Kyoto Bus Tour: Sagano Railway & Hozugawa River Boat Ride
Overview
Available languages
7 hours
Mobile ticket
This bus tour lets guest enjoy quick access to the popular scenic Sagano trolley train as well as an exciting river descent down the Hozugawa river in Kyoto, both of which are popular attractions in high demand and perfect for groups, families, and individuals who have limited time in Kyoto.
These activities allow guests to appreciate the natural scenery of Kyoto's four seasons at any time of the year from both the train and boat. From cherry blossoms in spring, lush greenery in summer, the changing leaves of autumn, or the snowy fields in winter, this tour will provide guests with unforgettable experiences and imagery.
After the tour, guests will have time to explore the Arashiyama bamboo grove and surrounding area. Visit local souvenir and snack shops at this iconic Kyoto locale before getting back on the bus to head back to Kyoto Station.
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Children up to 5 years old who are under 80cm tall do not require a seat and so can participate for free.
Children over 5 years old under 80cm will not be able to participate in the Hozugawa riverboat ride
Depending on river conditions the Hozugawa boat ride may be cancelled. Alternate activities will be provided instead.
We offer GPS-enabled multilingual audio guidance, available in English, Chinese and Korean.
Please note that a Japanese-speaking guide will accompany the tour and you will be sharing the ride with Japanese tourists.
The boarding ticket you receive also serves as an entry pass for major sightseeing locations. Please keep it safe until the end of the tour, as lost tickets cannot be reissued. Boarding tickets can be exchanged starting from three days prior to your boarding date.
Please make your own way to the bus terminal. The bus will depart on time, and late arrivals will not be permitted to join the tour with no exceptions (no refunds will be issued.)
Please arrive at least 20 minutes prior to departure time for prompt boarding (8:40am)
At each sightseeing spot, the guide will display the return time before departure for the next stop. Please be sure to confirm it and return to the bus on time. If you do not follow the instructions, the bus will depart for the next destination without waiting.
In the event that the Hozugawa River descent is canceled due to bad weather, the tour will be conducted with an alternative route. A refund for the Hozugawa River descent will also be issued on-site.
What To Expect
Sagano Romantic Train
Ride the Sagano Railway from Saga Station to Kameoka Station and take in the beautiful surrounding scenery.
Take a ride down the Hozugawa River from Kameoka to Arashiyama
Options
Kyoto Bus Tour: Sagano Railway & Hozugawa River Boat Ride
What‘s Included
Local guide (Japanese language only)
One-way ticket for Sagano Scenic Railway
Hozugawa River Boat Ride (conditions apply for infants, please see additional information)
On-board audio guide (English, Chinese and Korean)
Lunch
Pick up and Drop off at your Hotel
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
34 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Do it! Just know these things
dawndaeh,May 31, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
3.00Worth doing! Just know... this appears MAINLY for Japanese tourists. Our main issue was finding the correct location for checking in at the Kyoto train station. Went to main bus ticket place at that was wrong and the people were not interested in being helpful. Once we got to the RIGHT bus terminal the woman was SO SWEET and new I was panicked and helped us to the right bus. The cute little romantic train was sweet - a nice surprise (thank goodness for the beautiful day) - the men on the platform were full of fun and smiles, but the photographers kind of ruined the first part of the experience. The boat ride was beautiful and the guides funny (but we felt bad at how hard they were working constantly - def used to American rafts with oars). We did NOT understand however that we were going to be on our own for over 2 hours at a town we knew nothing about. We made the best of it (and it was beautiful of course) - but that was part of the trip we weren't anticipating. Also, the equipment my son was given to listen to the English recording on the bus didn't work. Mine did, so we shared best we could. The woman holding the flag to keep us in a group was very smiley and we felt looked after.
Day trip
Anna S,May 26, 2026
- Review from Viator
4.00Great trip overall! Although the boat ride was canceled due to weather conditions, the experience was still very enjoyable. The bamboo forest was beautiful, and seeing the monkeys was especially fun. Be sure to wear good shoes, since the hike to the top is on a dirt trail.
No English
Sheree M,May 23, 2026
- Review from Viator
4.00Excellent tour although very disappointed there was no English speaking guide as mentioned in the advertising. The guys rowing the raft were brilliant and worked so hard on a hot day.
Excellent day trip
Helen A,May 18, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Absolutely well worth the effort, very well organised. Train trip and boat trip were both entertaining. The 3 man crew on the boat were so entertaining and passionate about there jobs There was plenty of time (2hours) to have lunch and visit the town before the bus ride back Definitely worth recommending
Great scenery on train and boat 🚢 would raccomended to take trip in cherry blossom time or autumn as there are many maple & fl
Salvatore F,May 7, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00The boat and train ride were excellent however the map to return to the bus meeting point after the bamboo forest was very vague and spend some time navigating back, hence could not fully enjoy the attractions of the area.
Good day trip
Alanna J,May 7, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Great day trip and accommodating for children. The weather wasn't good on our day so The riverboat was cancelled, this was managed very well with refund for portion of the days experiences. Lots of time explore local towns and eat lunch
A fun trip - be prepared...
Andrew M,May 1, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00A fun trip - be prepared to be splashed if you sit at the edge seats. Make sure you get the tour with English translation if you dont know Japanese
Train / River Boat Tour
Donna N,Apr 14, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Very scenic. The boat ride was long. Shoe got soaked with water sitting on the left side. Good experience!
Don’t miss out on this delightful experience!
Becky W,Apr 12, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The bus tour was delightful and I was presented with a small ‘receiver’ that gave me the sightseeing tour in English. The train ride was through the beautiful landscape. The 3 boatmen took down the Hozugawa river and mad it fun going through the rapids area.
Poor communication,...
Donna M,Apr 10, 2026
- Review from Viator
3.00Poor communication, especially about meeting place. Email with questions never answered. Tour itself was great, just very stressful getting there
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