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Kyoto Sagano Romantic Railway & Hozugawa River Boat Ride Tour

4.13· 8 reviews

Highlights

Ride the scenic Sagano Romantic Train through Kyoto’s beautiful countryside.
Cruise down the Hozugawa River on a traditional boat with stunning natural views.
Enjoy spectacular seasonal scenery, from cherry blossoms to vibrant autumn foliage.
Escape the city and immerse in Kyoto’s peaceful nature on this relaxing adventure.
Audio guides in English, Chinese, and Korean are available.

What to expect

Enjoy the colors of seasons as a retro train takes you on a leisurely ride. Hop on a traditional boat and marvel at the striking sights as you make your way down the Hozugawa River. Wrap up your day with some free time to enjoy Arashiyama.

Relax with a nostalgic train ride followed by an exciting adventure down the river on this full-day tour from central Kyoto. The rapids along the Hozugawa River will lead to scenic Arashiyama, where you will have a little more than two hours to explore the area.
Get up close with nature from the fast-flowing river to verdant forests. Close your eyes for a moment and listen to the serenade of the chirping birds and the rustling leaves. Open your eyes to lush greenery in summer, bright yellow leaves in autumn, and silvery scenery in winter, before the cherry blossoms repaint the whole landscape pink in spring!

What's included

Japanese-speaking guide
Ticket fee for tram and boat ride
Bus fare
Map and pamphlet in English, Chinese, or Korean
English audio guide
Chinese audio guide
Korean audio guide

About this experience

Available dates: Until Jul 31 / Aug 1 – Sep 30
Starting at: 08:00, 09:00

※Please note that audio guidance cannot be used in case of maintenance. We appreciate your understanding.

Schedule

Check-in at JR Kyoto Station Karasumaguchi KYOTO Sightseeing"OKOSHI"Bus Terminal
Depart from the "OKOSHI" Bus Kyoto (Sightseeing Bus) Boarding Area
Please be sure to exchange your voucher (reservation confirmation) for a bus ticket at the KYOTO Sightseeing"OKOSHI"Bus Ticket window 10 minutes before the bus departure. It is necessary to have the bus ticket for boarding. Please make sure to arrive on time as the bus will depart as scheduled.
Scenic Train Ride Sugano Romantic train
Go on a spectacular train ride that will take you from Saga Station to Kameoka Station—that's 7.3 kilometers of magnificent scenery! Treat your senses to a nostalgic ride through Kyoto's picture-perfect natural landscape.
Arrive at Torokko Kameoka Station
Upon arriving at Torokko Kameoka Station, transfer by bus to the Hozugawa River Boat Ride boarding area.
Hozugawa River Boat Ride
Enjoy a thrilling boat ride down the Hozugawa River to Arashiyama. Relish the feeling of being surrounded by nature as the cruise makes its way through some rapids, flanked by lush foliage.
*If the river conditions cause the Hozu River Boat Ride to be canceled, the tour may be modified or canceled.
Exploring Arashiyama
Feel the forces of nature at work in this glorious area of rural Kyoto. Get a good look at Tenryuji Temple, the head temple of a major branch of Zen Buddhism. Enjoy your free time in Arashiyama, and find a local spot for some lunch before heading back to the bus.
JR Kyoto Station Karasumaguchi KYOTO Sightseeing"OKOSHI"Bus Terminal
*Schedule may change due to road conditions
Tour Ends

Location and Directions

Check-in / Check-out
JR Kyoto Station Karasumaguchi
If you exit from the Central Exit of JR Kyoto Station, it will be on your left hand side (or on your right hand side if you exit from the Shinkansen Central Exit). The bus stop is located in front of the Isetan Department Store. If you are coming by subway, please use Exit 6 at Kyoto Station.

Before boarding, please exchange your voucher (reservation confirmation) for a seat assignment ticket at the ticket counter. You will not be able to board with just the voucher.
Please refer to the file below for directions to the Okoshi Bus stop.

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Restrictions

Infants ages 0-5 may join for free, but they will not be getting a separate seat on the bus. If you wish to have a separate seat for infants ages 0-5, please book them as a child.
* The Hozugawa River boat ride fee for children who are over 80cm is charged. If you will not book them as a child, please make the payment on the day at Hozuagwa River Boat Ride.
Please note that children under 80 cm in height cannot participate in the boat ride due to safety restrictions.
Please exchange your voucher for a bus ticket at the bus stop 10 minutes before the bus departure.
*Please note that you will not be able to board with just the voucher.
【Hozugawa River Boat Ride】
- Those who are below 80cm in height are not permitted to get on the boat.
- Boarding the boat is only allowed for those who wear life jackets properly.
- Individuals who are experiencing any symptoms of illness are prohibited from boarding the boat.
- It is mandatory for individuals who are classified as type 1 or type 2 disabled and are under the age of 12 to be accompanied by a companion. Each disabled person requires one companion.
- Individuals using wheelchairs need to be accompanied by an attendant, even if they can transfer to a seat independently.
(Wheelchairs cannot be brought onto the boat.)
Individuals who have guide dogs are allowed to bring their service animals on board.
In the event of a cancellation of the Hozugawa River Boat due to increased river levels or similar circumstances, we will extend the sightseeing time in Arashiyama. There will be no changes to the start and end times of the tour. The fee for the Hozugawa River Boat will be refunded directly at the local counter on the day.

Please check the latest operation status of the Hozugawa River Boat on its official website below.
https://www.hozugawakudari.jp/
All cancellations or changes must be made through VELTRA's My Page.

[Cancellations]
My Page > Order history > "Cancel this booking"
*If you cancel after 20:00 the day before, please be sure to contact the emergency contact (reservation center) listed on the voucher by the departure time on the day.
[Change in Number of People, etc.] Please proceed with the change from "Reservation Change" of the relevant booking via My Page > Reservation History.

What to bring

It is recommended to dress according to the season and weather conditions, with adjustable clothing options. Consider the following items:

・Warm clothing for cold weather
・Raincoat and towel
・While the boats used for the Hozugawa River Boat Ride have wave-blocking sheets, there may still be splashes depending on the water level of the river. If you wish to avoid getting wet, it is recommended to bring a raincoat.
VELTRA voucher (either printed or displayed on a smartphone or tablet)

Additional notes

Only Japanese-speaking guides are available. Audio guides will be available on the bus in English, Chinese and Korean.
The tour company will not be liable for any accidents that may occur when participants are off the bus.
The tour schedule is subject to change according to traffic or the size of the group.
Lunch is not included in the tour price and is to be taken on your own in Arashiyama.
Seats on the train cannot be reserved. You will be asked to sit within a designated area.
You will be sharing the bus with other Japanese guests.
If the Sagano Scenic Railway is suspended, the course will also be suspended.
If the boat ride at Hozu River is canceled due to bad weather or due to flooding, the tour will be visiting somewhere else.

Operated by

KEIHAN BUS / Kyoto Sightseeing Bus (Code:103457)

Cancellation policy

Within 1 hours of start (local time): 100%

Reviews

4.13

8 reviews

Guest photos 12

Fantastic time, value for money. Very well looked after.

Posted Date: 2025/11/15

Lorraine

Value for money. Easy to find start location outside Kyoto train station.
Very welcoming with checks of passengers so we don't get left behind.
Great communication in different languages with earphones.
Train ride with great views nice to get out the big cities. Boat ride great. Rickshaw added extra but discount vouchers given. Brilliant staff. A trip for everyone, people with walking difficulties may find the boat ride difficult but speak to staff as the opportunity to stay on the coach.

Amazing just book!

Posted Date: 2025/11/01

Me@

Nothing to say bad this was an amazing experience especially due to the staff!!

Pathetic tour

Posted Date: 2024/11/30

disappointed

The river cruise was cancelled the last few days because some work was being carried out. however, they told us this only on the morning of the trip. We should have been advised a couple of days earlier. The tour is only in Japanese, so if you don’t understand the language don’t use this tour provider. Even basic instructions in english are not provided, nor are your questions understood.

Enjoyable and memorable

Posted Date: 2024/06/18

kim

The train trip was really romantic with some imagination. It passed through various gorges ,bridges and rivers in a small scale open red train roared with non stop wow and laughter. The river boat trip was another realm , you got so excited all along down the rapid that you heard the tour guides shouting in Japanese that imprinted in your mind some daily words. The boatmen
were magnificent and friendly.

Quite an adventure

Posted Date: 2024/06/16

Catherine

Train was cool, was nice to let someone else handle the details for the day. River was gorgeous, wear Sun protective clothing and you are sitting on a wooden bench with no back for 2 hours. And finishing with the bamboo Lane (not really a forest) and shops were great. Highly recommend.

Lovely day bus and train trip (cancelled boat ride due to weather)

Posted Date: 2024/04/06

Ellen

The tour guide was lovely. She didn’t speak much English but she had a book of phrases she needed to tell us written out so we knew what was going on. The bus ride had an English audio guide which was generally interesting. The train was beautiful, and the scenery was amazing. The boat trip was unfortunately cancelled due to the heavy rain the day before, so we had a long coach journey instead. The bamboo forest was incredible but very busy so if you want quiet maybe go by yourself instead of on… The tour guide was lovely. She didn’t speak much English but she had a book of phrases she needed to tell us written out so we knew what was going on. The bus ride had an English audio guide which was generally interesting. The train was beautiful, and the scenery was amazing. The boat trip was unfortunately cancelled due to the heavy rain the day before, so we had a long coach journey instead. The bamboo forest was incredible but very busy so if you want quiet maybe go by yourself instead of on a tour. we had three hours at Arashyama which was actually perfect, if we’d had a boat trip too it would have only been an hour which would have been too short!

Great tour, could have better meeting sites

Posted Date: 2019/04/21

Ali

This tour begins at the Saga-Arashiyama station and ends in Arashiyama. However, the meeting location is at the Kyoto station, approx. 35 min away by train. As guests at the Suiran Kyoto in Arashiyama, it was discouraging to travel the distance for this tour. Suggestion...It would be nice for those staying in Arashiyama to have the opportunity to meet at the tour departure station...the Saga-Arashiyama. As for the tour itself, our family had a fun and exciting time!

Perfect timing to see the sakura trees in full bloom.

Posted Date: 2019/04/20

Glenn

It was nice to have all transportation to and from set. It can be a little complicated getting out to Kameoka from Kyoto. The entire experience was worth the cost.