Why the Sagano Romantic Train is worth booking
When JR double-tracked the San-in Line west of Kyoto, it moved the main line into new tunnels and left the old single track along the river gorge unused. Sagano Scenic Railway was set up in 1990 to reuse it for sightseeing, and the Romantic Train soon became one of the most popular rides in Kyoto. The company describes the train as about as fast as a bicycle, which is exactly the point: you have time to look at every bend of the river.
The line follows the Hozu gorge, crossing the river on bridges and threading short tunnels along the cliffs. In spring, cherry trees along the track form tunnels of blossom; in summer the open windows bring in cool air from the river; in autumn the valley turns red and yellow, with evening illuminations in the peak season; and in winter lights are installed at Hozukyō Station and along the route.
For a learner, the ride is a small, complete lesson in train Japanese: reserved seats, car numbers, seat letters, same-day tickets and the announcements on board. It is also short enough that you can do it twice, once reading the signs and once just watching the river.
The four stations and how to reach them
Torokko Saga is the brick station building next to JR Saga-Arashiyama Station on the JR Sagano Line, about five minutes' walk from the JR station, and also reachable from Randen Saga Station. It houses the ticket office, the 19th Century Hall with steam locomotives and a large organ, and the Diorama Kyoto JAPAN model railway. Torokko Arashiyama is about twenty minutes' walk from Torokko Saga and sits at the top of around sixty steps with no lift, so board at Saga if stairs are a problem.
Torokko Hozukyō is an unstaffed station deep in the gorge, reached over a suspension bridge and lined with tanuki statues; no tickets are sold there. Torokko Kameoka, at the other end, is a wooden station overlooking the Kameoka countryside, about ten minutes' walk from JR Umahori Station on the Sagano Line. Many visitors ride one way and return by JR or by the Hozugawa river boat.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| トロッコ嵯峨駅はどちらですか。 | Torokko Saga-eki wa dochira desu ka. | Which way is Torokko Saga Station? |
| 嵯峨嵐山駅から歩いて何分ですか。 | Saga-Arashiyama-eki kara aruite nanpun desu ka. | How many minutes' walk is it from Saga-Arashiyama Station? |
| トロッコ亀岡から馬堀駅まで歩けますか。 | Torokko Kameoka kara Umahori-eki made arukemasu ka. | Can I walk from Torokko Kameoka to Umahori Station? |
| 保津峡駅で切符は買えますか。 | Hozukyō-eki de kippu wa kaemasu ka. | Can I buy a ticket at Hozukyō Station? |
| トロッコ嵐山駅にエレベーターはありますか。 | Torokko Arashiyama-eki ni erebētā wa arimasu ka. | Is there a lift at Torokko Arashiyama Station? |
The ride: cars, seats and the view
The train has five cars. Four are standard carriages with wooden bench seats and large windows that open, and the fifth, car No. 5, is The Rich, an open-air car with no side panels and a see-through section in the floor. Seats are identified by car number and a seat letter from A to D, and when you book online you can choose both from a seat map.
Trains towards Kameoka are called kudari, down trains, and trains towards Saga are nobori, up trains. The ride from end to end takes about twenty-five minutes. Staff make announcements on board as the train passes the best viewpoints, and in the gorge you may see the wooden boats of the Hozugawa river trip in the water far below.
- Torokko Saga: the starting station, with the 19th Century Hall and the diorama.
- Torokko Arashiyama: a short hop from Saga, up a long flight of steps.
- The gorge section: tunnels, bridges and cliffs above the river.
- Torokko Hozukyō: an unstaffed station in the ravine with tanuki statues.
- Torokko Kameoka: the rural end of the line, near the Hozugawa boat boarding place.
- Car No. 5, The Rich: the open-air car, reserved like the others.
Words on the signs and tickets
The ticket is a reserved-seat ticket, 指定席, shiteiseki, printed with the date, the train, the car and the seat. Same-day tickets are 当日券, tōjitsuken, and if seats sell out the counters sell 立ち席, tachiseki, standing places, for a limited number of passengers per car.
Car numbers are written with the counter 号車, gōsha: 一号車, car one, 五号車, car five. The open-air car is written リッチ号, The Rich. The table below covers the words on the tickets and signs.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| トロッコ嵯峨 | Torokko Saga | The starting station at Saga-Arashiyama |
| 保津峡 | Hozukyō | The Hozu gorge and its station |
| 亀岡 | Kameoka | The town at the western end of the line |
| 指定席 | shiteiseki | Reserved seat |
| 当日券 | tōjitsuken | Same-day ticket |
| 立ち席 | tachiseki | Standing place, sold when seats are gone |
| リッチ号 | Ritchi-gō | The Rich, the open-air car No. 5 |
| 号車 | gōsha | Car number |
| 下り | kudari | Down train, towards Kameoka |
Japanese at the ticket window
If you did not book online, the ticket window is where the day starts. Give the destination, the number of people and, if you like, the train you want. The clerk will offer a departure time and tell you whether seats together are available; in busy seasons the first available train may be an hour or more away.
If you want The Rich, ask for car No. 5 by name or number. The phrases below cover buying tickets, choosing seats and asking about rain.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 亀岡まで大人二枚お願いします。 | Kameoka made otona nimai onegai shimasu. | Two adults to Kameoka, please. |
| 一番早い列車は何時ですか。 | Ichiban hayai ressha wa nanji desu ka. | What time is the earliest train? |
| 五号車のリッチ号は空いていますか。 | Gogōsha no Ritchi-gō wa aite imasu ka. | Are there seats on car No. 5, The Rich? |
| 窓側の席にしてもらえますか。 | Madogawa no seki ni shite moraemasu ka. | Could I have a window seat? |
| 立ち席でもいいです。 | Tachiseki demo ii desu. | A standing place is fine. |
| 往復で買えますか。 | Ōfuku de kaemasu ka. | Can I buy a return ticket? |
Timing and practical tips
The Romantic Train is small and very popular, especially during cherry blossom and autumn colours. A little planning avoids a long wait.
- Book online as soon as sales open, at midnight one month before your date, for spring and autumn weekends.
- Check the operating calendar and timetable on the official site; the train does not run every day.
- Board at Torokko Saga if you want to avoid the sixty steps at Torokko Arashiyama.
- Bring a raincoat if you book The Rich; umbrellas are not allowed and there are no rain refunds on the day.
- Remember that the JR Pass is not valid on this line.
- Pair the ride with the Hozugawa river boat back to Arashiyama; the boat operators suggest a boat about an hour after your train.
Practise the ticket window before you go
The two questions that matter at the window are seats together and the open-air car. Practise the four lines below until you can say them without looking, and listen for the time, jūji, ten o'clock, and aite imasu, there are seats, in the answer, then kasa, umbrella, in the second reply.
Then practise with a partner who answers back. In Unihongo, choose the Train Tickets topic and ask your AI Sensei to play the ticket clerk at Torokko Saga, or try the Catch the Right Train mission for the JR ride to Saga-Arashiyama. Saying the lines once before you arrive is what makes them easy at the counter.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 亀岡まで二枚、並びの席はありますか。 | Kameoka made nimai, narabi no seki wa arimasu ka. | Two to Kameoka. Are there seats together? |
| はい、十時の列車なら空いています。 | Hai, jūji no ressha nara aite imasu. | Yes, there are seats on the ten o'clock train. |
| 雨の日でも五号車に乗れますか。 | Ame no hi demo gogōsha ni noremasu ka. | Can I ride car No. 5 even on a rainy day? |
| はい、でも傘は使えません。 | Hai, demo kasa wa tsukaemasen. | Yes, but you cannot use an umbrella. |
Official information
Sagano Scenic Railway publishes the timetable, operating calendar, seat availability, fares, online booking and station information on its English website. The FAQ answers most questions about tickets, The Rich and luggage.