There are direct train services from Kyoto, taking just under two hours. Part of the journey runs on the Kitakinki Tango Railway (now Kyoto Tango Railway), a private line, so JR Rail Pass holders will need to pay a supplement for that section.
From Osaka, the journey takes around two and a half hours with a change in Kyoto or Fukuchiyama. Highway buses also run from Kyoto and Osaka.