Arashiyama

Notable tourist sites

On the slopes of Arashiyama, the Iwatayama Monkey Park houses over 170 wild monkeys accustomed to humans; visitors can approach and photograph them, and at the summit a fenced enclosure allows feeding. The Moon Crossing Bridge offers views of cherry blossoms and autumn colors on the mountain slopes. The tombstone of the Heike courtesan Kogo of Sagano is located here. The hamlet of Kiyotaki, a small scenic village at the base of Mt. Atago, contains a notable Shinto shrine.

Matsunoo Taisha, half a mile south, is one of the oldest shrines in the Kyoto area, founded in 700, and its blessed spring draws local sake and miso companies seeking blessings for their products. Kameyama Park features a stone monument engraved with four poems by Zhou Enlai, titled "Arashiyama in the Rain," commemorating his visit. Ōkōchi Sansō is the Japanese-style home and gardens of film actor Denjirō Ōkōchi. Cherry trees bloom in spring and leaves turn red in autumn.

Togetsukyō

Togetsukyō is a bridge across the river and appears in one of the Famous Views of the Sixty-odd Provinces ukiyo-e prints. The current bridge, rebuilt in 1934, uses mostly concrete, unlike the original wooden version from 836. The river has three names: Ōi River in the upper course, Hozu River in the middle, and Katsura River in the lower.

Did You Know?

• Arashiyama is accessible by the Keifuku Electric Railroad, the Hankyū Arashiyama Line, and JR Saga-Arashiyama Station.
• The Ōi River in the upper course is not to be confused with the homophonously named Ōi River in Shizuoka Prefecture.