PhotoArashiyama · Ukyo, Kyoto

Family photoshoot in Arashiyama

In short

A family photoshoot in Arashiyama takes 30 minutes, around 7 am in the bamboo grove; an extra hour ($150) adds the Katsura riverbank and Nakanoshima Park. It costs from $220 for 15 edited photos within 3 days. The route is flat and free of entry fees, and it suits pushchairs and small children.

Starting from: $220
Duration: 30 min
Edited photos: 15

Why here

Why choose Family photoshoot in Arashiyama?

Families arriving from Europe, the Americas or Australia are often awake at five for their first days in Kyoto, and Arashiyama turns that into an advantage. The bamboo grove is empty at seven, the paths are flat enough for a pushchair, and ten minutes away the Katsura riverbank has open space where children can run instead of standing still for a pose.

How the shoot is planned

How a session in Arashiyama is planned

The route

We meet outside Randen Arashiyama Station, which has toilets nearby, and walk five minutes to the bamboo grove. The base thirty minutes is spent there: a few frames of the whole family on the path, then children walking ahead with a parent, which usually gives the most natural pictures. With an extra hour, we walk down past Tenryu-ji to the river, where the rest is play — skipping along the bank, sitting on the steps by the water, a piggyback across Nakanoshima Park. If a child is tired, we cut the walk and finish on the riverbank, which is two minutes from the station.

The timing

A 7 am start keeps the grove clear on most days and finishes before the shops and rickshaws fill the main street at nine. In July and August, 6:30 is better because of the heat. Late November and the cherry weeks of late March to early April are busier, so we start at 6:30 then too. Rickshaws use the same path through the bamboo, so we keep children to one side when one comes through.

What’s included

What Family photoshoot in Arashiyama includes

In the package

15 edited photos
A route with no long stairs if you bring a pushchair
Time for a snack break inside the 30 minutes
Private online gallery within 3 days

Fees and permits on the route

Tenryu-ji: Garden about ¥500, buildings extra; 8:30 am–5 pm. No tripods; pre-wedding shoots need permission
Hogon-in: Open only in spring and autumn special periods, about ¥700; evening illumination in autumn with a separate ticket
Okochi Sanso: About ¥1,000 including matcha and a sweet; 9 am–5 pm. Personal photography only

Book online

Inspiration

Family photoshoot: ideas for your shoot

Frames by photographers on Unsplash, credited below — the mood to plan your own shoot against, not our portfolio.

Photos: Philip White, Stefan Vibes, Anshul Gurjar, Jennifer Kalenberg, XS Xue on Unsplash

Before you book

FAQ — Family photoshoot in Arashiyama

How much is a family photoshoot in Arashiyama?

From $220 for 30 minutes and 15 edited photos within 3 days, for the whole family regardless of size. An extra hour is $150 and adds the riverbank, or Tenryu-ji’s garden after it opens at 8:30.

Can we bring a pushchair?

Yes. The bamboo path and riverbank are flat gravel and paving. Tenryu-ji’s garden paths are narrower, which is one reason we keep it optional.

Can the children wear kimono?

Yes. Rental shops near the stations carry children’s sizes, but they open around nine. For an early start, we book the family kimono session instead, which allows time for dressing.

Same shoot elsewhere