Arashiyama area questions

Hi, my husband and I are traveling to Kyoto in early November. We would like to take a few hours after lunch one day to see the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove and Okochi Sanso Villa before ending the day at Kinkakuji. We are not planning to see Tenryuji because of time constraints.

1. Can we enter the Bamboo Grove and Okochi Sanso Villa from this entrance near the Torokko Arashiyama station?
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.0174176,135.6703236,3a,75y,186.82h,79....

Can a taxi take us right to that entrance? If not, where should we ask to get dropped off?

2. If #1 is possible, we would visit Okochi Sanso Villa first, return to the same entrance, then walk the bamboo grove west to east towards the Nonomiya shrine. Once we exit on that end, where is the best place to catch another taxi to get to Kinkakuji?

1) yes, it looks like the entrance to the hill up there (but not sure, cause if i zoom out google doesnt show me the marker any more for some reason)

2) if you walk up the hill you are also basically walking almost through the bamboo grove, you can go up many different ways. however the entrance to villa is almostz in the bamboo grove, so it is hard to not combine them :-)

i dont think you need a taxi at all. it is not very far from station.

Thanks for the response, Glimpigumpi. Regarding the taxi, we will be in the Higashiyama area for lunch, then we need to get to Arashiyama/Okochi Sanso and then Kinkakuji before the entrance closes at 4 p.m. Every public transport route I've seen from Higashiyama to Arashiyama and then from Arashiyama to Kinkakuji involves either a bus-bus or train-bus transfer. Our schedule is pretty tight, and it seems taxis, while expensive, is the best option to make sure we get to everything we want to see that afternoon.

Where is the best place to wait for taxis when we're ready to leave Arashiyama?

I'm to in this type of situation, making my way from Arashiyama to kinkakuji and other places to visit before all the places finish up for the day, the problem is kinkakuji close very early, the easiest is get a train from Saga Arashiyama Station to Emmachi Station, walk a few minutes to �¼ƒm‹ž‰~’¬�m‚i‚q‰~’¬‰w�n�iƒoƒX) for the 205 bus which seems like a loop bus service to ‹àŠtŽ›“¹�iƒoƒX) or you can just get a Taxi as said, but very expensive.

I will be visiting the Monkey Park and the Bamboo Grove very early, Bamboo Grove has no opening and closing time, so you can visit this place very early, from my research it's best to visit the bamboo grove very early so you will miss all the crowd, best time to take all the photo's you want.

I found a easy way which only takes about 45-50 minutes.

train from Saga Arashiyama Station to Kyoto station, take the metro to Kitaōji Station for the 205/101/102 bus to ‹àŠtŽ›“¹�iƒoƒX�j .

I think people have perception that taxis are overly expensive which I don't really think so when compared to other developed nations. Anyway the taxi fare from Kitaoji Station to Kinkakuji was Y1,250 in March this year. The taxi driver got us there virtually traffic free through back roads.

 I think people have perception that taxis are overly expensive which I don't really think so when compared to other developed nations. Anyway the taxi fare from Kitaoji Station to Kinkakuji was Y1,250 in March this year. The taxi driver got us there virtually traffic free through back roads.

I agree. Especially if you are not familiar with the bus system ( I think most people are not), and you have time constraint. Kitaoji to Kinkakuji is a good example. You can go to Kitaoji from JR Kyoto station by subway which is very easy. Of course you can catch bus from Kitaoji to Kinkakuji-michi, you must find right bus, and walk a little. Some people can easily do that (I am a Japanese and former Kyoto resident so I believe I can), but taking a taxi is not a silly thing. I will add some more examples:Nijo (JR) to Kinkakuji. Kawaramachi (Hankyu) to Kiyomizudera. You can catch taxi from the east side of Takashimaya (Kawaramachi street, north bound). Demachiyanagi (Keihan) to Ginkakuji. Basically Kyoto is good for walking. Walking through the area and then take taxi back to closest train/subway station will be a good way of travel. Note that some places (like around Kiyomizudera) in the afternoon will be very crowded.

I am going to to chme in with a "well, duh" kind of comment. Taxis are the best way to do this. Trains are such a PITA for access between the two and time is the most important (don't even consider something like a bus). It is not expensive to taxi between Arashiyama and Kinkakuji - I do it all the time.

Sorry about the hijack, but does anyone know the cost from Arashiyama to Kinkakuji by taxi.

Taxisite

https://www.taxisite.com/far/anytoanyret.aspx?night=0&hway=1

tells 2140-2480 yen. If you take JR line to Enmachi and then take taxi to Kinkakuji, it would be 1010-1120 yen. Saga-Arashiyama to Enmachi takes 7 min, 190 yen.

Of course you can take bus to Kinkakuji-michi which is cheaper especially if you are a solo traveler, but you should find right bus stop and right bus.

https://bit.ly/2t4xAu9

@frog1954

Thanks for the information and links to those site.

Where is the best place to wait for taxis when we're ready to leave Arashiyama?

JR Saga-Arashiyama station (north and south exit) and Hankyu Arashiyama station. There are taxi stands. As for Enmachi there is no taxi stand but I think you can catch one running. Nishioji dori north bound would be convenient, but you should look around to find vacant taxis.

Best place for taxis? I normally just flag one on the street when I've finished at the babmoo grove (on that particular course), or after visiting the Tenryuji Gardens on the street at the entrance there. Takes a couple of minutes to get an empty one. I have never needed to go back to the train station to get one.

Thank you, everyone, for the helpful information.