Kyoto — Arashiyama area

Arashiyama was very confusing when I went there the first couple of times. 

There are actually THREE stations there that are all basically called Arashiyama station.

• Saga Arashiyama (JR Sagano Line) - this is the northern Arashiyama station. You would need to use this station if you have the JR Pass. 
• Arashiyama (Hankyu Arashiyama Line) - this is the southern Arashiyama station. It's the furthest from the bamboo forest but closer to the Arashiyama Mountain where you can climb and see/feed monkeys. There's not that many shops/restaurants along this path to the bamboo forest but the scenery is great when you cross the Togetsukyo Bridge.  
• Arashiyama (Randen Line) - in between the two lines, there's the Randen Arashiyama line. This is basically a shuttle train that brings you to this station. It has the kimono forest which is basically light pillars filled with kimono designs. It looks okay in the daytime but is beautiful when it's lit after dark. The station is small but offers a couple of eateries, like Cremia! There is a second floor that has a small food court. We went here with the kids because it was so packed everywhere else.

The main tourist street (I filled in as a yellow line on my map) doesn't seem to have an English name on Google Maps but looking at addresses along the street, it might be called Sagatenryuji although Google Maps called it 長辻通 (translated to Dori Nagatsuji)? Along this street will be a bunch of shops/restaurants targeting tourists.

Attractions:

• Bamboo Forest - there's a lot of places labeled the bamboo forest but this is probably the most touristy one (the purple line on my map). It seems like people just go for a quick photo and quickly turn back around to walk down the main street. It's beautiful when it's quiet so you can come while jetlagged (around 6am) since it's open 24 hours and has no admission fee. The only problem about coming early is that none of the stores will be open. You might also run into others with the same thought so sometimes you'll even see photoshoots there. You can also walk further down (once you get to the end of my purple line you can go north or west for more bamboos). It will lead you to more isolated areas so it might not be ideal unless you want a long peaceful walk with beautiful scenery.
• Arashiyama Monkey Park is a large mountain which requires you to climb MANY stairs. Once you get to the top,  you are able to purchase food that can be fed to the monkeys (inside the hut). It's fine to bring children there but you need to watch them carefully as monkeys can be very fickle and violent. Do not look them in the eyes and do not hold or wear anything that dangles since it could be stolen.
• Tenryuji Temple is famous for its beautiful garden. 
• Kimono Forest - as mentioned above in my Randen Arashiyama station, is an array of cylinder posts filled with kimono designs. In person, it seems okay. You need to find the best position to take a nice photo. It's quite bland unless the sunlight is just right and there's no other people there to get in your photo. It lights up during the night which seems beautiful but I've never been there during that time.
• Sagano Romantic Train - if you or your kids love trains and scenery, this is a great option. This train takes you through the valleys along Hozu River. Reservations (tickets) are needed so make sure you book them before they get sold out. If the weather is nice, you'll want to book "The Rich" car which is in open-air car that has no windows. This allows you to take in the scenery even more! Just remember that you are booking a train ticket so you will either need to figure out transportation where you get off or you need to book a Sagano train ticket back. 
• Hozugawa River - you can purchase a Hozugawa River Cruise from upstream Kameoka City down to the Togetsukyo area. It's rocky so it might be too scary for kids.

Tips:

• Convenience stores - I was shocked to find out there were no convenience stores along the main street! There was a small one a couple of years ago but it was gone when I went in 2023. I mistakenly didn't google it beforehand and we had to walk all the way to the Hankyu Arashiyama station to find a Ministop and Lawson (went this way because we were going to the Monkey Park afterwards). Either make sure you have snacks and drinks beforehand OR stock up if you arrive at the JR or Hankyu station. 
• Time - to avoid the crowds, you can come during the morning hours but just be aware that most shops don't open until 11am. Once 11am hits, the hordes will arrive and it will get crowded everywhere. Be prepared for long waits along the main streets. If you need to eat asap, look off the main street or look for anything on another floor (see my comment on the Randen Arashiyama station). 
• Wear comfortable shoes. This area is much more scenic than the busier cities. There are times when you get lost and just walk down residential streets for a while. It's peaceful and really nice to explore but that means a LOT of walking. If you aren't used to walking much, make sure to have padding in your shoes and maybe some blister bandages!