What was it about the Bamboo Forest?

I’d seen countless photos of Arashiyama’s Bamboo Forest, but still I wanted to go and see it myself. Crowds strolled through the pathway stopping to take photos as I did. Staring up at these giant sentinels was worth the trip until my gaze returned to eye level.

A haven of solitude

I passed Kyoto’s Chion-in temple before I was drawn through a quiet entrance like a hooked fish pulled in on a fishing line. Tall redwoods lined one side of a path and bamboo the other. Overhead, crows protested my intrusion, but I continued along the peaceful trail until I reached the Mausoleum of Emperor Hanazono.

Melbourne’s Botanic Gardens for Children

Near the water in the children’s section of the Botanic Gardens was a hoard of three to five year olds. They were memorized by moving water that meandered near the edge of the bamboo forest.

Hong Kong bamboo discovery

I guess the Chinese knew all along how environmentally friendly bamboo was – it grows fast and is biodegradable.