Forza Horizon 6 Bamboo Forest Location (Arashiyama)

Where is the bamboo forest in Forza Horizon 6?

The map labels it Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, while Festival Playlist challenges call it simply Bamboo Forest. Escorenews places it across the border of northern Minamino and the middle-west of the Ito region. The Arashiyama Run Speed Zone passes straight through it, so if you can find that speed zone on the map, you have found the forest.

Guides disagree on which side of the map that is. Escorenews describes it as the east side, while Forza Factory says the western part of the map; Nux Game Guides says western Ito, which most likely means the west of the Ito region rather than the west of Japan. The Minamino and Ito border plus the speed zone is the reliable way to find it.

How do you get there?

1. From Ito: find the Kitayama Big Daisugi landmark and head northwest toward the orange dirt road.
2. From Minamino: follow the coast northeast from the Shirakawa-go landmark to reach the nearby entrance.
3. Not much of the map uncovered? Fast travel to the Shirakawa Circuit in Minamino, which leaves you reasonably close to the forest entrance.
4. Drive the Arashiyama Run Speed Zone. The dirt road through the bamboo is the forest.

How do you complete the #BambooPerfect photo challenge?

#BambooPerfect was the Winter week photo challenge in Series 5, British Automotive. It asked for a photo of any McLaren in the Bamboo Forest and paid 2 Festival Playlist points plus the Karate Master emote, according to Escorenews. That week has ended, but the forest itself is permanent and the same steps work for any photo there.

1. Bring a McLaren; the challenge accepted any model.
2. Find Kitayama Big Daisugi in Ito and head west to the orange dirt road.
3. Keep going past the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest sign. Nux Game Guides says a photo at the sign may look right but does not complete the challenge.
4. Follow the dirt road until a smaller dirt road branches off to the left, and drive into the bamboo.
5. Stop, open Photo Mode (hold Up on the D-pad on a controller), keep the car in frame and take the picture (RB on Xbox controllers).

Why didn't my photo count?

Sources disagree on exactly where the photo registers. Some short video guides say anywhere along the dirt road works. Nux Game Guides says it only counted on the smaller side road that is not drawn on the map. If a photo on the main road does not tick the challenge, move onto the side road and retake it with the car fully in frame.

Game Rant's guide to the similar #RuralLotus challenge at Shirakawa-go describes two check marks appearing in Photo Mode once both the car and the location are right. If you only see one, the location is the problem, not the car.

What was the Bamboo Bash challenge?

Bamboo Bash came earlier, in the Autumn week of Series 2. It was not a photo challenge: you had to smash 30 bamboo. Forza Factory's guide says the best place is right beside the Arashiyama Run Speed Zone, where bamboo clusters line the road. If it returns in a future playlist, the same spot works.

PC Gamer's bamboo guide also maps other bamboo spots around Japan for smashing challenges, which helps if the forest is far from where you are.

What else is near the bamboo forest?

• Shirakawa-go, the thatched-roof village used in the #RuralLotus challenge, is a short coastal drive to the southwest. See the Shirakawa-go guide.
• Ruriko-ji Temple sits in northwest Minamino. See the Ruriko-ji Temple guide.
• The Porsche 911 Turbo 3.3 Barn Find is in a different bamboo forest, beside a dirt road near Mei's house in Ohtani. See Barn Finds.

Which challenge is live this week?

Photo challenges change every Thursday at 14:30 UTC. The current series, Horizon Meets, runs from October 8 to November 5, 2026. The weekly challenge guide lists what is active now.