Kimono Forest - Kyoto

Located in the Arashiyama Station of the Keifuku Randen Tram Arashiyama Line in Ukyo-ku, Kyoto City, in Kyoto Prefecture, Kimono Forest is a collection of cylinder-shaped pillars with beautiful Kimono designs that lines up the station which gives it an artistic design.
Kimono Forest

Kimono Forest History

Kimono Forest was installed as part of the station's renovation in 2013. Its name came from the forest-like cluster of kimono designed pillars. These kimono displays consist of traditional Kyo-yuzen style textile patterns. The Kyo-yuzen textile used in the Kimono Forest was created by Kamedatomi which is a textile factory with a history that dates back to the Taisho Period. Each pillar stands 2 meters high and is covered with acrylic fiber to protect the designs from moisture.  The pillars are also equipped with LED lights to give the "forest" a magical and dramatic look at night. There are about 600 kimono pillars installed in the Keifuku Arashiyama Station. 
Kimono Forest - Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture

Welcome to the Kimono Forest

Gotta love those kimono designed pillars

The best time to visit is probably at sundown

The Pond of the Dragon

 There are a total of 32 different textile design patterns being displayed in each pillar. These patterns were selected by Yasumichi Marita who was the artist responsible for the Kimono Forest. 
Ella making her wish... (Hope it comes true)

Our friend Gil with my lovely wife

Let's go! 

When exploring the Kimono Forest, you'd see a small pond which is a few meters away from the station. This pond is called Ryu no Atago.  According to the artist, it is the energy spot of Arashiyama Station. Many people believe that this is a good place to pray for their life goals and dreams. 
Gotta try out this foot bath while waiting for the Randen

 My family and I got to visit the Kimono Forest on the 5th day of our 2018 Japan trip. We got to see it in the afternoon. We stayed a bit to see its beauty during the night and it was truly a magnificent sight to see. The LED lights gave each pillar a new life and together the forest becomes a magical place.  
Time to ride the Randen back home

 Overall, the Kimono Forest gives the historic Arashiyama district a breath of new life without corrupting its tradition and historic beauty. It's also probably safe to say that this installation is a tourist destination in itself.

Kimono Forest Admission Fee:

It's FREE! You don't have to pay anything to enter and explore the Kimono Forest.

Kimono Forest Operating Hours:

Kimono Forest is open 24 hours.

Why visit Kimono Forest?

Kimono Forest is quite easy to miss if you have no idea what and where it is. It is also often overshadowed by its more famous neighbor -Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. Regardless, the Kimono Forest is still a must-visit, especially at night when its magical beauty is very evident. It's a perfect day-ender destination for your trip to Arashiyama District.

Getting to Kimono Forest:


From Kyoto Station, ride the JR San-in Line and board down at Saga Arashiyama Station. From there, you can walk for about 7 minutes to reach the Kimono Forest.
Fare: 240 yen
Travel time: 24 minutes

Another option is to ride Bus #28 at Shimogyoku Sogo Chosha-mae which is about 3 minutes away by foot from Kyoto Station. Board down at Arashiyama Tenryuji-mae and walk for about a minute to reach Kimono Forest.
Bus Fare: 230 yen
Travel Time: 45 minutes
Ratings
Crowd
Cleanliness

Overall rating

Location: 35-28 Sagatenryuji Tsukurimichicho, Ukyō-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture 616-8384, Japan

Comments

  1. UnknownOctober 11, 2018 at 10:40 PM

    Beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Luna MoonOctober 11, 2018 at 10:53 PM

    This is so neat! This looks like a great place to shoot some photos. Those pillars are beautiful! I would have never of known about these without seeing this post, thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AakankshaOctober 12, 2018 at 1:35 AM

    Wow! The pillars look stunning! Like they are lit up by stars or it looks like a path to heaven! Beautiful

    ReplyDelete
  4. UnknownOctober 12, 2018 at 2:00 AM

    I'd love to travel here!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sassy October 12, 2018 at 6:56 AM

    I love post's like these. How else would I get to see the marvelous things in the world........thank you for sharing these photos. Seems magical and It is so nice how they made the train station so intriguing with the lighted kimono forest.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Nina NicholsOctober 12, 2018 at 7:45 AM

    Kimono forest is probably one of the most innovative ideas I have ever seen when it comes to design! It looks so artistic!

    ReplyDelete
  7. This is BriiOctober 12, 2018 at 10:35 AM

    This looks so beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  8. EllenOctober 12, 2018 at 6:57 PM

    Woah! Never heard of that place in Japan till now. Looks so cool and colourful! Definitely going to add it to my Japan bucket list.

    ReplyDelete
  9. UnknownOctober 12, 2018 at 8:29 PM

    Lovely photos! Every time I see one of your posts, I can't help but just want to travel too!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Preeti ChauhanOctober 12, 2018 at 10:41 PM

    To dress up a station as Kimono forest and display the rich textiles and designs is a great idea which I am sure tourists like me would love an the local Japanese would feel proud of .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Neil Alvin NicerioOctober 18, 2018 at 1:30 PM

      I agree Dr. Preeti. =) The Japanese really have an eye for beauty.

      Delete
  11. revelerOctober 12, 2018 at 11:13 PM

    Oh my..... This is awesome....... It will definitely brighten up my day......

    ReplyDelete
  12. MayszOctober 13, 2018 at 10:11 AM

    Wow looks like a great adventure! I love Japan cultures and places <3

    ReplyDelete
  13. LuisOctober 13, 2018 at 10:20 AM

    Again, another great blog entry.

    ReplyDelete
  14. indra kOctober 13, 2018 at 8:41 PM

    Wonderful pics of Kimono forest in Kyoto. Love all.

    ReplyDelete
  15. UnknownOctober 13, 2018 at 11:18 PM

    What a very beautiful and artistic display. The photos are great. Thank you so much for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Jennifer DagiOctober 14, 2018 at 1:27 AM

    The Kimono forest looks beautiful. Although, when I saw forest in the title, I expected to see tall trees lined up like the ones in Kyoto Bamboo forest. Quite a nice surprise though!

    ReplyDelete
  17. AnonymousOctober 14, 2018 at 2:04 AM

    That place looks absolutely beautiful! Makes me want to travel! Thanks for the pictures!

    ReplyDelete
  18. HealthyFitCoupleOctober 14, 2018 at 7:46 AM

    Kimono Forest looks so gorgeous! I hope to visit Japan one day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Neil Alvin NicerioOctober 19, 2018 at 9:14 AM

      Would love to see your blog post about this someday.

      Delete
  19. ShannonOctober 14, 2018 at 8:47 AM

    What a fun place! These are so pretty!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Neil Alvin NicerioOctober 19, 2018 at 9:15 AM

      Yes Shannon. the Kimono Forest is really very pretty.

      Delete
  20. Ben le SuisseOctober 14, 2018 at 6:08 PM

    Definitively a place where to go for my next visit. Really nice pictures. Thanks for the discovery.

    Ben - www.nutrition-newage.com

    ReplyDelete
  21. ManeOctober 14, 2018 at 8:27 PM

    Wow! I love this Kimono Forest! So enticing and colorful! I want to try the foot bath while waiting for the Randen. Great blog post!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Kristina PedersenOctober 15, 2018 at 5:26 AM

    This looks very fun. The colors are so beautiful and vibrant.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Blair VillanuevaOctober 15, 2018 at 12:27 PM

    Oh wow, those fabrics are genuine and they don't produce it anymore, right?!
    No wonder kimono fabrics are luxurious!

    ReplyDelete
  24. PujariniOctober 15, 2018 at 5:31 PM

    This place looks insta worthy. How unique is this place!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Neil Alvin NicerioOctober 19, 2018 at 9:21 AM

      I agree. I had to post this one in my Instagram as well. =)

      Delete
  25. SonilaOctober 15, 2018 at 9:20 PM

    Such a cool place to visit!! Those pillars look beautiful and those textiles so pretty. Hope to visit one day

    ReplyDelete
  26. Meghna.October 16, 2018 at 1:31 AM

    Such a spectacular place, I have had no idea regarding this awesome colorful place. Thanks for the share, it’s a awesome post.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Neil Alvin NicerioOctober 19, 2018 at 9:22 AM

      Thank you so much Meghna. Your comment brightened up my day.

      Delete
  27. UnknownNovember 1, 2018 at 1:03 PM

    This is beautiful! I would love to see this place at night as well. Night sights with the perfect light can truly be magical.

    ReplyDelete

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