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The Sagano Romantic Train is a scenic sightseeing train that travels along the top of the Hozugawa River and the Hozu Gorge in Kyoto between Arashiyama and Kameoka. But, is it worth taking the time out of your day to sit on it – and if it is, how do you get your tickets, where should you sit – and why, exactly, is it romantic? We explain…
I was very proud of myself when I booked my ticket on the scenic Sagano Romantic train – I snagged a window seat. I was looking forward to snapping all of the pretty pictures for my Instagram of the lovely blue water and dramatic cliffs – then, as my journey began I realised that I’d made a big mistake.
Yes, my seat D was by the window, and was on the left-hand side of the train. At first you think ‘score’, as the river is on the left-hand side, but, then about 10 minutes in, you come out of the tunnel, the view has swiched to the right – and you realise that these are the good views, the ones with the bluest water, the contrasting red bridges and the cute tanuki at the station.
Unlike some journeys where switchbacks mean the view moves sides now and again, the Sagano railway runs on a pretty straight track – cue me, peering over everyone’s head for most of the 25-minute journey between Arashiyama and Kameoka.
Thankfully, the day I went it started raining and so, rather than getting out at the other end and exploring for a bit, which had been my original plan, I got out off the train at Kameoka, went straight to the ticket office and bought a ticket for the return journey – this time sitting in seat A on the other side. Perfect view!
So, my first piece of advice in this piece is to book your seats early – and to snag either seat A, or D on the right-hand side of the train going out, or the left coming back – D will be facing front on the way from Arashiyama to Kameoka, A is facing front on the way back.
Right, now we’ve got that out of the way, let’s deal with some of your other questions, starting with the big one…
Is the Sagano Train Worth Riding?
For me it was. I booked the train for 2 pm after a morning of heavy walking around Arashiyama. I figured, by then, I’d have walked enough to feel like a sit-down and have ticked enough off my Arashiyama must-sees to not worry about taking some time out.
Being able to rest my legs for 25 minutes (or as it turned out, an hour) gave them the recovery they needed to power on for the rest of a busy day (there’s no such thing as a not busy day in Kyoto).
But Helen, you say – what about the scenery – okay, if I’m honest, it’s pretty, but, at the time of year I went – May – it’s not mindblowing (see above).
If you are here in Summer or Winter and your time in Kyoto is limited (I suggest four days as the minimum you need to see Kyoto) then I would skip the train. If you’re taking things at a more leisurely pace though it does make a nice break in the middle of the day.
However…
Image @MolotovBailey
This advice changes in spring, when the cherry blossoms bloom, or, particularly in autumn when the leaves change colour and the firey red contrasts hugely with the turquoise of the gorge. This is a picture my friend took of the gorge from the observation deck near Saga Arashiyama station in the height of autumn leaves season – now, seeing scenes like that from the train would be worth the trip.
If you are in Kyoto when the leaves start to turn, I’d definitely suggest adding the train to your Kyoto itinerary – but, so hundreds of other people have the same idea, so this is one time of the year when you will need to book your tickets well in advance.
How Much Does the Sagano Train Cost?
At the time of writing it costs 880 yen for adults, and 440 yen for children one way – a return ticket is not cheaper, you buy an outward and return separately. It costs the same no matter which station you get on or off at in Arashiyama.
Infants under one travel free and one child under six can go free if they can sit on your lap – if you have two or more children under six, then you need to purchase child seats for the others. Only one goes free. You also have to pay for under sixes if they use their own seat.
You can’t use the Sagano scenic train with your JR Pass.
Where Do You Book Tickets?
I would suggest booking directly from the Sagano Train website as this now gives you an e-ticket you can use to board the train directly – buying from somewhere that offers a voucher can require you exchanging it for a ticket at a different station than the one from which you catch the train.
Tickets go on sale one month before the date you want to travel, and you can book them anytime up to five minutes before the train departs (if seats are still available). Remember, try and get seats A and B if you can.
Which Arashiyama Station Should You Get on At?
The Sagano Romantic Train picks up at two stations in Arashiyama – Saga Torokko, the first station and Torokko Arashiyama. I chose Saga Torokko, as I wanted to do the whole journey, but, some of this is in a tunnel, so you don’t miss much.
Torokko Arashiyama, the second station is probably more convenient for most itineraries – it’s right by the top end of the bamboo forest, and, you also virtually walk past it if you’re following the Arashiyama day in our itinerary which sees you walking down from Otagi Nenbutsuji via the Saga Toriimoto Preserved Street.
However, if you are coming into Arashiyama specially for the Sagano train or, have chosen to do it first thing in the morning, then you’ll be better getting on at Saga Torokko, as this is directly connected to the Saga Arashiyama JR station which connects to Kyoto Station via the Sanin Line.
What Time Train is Best to Book?
The train does at least seven journeys a day between 10 and 4 pm – up to three extra trains can be added on weekends, holidays and in busy seasons – one earlier journey and two later ones. Find the exact timetable here.
I would say to pick a journey between 12 and 2 pm. The reason for this is that this is when everything else in Arashiyama is usually heaving with people.
While the Sagano Train can get booked out, there is only a limited number of people that it can take – and so, it’s a good thing to do when everywhere else is very busy (this is one of the tactics in my tips for beating the crowds in Kyoto). This also gives you time to get finished and, onto another big sight for around 4 pm, which is usually when the crowds die down slightly.
Exactly what time is best for you depends on what you hope to do in Arashiyama, if you have a lot of temples you want to tick off, then, do these in the morning and pick a slightly later journey to give your feet a rest – if you want to go to the Monkey Park in the afternoon, go for an earlier train as the park closes at 4 pm.
Which Car is Best to Sit In?
Cars one to four are normal train cars with windows – but these do open so, you can get a clear shot of the views. If it’s likely to be cold or rainy book one of these.
Car 5, known as the Rich Car, is an open-air car. It gives you totally unobstructed views – but, is of course open to the elements – that’s it above.
The view from all the cars is the same – the main thing to ensure is that you have a right-hand seat on the outbound, a left-hand one on the inbound.
Need Extra Planning Help?
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Should You Do One Way or Single?
As I said, my original plan was to get the train one way, explore and then get a bus back to my next stop (Menbaka Fire Ramen which is outside of Arashiyama), as it was I was quite glad I didn’t do that as it meant I got to see the scenery properly.
If you’re planning on going back to Arashiyama by bus or train, I would book a return and enjoy the ride. It costs a little more than getting a local bus or train, but you save time as the train turns around quite quickly at Kameoka. You could get off at Saga Arashiyama even if you got on at Saga Torokko.
The exception to this is if you have time, and the weather is right, to return by boat – see more about that below.
What to Look Out for on the Journey?
The highlight is the gorge and the scenery around it, but there are also a couple of interesting things to spot.
At Hyozukyo Torokko station (or into it if you’re going back to Arashiyama, you’ll see a lineup of tiny Tanuki statues on the platform.
After the station, you’ll go through a tunnel – if you look back you’ll see the JR Hyozukyo station which is actually a bridge between two tunnels.
The red bridges also start appearing after Hyozukyo if you want to get your photos with these in.
About 23 minutes into the journey, you’ll spot the Uketa Shrine on the hillside to the right of the train
Since my visit the Romantic Train has now introduced an English commentary that you can download before you go which tells you the history of the railway and why it was important to Kyoto. Make sure you bring some headphones if you want to listen to it on your trip – there is also a written version if you don’t want to listen. The narrator has a very soft melodic voice – and it has calming music. It’s very relaxing
To move the commentary forward push the button at the bottom on the right, to repeat something, use the lefthand button.
Returning By Boat
This allows you to see the gorge from a different angle – from the water. The Hozugawa River Boat ride departs a 15-20 minute walk from Kameoka Station where the train drops you off and it takes two hours to sail you back to Arashiyama.
The boat ride costs 6000 yen for adults and 4500 yen for children – and that includes infants.
During the week in Summer, the boats depart every hour on the hour from 9 am to 3 pm, at weekends, there is no set timetable, each boat departs when it is full and another one takes its place in the dock.
In the colder months, there are four boats a day – maybe more at weekends. Check the timetable for the latest schedule.
You can reserve in advance and that’s a good idea in very busy periods like Golden Week or when the autumn leaves are out.
Is the Journey Accessible?
Yes, the Sagano Romantic Train is accessible.
There are designated wheelchair areas in car three and car five. There are ramps to get you into Saga Torrokko Station and a lift at Kameoka. Saga Arashiyama, however, is not an accessible station.
When boarding the train, there is a step and a gap between the train and the platform, but the staff have ramps for those who need them. Speak to the staff when you arrive. See more about barrier-free access here.
If you want to return by boat and are in a wheelchair you must transfer to one of the boat’s seats for the journey.
So, there you have it – my guide to all the things you need to know about riding the Sagano Romantic Train – well, except for one – what’s romantic about it? Well, it’s all to do with how pretty the scenery is.
Who Writes This Blog?
My name is Helen Foster, and I’m a journalist and author. My travel articles have appeared in publications including The Australian, RAC Horizons, Jetstar Magazine, Sainsbury’s Magazine, and more.
I’ve traveled to Japan five times before- solo and with my partner – and I’ve just returned from trip six in June 2023. So, everything here is pretty up to date.
