Boats and Bamboo in Arashiyama, a District of Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan

Arashiyama is a district of Kyoto and has been a popular destination since the nobles of the Heian Period (794-1185) would go there. Sprawling along the foot of the Arashiyama Mountains or Storm Mountains it enjoys a natural setting. It is renowned for its cherry blossom in the spring and foliage colours in the autumn. We travelled by train from the centre of Kyoto to Kameoka in the suburbs. At Kameoka we boarded a boat to complete our journey to Arashiyama through the Hozu Gorge on the Hozugawa River. This river was once used to transport the logs that were used to build many of the famous temples and castles in Kyoto and Osaka. During the Edo Period it was cleared of all obstructions and became navigable for cargo boats. When trains and trucks took over from boats the pleasure boats were introduced as a tourist attraction.

Togetsukyo Bridge which spans the Katsura River where it joins the Hozugawa River is just a few hundred metres upstream from the docking area of the pleasure boats. This famous bridge, whose name means Moon Crossing Bridge is the town’s most iconic landmark. The original bridge was built during the Heian Period and it was rebuilt during the 1930s. This bridge has often been featured in historical films and it is the ideal place to feed the koi that live in the waters that flow underneath it. It is also an integral part of a local custom. Young children (the girls dressed in kimonos) are blessed in a local temple and then have to make their way across this bridge without looking back. It is said that anyone who does look back will have bad luck. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).