Sagano Romantic Train
嵯峨野トロッコ列車
The Sagano Romantic Train is a scenic sightseeing train near Arashiyama, Kyoto, running through the Hozugawa valley with different views across all four seasons.
Provider prices may differ from the gate price. When you book through our affiliate links, we earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. This support helps us continue providing free, in-depth content about Japan.
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.
