the Iwatayama Monkey Park. Wild Japanese macaques roam a hilltop, and you can feed them from inside a screened hut while they reach in. Kids lose their minds over it. The walk up is steep, so it doubles as wearing them out. The view over Kyoto from the top is a bonus.

Back in town, renting a kimono or yukata for the kids for a day is a hit, especially for a walk through the old Gion district with its wooden teahouses. Lots of shops rent them cheaply with all the pieces.

Nara is an easy day trip, half an hour by train, where hundreds of tame deer wander a park and bow for crackers you buy from vendors. It is one of the great kid experiences in Japan.

Full guide here: Kyoto With Kids. Ready to hand it off? Work with me.