Me and some friends visited the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove in the summer of 2015. Any photographer who’s been there knows that this forest is one of the most documented forests in the world. The challenge naturally was to find and capture a shot that hasn’t been framed before. Taking a photo of the road was precluded, as was taking a photo of the bamboo reaching for the sky.
My solution was to find a detail in the motive, as that is my regular style. I find such one a bit down the walking path. A small branch of bamboo had been bent in an arc with smaller leave branches pointing out of it. That smaller branch, combined with the arc and the regular trunk of bamboo, with the forest as backdrop was what become my frame of choice.
I can really recommend visiting the forest if you are in Kyoto! It is located in Arashiyama, and as no entrance fee. The monkey park is in the vicinity. It’s not an action filled place so most children would probably not like it. I know I would have found it quite dull if I had went there as a kid, especially as you have to keep to the walking path and can’t stroll around between the trees. There is a fence unclimbable to everyone but those who wants to make themselves quite some trouble.
I suggest you bring a tripod if you plan to take photos of the walking path since there was a lot of people when I was there (a tripod makes it easier to remove the humans when post-processing). Also, the light is dimmed in the forest. That might be something for you to take into account.
