Today began with an unusually early start, even by holiday standards. Our goal was to reach Torokko Saga Station in Arashiyama in time for the 9:02 am departure of the famous Sagano Romantic Train, which travels through the scenic Hozugawa Gorge to Kameoka.
Not wanting to trust our navigation skills before our morning coffee, we left the hotel at 7:30 am and took a taxi. It turned out to be an excellent decision. The trip took around 30 minutes instead of the hour it would have required using public transport. Better yet, the hotel clerk not only organised the taxi but personally escorted us outside and gave directions to the driver in Japanese. It was one of those small moments that reminded us how extraordinary Japanese hospitality can be. In Australia, a hotel clerk might point vaguely towards the street and wish you luck.
Riding the Sagano Romantic Train
The weather could not have been better. A gentle cooling breeze made the morning pleasant, and by the time we reached the station the crowds were already building. The Sagano Romantic Train is one of Kyoto's most popular attractions, carrying visitors through the forested Hozugawa Gorge alongside the Katsura River. During autumn the surrounding hills explode in colour, while spring brings cherry blossoms, making it a favourite year-round attraction.
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| Map of the area we saw |
Thankfully, we had purchased our tickets well in advance and were able to avoid the ever-growing queue. Looking at the number of people arriving behind us, this proved to be one of the smartest decisions of the day.
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| Sagano Romantic Train |
Our seats were 16A and 16D in Car 4, both window seats. Unfortunately, our windows remained firmly shut. When purchasing tickets online, we somehow convinced ourselves that all the windows were closed. As it turned out, only Car 5 is completely open-air. Photography through glass is never ideal, but we still enjoyed excellent views of the river and surrounding forests throughout most of the journey.
If you've ever travelled on the Kuranda Scenic Railway near Cairns, you'll understand the appeal immediately. It's less about getting from A to B and more about enjoying the spectacular scenery along the way.
The trip took around 30 minutes, with a couple of stops where additional passengers joined the train. Across the aisle was an Australian family from Brisbane with three children who had arrived in Japan only three days earlier and still had two weeks of adventures ahead of them. Remarkably, despite Kyoto's size, we bumped into them two more times during the day. At this point we were beginning to wonder whether Kyoto was actually much smaller than advertised.
Ice Cream Before Exercise
Upon arriving at Kameoka Station, we did what any sensible travellers would do.
We bought ice cream.
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| Walkway to no taxi or shuttle bus |
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| Some houses we saw |
Unfortunately, while concentrating on this important cultural activity, we somehow missed an announcement explaining that taxis and a shuttle bus were available to transport passengers to the nearby river cruise departure point.
By the time we wandered into the car park, ice creams happily consumed, there were no taxis and certainly no shuttle bus.
Two failed attempts to summon a driver using an app left us with only one option: walking.
The journey was approximately 2.5 kilometres and took around 35 minutes around rice fields, down residential streets and semi-rural landscapes. We maintained a brisk pace to ensure our 11:00 am booking remained intact and eventually arrived twenty minutes early. Success never felt quite so sweaty.
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| Rice fields |
Cruising the Hozugawa River
Our next experience was the famous Hozugawa River Cruise, a traditional river journey that has been operating for centuries. Historically, the river was used to transport timber and goods into Kyoto. Today, visitors travel the same route in traditional wooden boats from Kameoka back to Arashiyama.
After presenting our tickets, we received boarding passes and found our assigned boat. Each vessel is operated by three crew members: an oarsman plus two polemen who guide the craft through the river's twists, turns and rapids.
Their job looked exhausting.
Water levels were lower than normal, meaning more exposed rocks and a greater chance of collisions. The crew explained that the trip would likely take a little longer than usual due to the additional effort required to navigate the narrow channels safely.
As we quickly discovered, the crew possessed remarkable skill. Standing at either end of the boat, the polemen constantly adjusted direction and speed while the oarsman provided additional control.
The scenery was magnificent.
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| Japanese maples and pines |
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| Some of the wildlife |
The river wound through a beautiful forested canyon, alternating between gentle stretches and lively rapids. We spotted turtles, water birds and plenty of dense forest. According to the crew, deer and monkeys also inhabit the surrounding hillsides, although they were clearly having a day off when we passed by.
Dad Jokes on the Water
The second oarsman appeared to have appointed himself as Chief Entertainment Officer (perhaps a less strenuous future role on Princess Cruise Line awaits him).
Throughout the cruise he delivered a seemingly endless stream of jokes, observations and cultural puns to keep passengers entertained. Many would comfortably qualify as world-class dad jokes. Somehow the combination of spectacular scenery and questionable humour worked perfectly.
We were fortunate to be seated at the very front of the boat. This gave us uninterrupted views ahead and to both sides.
The downside?
We were also sitting in what could be described as the "Premium Splash Zone".
Every set of rapids sent cool sprays of water over the bow. Fortunately, the crew supplied plastic covers for our legs and bags. This system worked reasonably well, although one young British passenger (an 20s something) appeared determined to wrap the entire sheet around her legs while while at other times dangling those same legs along or over the side of the boat. As strategies go, it showed admirable optimism though the second oarsman would periodically splash her with the oar.
One crew member mentioned there were sixteen passengers aboard, though we never actually stopped to count. We were too busy avoiding getting soaked… we didn’t except minor splashes which was refreshing.
The Floating Convenience Store
One of the highlights came near the end of the cruise.
Suddenly another boat appeared alongside us selling barbecued meats, seafood, snacks and cold drinks. The barbecue hotplate was cooking a selection of sea food, beef and pork.
Only in Japan could a floating convenience store seem perfectly normal.
The entire cruise was exceptional and is something I would strongly recommend to any visitor to Kyoto. Combined with the Sagano Romantic Train, it creates one of the best sightseeing days available in the region.
Crossing the Moon Bridge
Back in Arashiyama, we crossed Togetsukyo Bridge, whose name translates as "Moon-Crossing Bridge". Originally built during the Heian Period over 1,000 years ago, it remains the symbol of Arashiyama and offers beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and river.
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| Crossing the bridge |
After crossing, we found an excellent coffee shop where the staff explained the significance of the traditional fabric curtains hanging in many shop entrances. These are called noren and traditionally indicate that customers are welcome to enter. They often feature family crests, business names or decorative designs and have become iconic elements of Japanese streetscapes.
The Monkeys Win
Next on our list was Iwatayama Monkey Park.
After climbing the first set of stairs, we discovered an important detail that somehow escaped our attention during planning.
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| A walk to the Monkey park |
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| Shrine at monkey park |
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| Leaving the Monkey park |
The monkeys live another twenty-minute climb up the mountain.
At that point our enthusiasm for wildlife observation diminished noticeably.
We admired the small shrine near the entrance, congratulated ourselves on reaching that far, and decided the monkeys could continue their day without our company.
We then returned to river level and rewarded ourselves with grilled beef and chicken purchased from food vendors along the riverbank. This seemed a far more sensible use of our remaining energy.
Mission: Shopping List
A reminder from our family informed us that souvenirs had not magically purchased themselves.
Apparently there were expectations.
Armed with a shopping list, we boarded trains back into central Kyoto in search of gifts, souvenirs and anything else that looked interesting.
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| CDB |
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| CDB |
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| Train station |
Kyoto's central shopping districts can be overwhelming. The crowds move with a density rarely seen in Australia. At times everyone proceeds at the speed of the slowest pedestrian, whether they have somewhere to be or not.
After about an hour we successfully completed our shopping mission and secured enough gifts to satisfy family expectations back home.
Hopefully.
Twilight in Gion
As evening approached, we made our way to Gion, Kyoto's famous historic geisha
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| Gion |
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| Gion |
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| 17th century Samurai armour for Sale |
Arriving at twilight proved perfect. Lanterns glowed softly along traditional wooden buildings, giving the area an atmosphere that feels transported directly from another era. Although Geiko (Kyoto's geisha) and Maiko (apprentice geisha) still work in the district, most visitors come to admire the preserved streets and traditional architecture.
The area was busy with tourists, but still incredibly beautiful.
Throughout Gion (and all over Japan that have seen), are uniformed traffic attendants that directed vehicles and pedestrians with illuminated batons, whistles and expressions suggesting they had absolutely no time for nonsense.
At one point we noticed an intriguing entrance hidden behind a traditional noren curtain. Remembering that these usually mean "welcome", we decided to investigate.
We took approximately three steps before a nearby attendant crossed his arms with military precision and firmly waved us away.
Apparently some welcomes are conditional.
Message received.
The Full Bus Experience
After several hours exploring Gion, our feet were demanding mercy, so we stopped for another excellent coffee before catching a bus back towards the hotel.
Japanese buses operate according to a fascinating principle:
There is always room for one more passenger.
And another.
And another.
Personal space gradually becomes a theoretical concept rather than a practical one. Fortunately, we were positioned near the front and escaped without having to fight our way through a densely packed crowd when our stop arrived.
In Japan, passengers usually enter through the rear door (and sometimes front) and exit through the front. Timing your escape correctly is important because buses don't spend much time waiting for indecisive travellers.
Kyoto Beer and High-Tech Laundry
Dinner that evening was at a Mexican-style cantina where the hospitality was outstanding. One staff member, who I suspect may have been the manager, noticed our seating arrangement and moved us to a much better table. During happy hour he also introduced us to several locally brewed Kyoto beers, all of which were thoroughly researched and sampled in the interests of international understanding.
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| On our way home |
Back at the hotel we faced one final challenge.
The laundry.
Japanese washing machines look less like household appliances and more like control panels for launching satellites. Armed with Google Translate and a healthy amount of guesswork, we successfully decoded the machine's instructions and completed the washing cycle without accidentally initiating a self-destruct sequence.
A victory is a victory.
It was only a ten-minute walk back from dinner, although our increasingly sore feet felt every metre. Tomorrow would be our final full day in Kyoto, with a few loose ends to tie up and a reconnaissance mission to Kyoto Station before beginning our journey to Tokyo and ultimately Narita Airport.
For now, however, it was time for a well-earned rest after one of the most enjoyable days of our Kyoto adventure.
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