This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure for details.
The Kimono Forest was genuinely one of the prettiest things I saw in all of Japan. It’s this beautiful installation at a tiny train station in Arashiyama, where 600 pillars wrapped in hand-dyed kimono fabric glow softly along the platform. I visited right when I got to Arashiyama, and I’m so glad I didn’t skip it.
What the Kimono Forest Looks Like
The pillars stand about two meters tall, arranged in rows along the station’s walkways and platforms. Each one is wrapped in a different kyo-yuzen dyed fabric and softly lit from within. Kyo-yuzen is a centuries-old Kyoto dyeing technique known for its intricate, painterly designs, and the installation was created in 2013 to celebrate that heritage. Every single pillar wears a unique pattern designed by textile artist Yasumichi Morita.
The colors are mostly pinks, purples, and lavenders, with delicate floral patterns that give the whole space a romantic, almost garden-like quality. I loved getting up close to look at the individual designs. The detail is remarkable. Petals, leaves, abstract flourishes, all rendered in soft, layered color. No two pillars are the same, and the more time you spend looking, the more you notice.
The pillars are slightly translucent, so when the morning sun hits them, each one carries this gentle, warm glow. Not dramatic, just soft and pretty. The kind of light that photographs beautifully without any effort. Walking between the rows, the colors shift with every step and every change in the angle of the sun. It’s a really lovely sensory experience, even if you only have a few minutes.
At night, the interior illumination makes each pillar glow against the dark sky. The light-up runs from dusk until around 9 PM. I didn’t have time to see them after dark on this trip, but I’ve heard the effect is absolutely stunning. The pillars become these soft, luminous columns against the night, and the whole station transforms. If you’re in Arashiyama for dinner, it’d be worth coming back to see them lit up.
What I love most about the Kimono Forest in Kyoto is that it exists in a space people use every day. It’s not behind a museum rope or inside a gallery. It’s right there on a working train platform where commuters wait and travelers pass through with their suitcases. I love that about Kyoto. You find centuries-old craft woven into everyday life all over the city, but nowhere as beautifully as here.
When to Visit the Kimono Forest
The Kimono Forest only takes about 15 minutes to see, so I’d recommend visiting right when you arrive in Arashiyama, before heading to the bamboo grove or the temples further north. It’s the perfect way to start your day, and it’s a lovely way to start your day!
🗾 Planning your Kyoto trip? I put together a full 3 Days in Kyoto itinerary with a day-by-day breakdown for cherry blossom season!
I visited early in the morning during cherry blossom season, and it was incredibly peaceful. Most people were rushing through the station on their way to the bamboo grove without a second glance at the pillars, so I had the space practically to myself. I spent maybe twenty minutes walking slowly between the rows, watching the light change as the sun rose higher, looking at the fabric details up close. It was one of the quietest, most unhurried moments of my whole trip.
The Kimono Forest is beautiful in every season. In spring, cherry blossoms frame the station entrance and the pink tones of the fabric echo the blossoms outside. In autumn, the warm reds and oranges of the surrounding maples complement the fabric colors in the most gorgeous way. In winter, the pillars glow against bare branches and grey skies. And at night, any time of year, the illumination turns the station into something magical.
Photography Tips
The Kimono Forest in Kyoto is one of the most photogenic spots in the city, and it wasn’t crowded at all when I visited in the morning. A few things I learned while photographing it:
- Shoot from between the rows. Standing inside the corridor and looking down the line gives you gorgeous depth and leading lines. This is where the best compositions are.
- Use the natural light. The translucent fabric catches the morning sun beautifully, and that early golden glow is hard to replicate later in the day.
- Go vertical. The pillars are tall and narrow, so portrait orientation works really well here. It also emphasizes the height and the corridor-like feeling of the space.
- Include a person. A figure walking between the pillars adds scale and makes the photo feel alive. If you’re traveling solo, set a timer or ask someone passing by.
For more Kyoto photography spots with crowd levels and best times for each, see my full Kyoto photography guide.
How to Get There
The Kimono Forest is at Randen Arashiyama Station, the main tram terminus for the Arashiyama area. If you’re visiting the bamboo grove, you’ll walk right through the station on your way, which makes it easy to stop without going out of your way at all.
From central Kyoto, take the Keifuku Randen tramline from Shijo-Omiya Station. The ride is about twenty minutes through quiet residential neighborhoods, and it’s a sweet little journey on its own. You can also reach Arashiyama by JR train (Saga-Arashiyama Station) or Hankyu Railway (Arashiyama Station). From either of those, the Randen terminus is a short walk.
- Location: Randen Arashiyama Station (Keifuku Railway), Arashiyama, Kyoto
- Cost: Free
- Hours: Always accessible (illuminated from dusk until around 9 PM)
- Time needed: 15 minutes
- Combine with: The bamboo grove, the temples further north, and a walk along the Katsura River
