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Kyoto Bus Tour: Sagano Railway & Hozugawa River Boat Ride

Kyoto, Japan
Popular pick
Booked 10+ times last week!
  • 7 hours (approx.)
  • Offered in: English

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Overview

    What's Included

    • One-way ticket for Sagano Scenic Railway
    • Local guide (Japanese language only)
    • On-board audio guide (English, Chinese and Korean)
    • Hozugawa River Boat Ride (conditions apply for infants, please see additional information)
    • Lunch
    • Pick up and Drop off at your Hotel

    Meeting and Pickup

    Meeting point

    • Bus Ticket Centre / Information Centre
      902 Higashishiokōjichō, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, 600-8216, Japan

      JR Kyoto Station Karasuma Exit KYOTO Sightseeing "OKOSHI" Bus Terminal

    End point

    This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    Operating hours
    .9:00 am

    Ticket Redemption Point

    Kyoto Sta., Higashishiokojicho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, 600-8216, Japan

    Itinerary

    1

    Sagano Romantic Train

    25 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

    2

    Hozugawa River Boat Ride (Hozugawa Kudari)

    1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

    3

    Arashiyama

    2 hours • Admission Ticket Free

    Additional Info

    • Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
    • Wheelchair accessible
    • Near public transportation
    • Infants must sit on laps
    • Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
    • 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.
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 2 travelers
    Supplied by

    Cancellation Policy

    You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

    Traveler Photos

    Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

    Reviews

    4.2
    based on 22 reviews
    Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
    We perform checks on reviews

    Really enjoyed the day...

    Nicola_N, Mar 2026
    Really enjoyed the day trip, we varied in ages but there was something for all of us to enjoy. Was very well organized and run.

    Response from Host, Mar 2026

    Thank you for participating in the tour. I am very glad that you enjoyed it. I will also convey this to the tour company. Please come visit Kyoto again if you have the opportunity.

    Great for all seasons

    Kacey_S, Dec 2025
    The whole tour was a wonderful way to spend the day! The audio guide was helpful and the tour guide was delightful and communicated the necessities in English as well like where and when to meet back after exploring arashiyama area. The riverboat crew was a lot of fun and we got a chance to try different street food and restaurant options in the afternoon on our own before returning on the bus. The taxi stand where we got on the bus is at Kyoto station right across the post office building.

    Response from Host, Dec 2025

    Thank you for joining our tour. I hope you also enjoyed the autumn leaves. If you have the chance, please come visit Kyoto again.

    a great day out

    Pamela_M, Nov 2025
    From beginning to end the tour was a wonderful experience particularly the boat ride was so much fun. The whole tour was well organised and care was taken to ensure that the whole group particularly those who had language barriers understood directions and were kept safe.

    Response from Host, Dec 2025

    Thank you for joining our tour. We are very happy that you enjoyed it. Please come visit Kyoto again if you get the chance.

    Arashiyama Trip was a Blast!

    Ann_S, Nov 2025
    This tour was OCD-level organized! From meeting point at bus terminal at Kyoto Station to assigned seating on bus to railway and assignment of cars, to boat boarding to directions for free time in Arashiyama, our guide was on top of everything - all with a smile on her face! The train ride was spectacular, the boat trip down the river was a blast with our three boatmen just a hoot, time in Arashiyama just enough with the bus ride back to Kyoto comfortable and efficient. Thank you so much for a wonderful day!

    Great experience beyond expectations!

    RITA_W, Oct 2025
    The tour is in Japanese but you will receive an audio tour guide in the language of your choice, for us it worked perfectly and we had no problems. Finding the bus ticket exchange was a little tricky but we arrived early enough to figure it out. The train ride was enjoyable and there were some great views of the river. The little boats were waiting after a short bus ride from the station to the river and we had a great time, the boat handlers were a delight and entertaining, they did there utmost best to use English to translate their remarks and some helpful other passengers filled in the blanks:) overall we had a wonderful time and recommend this tour gladly.

    Response from Host, Oct 2025

    Thank you for joining our tour. We are very happy to hear that you enjoyed it. If you have the chance, please come visit Kyoto again.

    Sagano Scenic Train and Hozu-gawa River Cruise

    Lily_M, Sep 2025
    A must see tour. Organized tour from beginning to end. Planning to return in Spring and Autumn in the near future.

    Response from Host, Sep 2025

    Thank you for joining our tour. We are very happy that you enjoyed it. Please come visit Japan again.

    It was a great...

    Alice_F, Jul 2025
    It was a great experience, even though it was really hot this day. We could easily find the starting point and the bus was very comfortable. The train was nice with beautiful views of the river. The bus from the train station to the pier was comfortable and with air conditioning. The river cruise was lovely. We could also visit a temple in Arashiyama in our free time after the boat and returned to the starting point with the same bus from the beginning and also received a cooling towel to refresh ourselves after a very hot summer day. I recommend!!!

    Response from Host, Jul 2025

    Thank you very much for participating in our tour this time. I am very happy that you enjoyed it. If you have the chance, please come and visit Japan again.

    Boat ride is 2 hours and...

    nudoshi, Jul 2025
    Boat ride is 2 hours and slow. Seats are just a plank and no back rest. Everyone is crammed. Great service but boat was a waste of time. Train ride was nice.

    Response from Host, Jul 2025

    Thank you for joining our tour this time. We will pass on your feedback to the supplier and hope to use it for improving our products in the future. If you have the opportunity, please come and visit Japan again.

    Nice outing in Arashiyama

    Katherine_J, Apr 2025
    Very nice train ride and rafting experience. If you’re wondering how gentle or hard rafting is … well it’s pretty tame. Read the info that the tour is in Japanese and any English needed is done by Google translate.

    Response from Host, Apr 2025

    Thank you for participating in the tour. We are glad you enjoyed it. Please feel free to come to Japan again if you have the opportunity.

    From $124.68

    per person

    up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

    Book ahead!
    On average, this is booked 33 days in advance.

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