Jejak Sakura 2016: Sagano Romantic Train

Sagano Romantic Train Arashiama, Kyoto
Monday, 18 April 2016

Hari ni trip kami purposely nak cover Kyoto saja. So, seawal 6.30pagi kami dah mula bergerak ke Shinosaka station nak catch train nak ke Kyoto. Dari Shinosaka station nak sampai ke Kyoto station lebih kurang 30min saja, that's why kami prefer stay dekat Osaka saja rather than move from one place another just nak cover that one area. Shinkasen pun boleh naik dari Shinosaka station to Kyoto tapi kami akan tengok train mana yang sampai dulu. And macam biasalah kami akan tanye orang di kaunter laluan for JR Pass. Actually, ada jer timing dekat screen for next train yang akan sampai tapi macam biasalah nak kepastian kan. So, bila dah tahu senang sikit sebab kami dengan konfidennya akan tahu platform mana kami harus tuju for next train yang sampai dulu nak ke Kyoto.

Oh aku rasa google maps banyak sangat membantu sepanjang kami berada kat Japan ni especially nak tahu train schedule & option for transportation. Compare to Hyperdia, aku rasa Google map lagi senang nak guna. And the best part siap ada countdown before the next train arrival. So, memang boleh sangatlah nak buat adegan lari-lari kejar train, hahaha.

Keluar awal pun terpaksa mengharungi jam nak pi keje

Dah sampai, just follow the sign to Saga Torokko Station

Kami sampai agak awal juga di Saga Arashiyama Station. From Saga Arashiyama, just follow the exit sign nak ke Torokko Saga Station. Romantic Train will depart from Torokko Saga Station which is lies just next to Saga Arashiyama Station. And masa kami sampai, tak ramai orang pun dekat Saga Torokko Station. Masih awal lagi barangkali, sebab operation starts at 9am. Kami punyalah pre-book ticket kat JR kaunter Osaka semata-mata nak secure seat for Sagano Train, tahu-tahu tak ramai orang pun rupanya. Banyak available seat. Maybe sebab weekdays and not so popular season during that time.

While waiting for Romantic Train gate to open, boleh lah pusing-pusing dulu kat sekitar Saga Torokko station. Ada railway museum juga kat dalam station ni.

Saga Torokko Station... just next to Saga Arashiyama Station

Railway Museum at Saga Torokko Station

The Sagano Scenic Railway also known as Sagano Romantic Train or Sagano Torokko is a sightseeing train line that runs along the Hozugawa River between Arashiyama and Kameoka. This old fashioned trains wind their way through the mountains at a relatively slow pace, taking about 25 minutes to make the 7 km journey and giving passengers a pleasant view of the scenery as they travel from Arashiyama through the forested ravine and into rural Kameoka.

Actually, the best time to ride this train is during the autumn foliage season from mid Nov to early Dec when the leaves along the ravine change color. Cherry blossoms in spring also is the best time tapi tulah tak lama boleh tengok sakura full bloom ni. Do take note that these Romantic trains do not run in the winter which is somewhere Dec 30th to Feb 28th. No wonder lah masa kami sampai sini tak ramai sangat pun orang. Barangkali sebab Cherry Blossom baru saja berakhir. Arghhh, kecewa. Tapi sebab dah alang-alang sampai & part of our plan in Kyoto, so, layankan saja. Nak tahu juga apa yang romantic nya, hahaha.

Sagona Scenic Railway Route (Green Line)

Gate pun tak buka lagi masa kami sampai ni

 

The train runs once every hour from 9 am to 5 pm. One-way tickets is 620yen for adults. Ticket can be purchased directly at the starting point for this train, the Sagano Torokko Station, or at Kyoto Station's JR Ticket Office, or any other JR Ticket Office. Online tak sure sebab ada cuba juga tapi tak berjaya. During peak season, it is recommended to make earlier reservation. Anyway, standing tickets are sold if the seats are full.

For more info --> Sagona Scenic Railway

Red & Romantic... memang kena sangat kan

Train is made up of four enclosed cars (with windows that can be opened) and one fully open car

Colourful Train

Seat inside Car 1

Tak sabar nak mengharungi romantic journey

Lets ride with love, hahaha

We're ready for the so called romantic journey, hahaha

Tak tahu tang mana "romantic" nya ride with this so called Romantic Train. Maybe, kalau berdua lebih baik kot... hahaha. Tapi dari permerhatian aku lah, ramai senior citizen jer yang naik train ni. Tak brape nak nampak loving couple yang masih muda. Maybe bukan satu trend kot for Japanese young people nak layan benda-benda yang romantic macam ni, old fashioned gitu, hahaha. Dulu member yang pergi time autumn pun cakap benda yang sama, emmhhh. 

Train akan melaluia sepanjang sungai Hozugawa

Antara view yang boleh nampak

Awesome view seen from inside the train

Romantic sangat train sampai terlena dibuai mimpi kak Fad kita kat sebelah tu, hahaha

Almost reached the last station

Travelers have several options once they reach Torokko Kameoka Station, last station for Romantic ride. Boleh naik the same train back to Arashiyama or walk about 20-30 minutes to nearby Umahori or Kameoka Station for JR train back to Arashiyama or Kyoto. Other option, boleh combine romantic train with a Hozugawa River Cruise back to Arashiyama. Ada bus yang connect train station to the departure point for the cruises. So, ikut mana yang suka. Tapi sebab kami ada JR Pass, so, jalan kaki ke Kameoka Station, took JR train back to Arashiyama. Tengok dalam map macam dekat jer station dia tapi boleh tahan juga nak menapak.

Kena menapak sikit dari Torokko Kameoka station nak ke Kameoka JR station back to Arashiama

Back to Saga Arashiyama

Balik semula ke station Saga Arashiyama and dari sana kita jalan kaki ke Bamboo Grove. 

To be continued...