You haven't been to Kyoto until you've tried cycling. It's easy, fun and only costs ¥1,900! This video will show you a cycling trip from Kyoto to Arashiyama (and back) from start to finish. We rented the bike at J-Cycle, which is very efficient and takes less than 10 minutes. You are provided with a map of various courses you may want to take, but you should also rely on Google Maps. As it's impossible to do everything on the course, pick carefully. At the first parking spot, buy a parking ticket for ¥200, which you can use all over Kyoto. Remember to always lock your bike!
On the way from Kyoto to Arashiyama, we also made several stops such as Nijo Castle, Kinkakuji Temple, Ryoanji Temple, and finally made it to Arashiyama. At Arashiyama, we then visited Togetsukyo Bridge, Bamboo Groves, Adashino Nanbutsuji Temple, and Arashiyama town. All this took only 7 hours, but each stop was brief. You may want to take more time (the rental cost is for all day starting from 10am to 6:30pm) and maybe visit only 3 places so you have more time at each location.
