The Sagano Scenic Railway runs a small vintage diesel train along a seven-kilometre stretch of disused JR track between Arashiyama (Torokko Saga) and Kameoka in the hills west of Kyoto. The route follows the Hozu River through a steep wooded gorge that is otherwise unreachable by road, with a series of bridges, short tunnels, and slow stretches where the train comes nearly to a halt above the rapids below.
The line is at its best in the cherry-blossom and autumn-leaf seasons, when the gorge fills with colour. Coach 5 (the "Rich Car") has open sides and uncovered windows for unobstructed photography. A popular all-day combination is to take the train down to Kameoka and return to Arashiyama by traditional flat-bottomed boat — a two-hour float back down the Hozu River through the same gorge — for a complete loop. Tickets sell out in advance during peak seasons; book ahead.