Juknokwon Bamboo Forest

Juknokwon — The Bamboo Forest Where One Step Transforms You into Another World

Juknokwon is a place that cannot be simply dismissed as "Oh, there's a bamboo forest." The moment you step in from the entrance, the sound, light, and air completely change. 30-40m tall bamboo stalks meet overhead, filtering the sunlight, and all you hear is the sound of the wind rustling the bamboo leaves. If you have the bamboo forest scene from the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in your mind, this is where it happens in reality.

What kind of place is it?

A bamboo forest of approximately 310,000㎡ (about 100,000 pyeong) located in the heart of Damyang-eup. It's an artificially cultivated forest that Damyang County has nurtured since the late 1990s, with about 2.4km of walking trails winding through the forest. Damyang is the center of Korea's bamboo culture, and Juknokwon is a condensed representation of that center.

Walking Trails — 8 Paths

Inside Juknokwon, there are 8 named walking trails. You don't have to go through all of them; 1-2 hours is enough to see the main routes.

• Unsu Daetong-gil (Path of Great Fortune) — The main course starting from the entrance. Many photo spots.
• Jukma Gou-gil (Path of Childhood Friends) — A quiet path good for walking with friends.
• Side Paths and Byways — Good for finding quiet sections away from group traffic.
• Sigamunhwachon (Traditional Hanok Village) — A hanok complex located within Juknokwon. Free admission.

How to Get There

• KTX: Yongsan Station → GwangjuSongjeong Station → Intercity bus or City bus (No. 311) approx. 40-50 minutes
• Express Bus: Seoul Central City → Damyang approx. 3 hours 30 minutes
• From Gwangju City: City bus No. 311 or 30 minutes by car
• Juknokwon is located in Damyang city, offering good accessibility (not on the outskirts like other Damyang attractions).

Recommended Itinerary

• Juknokwon only — 2 hours (walk + photos)
• Juknokwon + Metasequoia-gil — Half day. Rent a bicycle to get to Metasequoia.
• Damyang Full Day — Juknokwon → Lunch (Noodle Street or tteokgalbi) → Metasequoia → Soswaewon → Gwangju or Damyang 1 night
• Gwangju Base Day Trip — Gwangju → Juknokwon → Metasequoia → tteokgalbi → Gwangju

Food — Inside / Near Juknokwon

• Inside Juknokwon — Snack bar near the entrance. Juktongbap (bamboo tube rice), daetip-cha (bamboo leaf tea), juksun ice cream (bamboo shoot ice cream).
• Noodle Street (Guksu Geori) — 5-minute walk from Juknokwon. Anchovy noodles · spicy mixed noodles. Around 5,000 won per person.
• Tteokgalbi Alley — 5-10 minutes by car. A row of old Damyang tteokgalbi restaurants.
• Bamboo Shoot Dishes — Limited to spring (April-May). Juksun-hoe (bamboo shoot sashimi) · Juksun-namul (seasoned bamboo shoots).

Seasonal Scenery

• 🌱 Spring (April-May) — The period when new bamboo leaves sprout. Bamboo shoot season. Most Recommended
• ☀️ Summer — The bamboo forest is cool even in the middle of the day. No. 1 Recommendation — Highly recommended for foreign travelers
• 🍁 Autumn — Autumn foliage next to the bamboo, good for photos.
• ❄️ Winter — Quiet. Snow-covered bamboo is fantastic, but snow is rare in Damyang.

Photos — Where to Take Them

• Curved section of the straight path from the main entrance — A signature shot where bamboo meets from both sides of the path.
• Sigamunhwachon hanok with bamboo background — Hanok + Bamboo collaboration.
• 2-4 PM when light splits through the bamboo — Best time for life-shot photos.
• Small pavilions inside the forest — Rest + photo spots.

Honest Tips

• Weekday mornings are best. Weekends and holidays see a surge in Korean group tourists.
• Walking is key — Slowly along the trail. If you walk quickly, you'll only see bamboo. The real charm of Juknokwon is spending about 30 minutes to feel the changes in the forest's sounds, wind, and light.
• Summer is cool — The temperature inside the bamboo forest is 4-5 degrees lower than outside.
• Sigamunhwachon has no separate admission fee — Included with Juknokwon admission ticket.
• Juktongbap when it's warm — Try it at least once. The fragrance is different.
• For foreign travelers, it's the best course for escaping summer heat.

Information

• Admission Fee: Approximately 3,000 won (Adult)
• Recommended Time: 1.5-2 hours
• Operating Hours: Open all year round 09:00-18:00 (Varies by season)
• Official: Damyang-gun Culture & Tourism (damyang.go.kr)

Summer Guide (July-August 2026)

In mid-summer, Juknokwon's value lies in its temperature. Walking under the shade created by dense bamboo, the experience is distinctly different from outside the forest. Each time the wind passes, the rustling sound of the bamboo leaves peels away another layer of heat.

Summer season (March-October) operating hours are 09:00-19:00, and admission closes at 18:00. Adult admission is 3,000 won. While lights are installed in the bamboo forest for night walks, the extended operating hours and period for summer-limited night openings vary each year, so please check Juknokwon's official guide before visiting.

If you have to choose a time, it's early morning or after 5 PM when the sun begins to set. Even if it's cool inside the forest in the middle of the day, you'll be exposed directly to the sun from the parking lot to the ticket office, and on the uphill climb to the observatory. After the rainy season, dirt paths can be slippery, so pay attention to your footwear.

Even if you explore Juknokwon thoroughly, it takes 2 hours. It's a basic taxi fare distance from Damyang Public Bus Terminal, so public transport accessibility is good. If you're driving, use the paid parking lot at the entrance.

For a summer half-day course, we recommend walking Juknokwon and Gwanbangjerim Metasequoia-gil in the morning, having lunch at Noodle Street or tteokgalbi, then moving to Soswaewon late in the afternoon. Soswaewon is open until 7 PM from May to August, making it a good option to include at the end of the day. Full information on Damyang is available at Damyang.

If you have foreign companions, there's less burden. International credit card use is smooth at the ticket office, and English signs are installed at major junctions. The juksun ice cream (Bamboo Shoot Ice Cream) at the forest rest stops sells particularly well in summer.