Togetsukyo Bridge
Togetsukyo Bridge
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Neighbourhood: Western Kyoto
Western Kyoto is home to some of the city's best eccentricities. Kyoto's Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street takes visitors back in time to the Meiji Period, where old homes have been transformed into tea houses and eateries. Pleasure boats drift down the riverbank, under wooden bridges that beckon nature lovers to hiking trails and botanical walks. The area's famously tall bamboo groves, monkey park, and impressive vistas during the Hanami cherry blossom viewing season mean that it is busiest in warmer months, though also gorgeous in the fall, when the mountains and hills along the banks turn multi-colored. Historic and engaging, even the rail cars in Western Kyoto seek to exemplify its traditional nature and scenic beauty. Many people, including natives, come to visit the 1,200 rakan statues at the Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple, which is still in use as a religious site.
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4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles873 reviews
Excellent
185
Very good
443
Average
225
Poor
19
Terrible
1

Wood77
Los Angeles, CA1,931 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Couples
The Togetsukyo Bridge is located in the Arashiyama district of Western Kyoto, around 15 minute walk from the Bamboo Forest. This wooden bridge was built during the Heian Period (794-1185) spans the Katsura River in front of Arashiyama Mountain, offering picturesque views. When coming from the Bamboo Forest, crossing the bridge to other side is the Arashiyama Monkey Park. Because of the poor rainy weather, we didn’t walk across the bridge.
Written 19 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ellen B
Hortonville, WI723 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Family
The bridge is in a picturesque area. The autumnal leaves had fallen, so it wasn’t very colorful, but the river is peaceful and serene. I recommend seeing it in spring, summer, or earlier in the fall.
Written 16 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Brown
Tokyo, Japan69 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Friends
Togetsukyo Bridge
Autumn leaves are colorful♪
The landscape is like a picture
I feel Japanese cuisine!

紅葉が美しい渡月橋。 
朱色、黄金色、色づいた樹木と川の流れは昔も今も人々を魅了しますね!
Written 7 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bobbie W
Warwick, RI1,378 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Couples
The bridge itself is no big deal, but… it’s fun to look over the bridge into the river which is very picturesque. Near the Bamboo Forest, the bridge is part of Arashiyama area.
Written 9 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jacqui F
London, UK281 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
There is a beautiful view up and down the Katsura River from Togetsu-kyo Bridge. In the summer months, swallows dive-bomb the bridge catching insects, and herons and egrets hang out on the weirs, making a great place to bird watch.
Written 2 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

carloscharmy
Bangkok, Thailand703 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2023
Togetsukyo Bridge is a picturesque delight! Despite the crowds, crossing the bridge offers a splendid view of the enchanting surroundings. The scenic beauty of the river and the surrounding mountains makes it a truly lovely experience. An iconic spot that captures the essence of Arashiyama's charm. Don't miss the opportunity to take in the view and create lasting memories on Togetsukyo Bridge during your visit to Kyoto.
Written 23 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Stefanie H
Lincoln, NE1,618 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023
It's a historical bridge - what else can you say? The view of the water and the rowboats is nice, but otherwise, you don't need to visit unless you are right in the area.
Written 3 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Anthony S
Brisbane, Australia1,863 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2023
Pleasant enough bridge across the river but unfortunately it’s not the original one but a modern one. Located in a lovely location with weirs across the river and a pleasant walk across and along the riverbanks.
Written 15 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Hiroaki Kaneko
Tokyo, Japan3,521 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2023
嵐山の名所の一つですが、本来は桂川の両岸を行き来するための重要な交通路です。ですが、桂川の開けた場所に架けられた橋であり、嵐山の四季折々の景色が見られることから、季節を問わず、また平日・休日を問わず観光客が訪れます。嵐山や桂川を背景に写真撮影する人も多くいます。
渡月橋の名前は、鎌倉時代の亀山天皇の「くまなき月の渡るに似る」という言に由来します。
重要な交通路であることは現代でも変わっていないため、大きな祭りやイベントでもない限り、車もひっきりなしに往来しています(路線バスのルートにもなっています)。歩行者は車道に出るべきではありませんが、いい写真を撮りたいがために車道に出ることが度々あり、交通トラブルが起きやすい場所でもあります。特に休日は歩道は観光客でごった返すため、通行もままならない時があり、強いストレスを感じることもあるでしょう。
渡月橋から上流の桂川は渓谷になっていることもあり、長雨等による川の増水、洪水被害が度々発生し、渡月橋の橋脚や欄干が損傷したり川に流されたりすることが度々あります。そのため、渡月橋周辺では災害防止のための補強工事が行われていることが多いです。そういった工事現場が自分の理想の写真撮影の妨げになる場合もありますが、工事そのものは非常に重要でありストップさせることは出来ないので、「理想の写真が撮影出来たらラッキー」程度に思った方がいいでしょう。

Although it's one of Arashiyama's most famous landmarks, at the same time, it's an important transportation route for traffic between the two banks of the Katsura River. However, as the bridge is built in an open area of the Katsura River and offers seasonal views of Arashiyama, it attracts tourists regardless of the season, and on weekdays and holidays. Many people take pictures with Arashiyama and the Katsura River in the background.
The name "Togetsu Bridge" comes from the Kamakura period Emperor Kameyama's comment, "In the cloudless night sky, the full moon appears as if it were crossing a bridge".
As an important traffic route, it has not changed in modern times and is not closed to cars unless there is a major festival or event (it's also a route for local buses). Pedestrians should not be on the roadway, but they often step out onto the roadway to take a good picture, and this is a place where traffic problems can easily occur. Especially on holidays, the sidewalks are so crowded with tourists that it is sometimes difficult to pass through, which may be a cause of a lot of stress.
The Katsura River upstream from the Togetsukyo Bridge is a ravine, and the river frequently rises and floods due to long rains, etc. The piers and parapets of the Togetsukyo Bridge are often damaged or washed away by the floods. For this reason, reinforcement work is often conducted around the Togetsu Bridge to prevent disasters. Such construction sites may interfere with your ideal photo shoot, but the construction work itself is very important and cannot be stopped, so you should consider yourself lucky if you are able to take your ideal photo.
Written 3 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rumples
Tucson, AZ11,778 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2019
We found this 508-foot span across the Katsura River hard to miss when we arrived in Arasheyma. It was the first thing we saw after leaving the train station. The bridge retains its authentic look from the initial construction in 836, which makes it rather unusual. But the latest version only dates from 1934. The low span even appears to be wood, the original building material. But it is now mostly reinforced concrete with just the parapets made from wood.

As we planned to head immediately to the Bamboo Grove via the Tenryu-ji Temple Garden, we opted to pay more attention to the bridge during our walk back to the station. That occurred along the river with the span always in sight. At one point, we sat on a bench for a while, simply admiring the major contribution that this connector makes to the beautiful scenery here in Kyoto's Western hills.

Though we never walked across the bridge on this visit, I did that on my last visit here. The pedestrian walkways that flank the two vehicular lanes provide lovely river views.
Written 28 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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TOGETSUKYO BRIDGE: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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