Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
EATING
| CAFE
KOMICHI¥
OFFLINE MAP
(
こみち
; 872-5313; 23 Ōjōin-chō, Nison-in Monzen, Saga, Ukyō-ku; matcha ¥650; 10am-5pm, closed Wed;
20min walk from Keifuku Arashiyama Station, Keifuku Arashiyama, Randen, line)
This friendly little tea-
house is perfectly located along the Arashiyama tourist trail. In addition to hot and cold tea
and coffee, it serves
uji kintoki
(shaved ice with sweetened green tea) in summer and a vari-
ety of light noodle dishes year-round. The picture menu helps with ordering. The sign is
green and black on a white background.
| TEA, KAISEKI
HIRANOYA¥¥
OFFLINE MAP
(
平野屋
; 861-0359; Ukyō-ku, Saga Toriimoto Sennō-chō 16; tea ¥840, dinner from ¥15,000; 11.30am-9pm;
5min walk from Otaginenbutsu-ji-mae bus stop, bus 72 from Kyoto Station)
Located next to the Atago
Torii (a large Shintō shrine gate), this thatched-roof restaurant is about as atmospheric as
they get. While you can sample full-course
kaiseki
(Japanese
haute cuisine
) meals here
from ¥15,000 (by telephone reservation in Japanese only), we prefer to soak up the atmo-
sphere over a simple cup of
matcha
(powdered green tea) for a relatively modest ¥840 (it
comes with a traditional sweet). It's the perfect way to cool off after a long slog around the
temples of Arashiyama and Sagano. Just ask for
o-cha
and you're away.
HOZU-GAWA RIVER TRIP
The
Hozu-gawa river trip
( 0771-22-5846; Kameoka-shi, Hozu-chō; adult/child ¥3900/2500;
9am-3.30pm) is a great way to enjoy the beauty of Kyoto's western mountains without any strain on the legs.
With long bamboo poles, boatmen steer flat-bottom boats down the Hozu-gawa from Kameoka, 30km west of
Kyoto Station, through steep, forested mountain canyons, before arriving at Arashiyama.
Between 10 March and 30 November there are seven trips daily. During winter the number of trips is reduced
to four per day and the boats are heated.
The ride lasts two hours and covers 16km through occasional sections of choppy water - a scenic jaunt with
minimal danger. The scenery is especially breathtaking during cherry-blossom season in April and maple-foliage
season in autumn.
