Kyoto Bamboo Park

Established in 1981 to preserve bamboo groves threatened by development, this park on the western edge of Kyoto grows about 110 species of bamboo across a hillside garden with winding paths and valley views. The museum section covers bamboo cultivation and crafts, including a replica of the filament Thomas Edison sourced from this area for early lightbulbs. One wall displays stalks treated to achieve different colorings and square-shaped stalks grown using wooden frames. In the southeastern corner, stone Buddhist figures used as construction rubble in the sixteenth century are arranged in groups. A children's play area with a pool and slide occupies the southeast corner.