Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Japan Kyoto Kimono Forest

Kimono Forest

An LED art installation composed of 600 poles wrapped in kimono fabric.

Kyoto, Japan

Added By
Fred Cherrygarden
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Kimono Forest   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
  MikeInSanFrancisco / Atlas Obscura User
  minac / Atlas Obscura User
Kimono Forest   minoir
Kimono Forest   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Kimono Forest   Shawn Zhao
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

If you find yourself at Arashiyama Station, popular for its proximity to the famed Sagano Bamboo Forest, it's quite impossible to miss the gorgeous art installation aptly called the Kimono Forest.

Composed of 600 poles clad in acrylic-wrapped kimono fabric, the Kimono Forest starts along the station platforms and extends outside, forming a photogenic trail that leads to Tenryū-ji Temple. The fabrics were traditionally dyed in the Kyo-Yūzen method unique to Kyoto, in the workshop of the Kameda-Tomi company, a kimono manufacturer established in 1919 and known for its invention of Hawaiian-style Kyo-Yūzen shirts.

Selected by world-famous interior designer Yasumichi Morita, the Kimono Forest boasts a total of 32 different patterns, from flowers to flying cranes to geometric figures. While it's vibrant, primarily in various shades of red and pink, and purple, it's never gaudy and retains its quaint charm throughout.

The art installation is a great photo opportunity in the daytime, but it becomes even more magical after sunset when the poles are warmly illuminated with LED. And the best thing about it may be that it's free to view—even if you don't get on or off trains there.

Since its major refurbishment in 2013, Arashiyama Station has gotten rid of its ticket gates so anyone can enter at any time, whether to shop or to enjoy the beautiful Kimono Forest.

Related Tags

Forests History & Culture Art Outside
Atlas Obscura Adventures

Hidden Japan: Sado Island, Nara & Kyoto

Explore a different side of Japan.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

Fred Cherrygarden

Edited By

minac, MikeInSanFrancisco, jimmywohl

  • minac
  • MikeInSanFrancisco
  • jimmywohl

Published

February 14, 2023

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Kimono Forest
Kyoto, 616-8384
Japan
35.015268, 135.67837

Nearby Places

Tenryu-Ji Shrine's Bamboo Trail

Kyoto, Japan

miles away

Sagano Scenic Railway

Kyoto, Japan

miles away

Sagano Romantic Railway Diorama

Kyoto, Japan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Kyoto

Kyoto

Japan

Places 46
Stories 5

Nearby Places

Tenryu-Ji Shrine's Bamboo Trail

Kyoto, Japan

miles away

Sagano Scenic Railway

Kyoto, Japan

miles away

Sagano Romantic Railway Diorama

Kyoto, Japan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Kyoto

Kyoto

Japan

Places 46
Stories 5

Related Places

  • Wormsloe Historic Site tree canopy.

    Savannah, Georgia

    Wormsloe State Historic Site

    The tabby ruin is Savannah’s oldest surviving structure.

    Sponsored by Visit Savannah
  • dragon

    Sept-Îles, Québec

    Iron Sculptures of Sept-Îles

    A collection of whimsical metal sculptures scattered along a forest path.

  • A close-up view of the Ancient Melancholy Man.

    London, England

    Ancient Melancholy Man

    This statue in Holland Park might be one of London’s oldest outdoor statues, but its exact origins are unknown.

  • Area of Bronze age Barrows

    London, England

    Croham Hurst Woods

    Late Mesolithic settlements and Bronze Age burials have been excavated at this ancient woodland on the top of a hill.

  • The River Merchants

    Singapore

    'The River Merchants'

    These bronze statues depict the early days of trading in Singapore.

  • Copenhagen, Denmark

    Bolsjefabrikken (The Candy Factory)

    A former smithy turned cultural hub with the capital's largest mural space.

  • The Martis Peak Lookout.

    Kings Beach, California

    Martis Peak Lookout

    An early 20th-century fire lookout, still in intermittent use, preserves legacy fire-locating equipment.

  • El Bolsón, Argentina

    El Bosque Tallado

    This mountainside open-air museum was built from the ashes left behind by a devastating fire.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.