Arashiyama is Kyoto's western edge, where the city runs out of temples and begins to climb into forested hills, and the river Katsura slides under the long wooden Togetsukyo bridge with the mountains rising green behind it. It is one of the most visited corners of the city, and with good reason: the famous bamboo grove, the Tenryu-ji temple with its garden, the old villas tucked among the maples and the little steam-era train that runs up the Hozu gorge all sit within a short walk of each other. Muko, a city to the south, belongs to the suburbs rather than the mountains.
That crowd is the thing to plan around. By ten o'clock the streets are jammed with tourists, rickshaws and tour buses, and a rider will spend more time dodging selfie sticks than leaning into corners, so the start of this ride should be early, at the first light if you can manage it, when the bridge is empty and the bamboo whispers. Once you leave the town, the road climbs north through forest and small valleys, with cedar plantations, narrow lanes and tight bends, a surface that is smooth but often damp, and views that open and close between the trees. Autumn colour in November and cherry blossom in early April bring the biggest crowds and the finest scenery.
The ride runs toward Miyama, the thatched village in the hills north of Kyoto, where dozens of farmhouses with deep, steep roofs of straw stand among rice paddies, a preserved landscape of rural Japan. It is a place of unhurried charm, and the road there is a good way to see how quickly Kyoto's city fades into mountain country. Roads in this part of Japan are well maintained, speed limits are modest and enforced, and local drivers are patient but may not expect a motorbike.
Arashiyama has a long history as a retreat for the imperial court. Aristocrats of the Heian period, over a thousand years ago, built villas among the hills and came to admire the moon over the river, and poets wrote about its cherry blossoms and autumn leaves. The Togetsukyo bridge, whose name means moon crossing bridge, is said to have been named by an emperor who saw the moon appear to cross it. The mountain behind the town holds a park with wild macaques, which can be reached by a short, steep climb.
Fuel is easy to find in Kyoto, so fill up before heading into the hills. Pack a light rain jacket, carry some cash for small shops and leave plenty of time to enjoy the ride.