Sagano Romantic Train

The Sagano Romantic Train (Sagano Torokko) offers one of Kyoto's most memorable rail experiences, carrying passengers slowly through the changing scenery of the Hozugawa River valley near Arashiyama.

The word torokko originally referred to small boxcars used to transport goods, running on rails laid in places that trucks or ordinary trains could not reach. These simple, slow-moving carriages lend their character to the Sagano line, which trundles along at little more than the speed of a fast bicycle. It is precisely this leisurely pace that allows passengers to take in the natural beauty of the valley. Over a roughly 7-kilometre, 25-minute journey each way, the train passes cherry blossoms in spring, fresh greenery in summer, autumn foliage, and the bare fields or occasional snowscapes of winter – a different view with each season. The line has four stations: Torokko Saga Station, Torokko Arashiyama Station, Torokko Hozukyo Station, and Torokko Kameoka Station.

The Sagano Romantic Train has a classical design, drawn by a diesel locomotive through the Hozugawa valley. Its five Art Deco-style carriages feature wooden seats and bare light bulbs. Carriage No. 5, an open-air car known as "The Rich", has no window glass, allowing passengers to feel the wind, light, and sound directly.