The Sagano Bamboo forest is one of the most spectacular bamboo forests in Japan, located just 15 minutes away from Kyoto. With Mt. Arashiyama as the backdrop, when walking through the forest, you can’t help feeling the serene ambiance. Even aristocrats in the 8th-12th century Heian era came to enjoy the scenery in every season.

The sound of the wind in this bamboo forest has been voted as one of the hundred must-be-preserved sounds in Japan. One of the most prominently recognized Japanese plants known all around the world is Bamboo. There are more than a thousand species of bamboo and they are the fastest growing plant on earth. It has been clocked surging skyward as fast as 121 cm in a 24-hour period!

Known for its hardy and diverse qualities, it is widely cultivated for its many versatile uses. This makes bamboo a critical element to the Japanese economy- it provides housing, income and food to over 2.2 billion people worldwide. Bamboo has many uses including wood for building, fabric and as a medicine to treat ailments such as asthma, cancer and kidney disease.

There are many sights to see at the Sagano Bamboo Forest including shrines, temples, and hermitages. In Japan, a bamboo forest sometimes surrounds a Shinto shrine as part of a sacred barrier against evil. Shinto was the first formal religion of Japan and the shrine is a place where followers make an offering, ring the bell and then offer up a prayer. It is also a place where you can make a wish. The idea is to pay 100 yen for a message board on which you write your wish- be it for a good boyfriend or success in business or perhaps a suitable man to marry.  Periodically the monks burn the boards and at that moment your wish is expected to come through. Now that’s wishful thinking.

There are so many interesting spots to discover at the Sagano Bamboo Forest and it is well worth a visit.