Day 2 in Kyoto brought no relief from the sun. So instead of sticking to our itinerary and visiting Arashiyama Bamboo Forest during the day, we pivoted and headed to TeamLab Biovortex instead. It had only been on our itinerary as a backup, in case we had time to spare — but it ended up being one of the best parts of our trip.
TeamLab Biovortex
The highlights for us were the foam room, the lamps room, and the game room. In the foam room, you get to play with clouds of foam floating around you. In the game room, there were a couple of interactive challenges — in one, we had to jump on same-colored bulbs to cross without falling. And then there was the painting section, where you could watch your painted creature swim across a moving digital sea projected on the wall. We painted our own sea creatures, signed our names on them, and felt like two kids again. We later visited TeamLab Borderless (in Tokyo) too, and honestly, it doesn’t compare to the fun Biovortex offers — whether you’re visiting as adults or with kids.
We went right after breakfast and spent about three to four hours there. When we came out, the sun was still relentless, but at least we knew we’d get some relief in the air-conditioned train on the way to our next stop. Since TeamLab wasn’t far from Kyoto Station, we headed straight there to catch the next train to Arashiyama.
If you’re planning a visit: TeamLab Biovortex is open 9:00 AM–9:00 PM (last entry 7:30 PM). Tickets are timed-entry with variable pricing — expect roughly ¥3,400–5,200 for adults depending on the date and slot. Book in advance on the official site, since slots sell out. Budget at least 2–3 hours.
The Walk to Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
Once we got off the train, we grabbed a protein bar each and an energy drink from a station kiosk — we never travel without ready-to-eat snacks on hand. From there, we set off to explore the temples, the forest, and the town.
Our first stop was Tenryu-ji Temple, which had already closed by the time we arrived, so we explored the grounds from outside instead. We didn’t realize until later that we’d basically walked past one of Kyoto’s most important Zen temples — it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its garden is one of the oldest in the city. Would’ve been nice to know before we showed up past closing time. The park around it was quiet and genuinely peaceful, though, so we can’t complain too much.
We then set out on foot toward the Bamboo Forest. The town was so beautiful — quiet, green, clean — that we barely bothered checking the map. We just wandered, unhurried, taking it all in. Along the way we passed several temples, some with striking orange torii gates and wishes tied all around them. We took our time, stopping often to photograph the places and ourselves in them.
By the time we finally reached the Bamboo Forest, after passing more temples both big and small, it had started getting dark. We didn’t get great photos, but I’m assuming, given how tall the bamboo stalks are, the place probably isn’t much brighter even in daylight.
If you’re planning a visit: Tenryu-ji is open 8:30 AM–5:30 PM (5:00 PM in winter). Entry is ¥500 for the garden, or ¥800 if you want to see the buildings too. The Bamboo Forest itself is open 24/7 and completely free to enter — but go early morning or right at golden hour for good light and fewer crowds. We hit it at dusk and paid for it in photo quality.
With night setting in, we headed back to the station to catch our train back to Kyoto city.
Dinner (Or: The McDonald’s Redemption Arc)
It was a lovely day of slow strolling, getting a little lost, and chatting with fellow travelers. Back at the hotel, we showered, got ready, and went out for dinner — determined to find good veg ramen. We hadn’t learned our lesson from earlier trips, though, and went restaurant to restaurant, each one disappointing us in turn. We eventually gave up and ended the night at a local McDonald’s.