Arashiyama Guide: Tenryu-ji, the Sagano Romantic Train and How to Plan Your Day
Kyoto's western hills have a famous temple garden and a scenic little train. Tenryu-ji's fees and hours, how the Sagano Romantic Train works (and when it does not run), and how to get there.
Arashiyama, on the western edge of Kyoto, is a half-day escape from the city: a famous temple garden, a river valley and a small scenic train. It is lovely in spring and autumn, and busy in both.
At a glance
- Tenryu-ji garden: ¥500 (high school and older), ¥300 (elementary and junior high)
- Hours: 8:30–17:00 (last admission 16:50)
- Sagano Romantic Train: about 7 km, about 25 minutes. Not in service in winter
- Getting there: JR Sagano Line to Saga-Arashiyama, then a 13-minute walk to Tenryu-ji
Tenryu-ji
Tenryu-ji's garden is one of Kyoto's best-known, with a pond and mountain views that change with the seasons.
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Garden only (high school and older) | ¥500 |
| Garden only (elementary and junior high) | ¥300 |
| Garden + buildings | The garden fee plus ¥300 |
| Cloud Dragon painting (Hatto) | ¥500 extra, open on weekends, holidays and designated spring and autumn periods |
| Preschool children | Free |
Hours: 8:30–17:00, last admission 16:50.
The buildings are sometimes closed without notice for temple events. On its English page, the temple listed the Hatto as closed October 28–30, 2026 and on January 2, 2027, so check before you plan around the Cloud Dragon.
From Saga-Arashiyama Station on the JR Sagano Line, the temple is about 13 minutes on foot.
Sagano Romantic Train
The Sagano Romantic Train is a small scenic train running through the river valley. According to the operator, the trip is about 7 km and takes around 25 minutes. The fare is the same whichever stations you ride between.
- Booking: online e-tickets (QR code) through the operator's reservation site. Same-day tickets are sold at station ticket windows on a first-come basis, from around 8:35 at Saga, 8:50 at Arashiyama and 9:10 at Kameoka.
- Children: ages 6 to 12 pay the child fare. Under 6 are free only with a paying adult (one free child per adult), and infants under 1 are free.
- We could not confirm the fare from the pages we could read, so check the operator's ticket page for the current price.
It does not run all year
In the operator's 2026 calendar, the train does not run in winter (January 1 to February 28, and December 30–31), and a number of weekdays, many of them Wednesdays, are also out of service. Extra trains run on busy days. The 2027 calendar will differ, so check the operator's calendar before you go.
A half-day plan
| Time | Plan |
|---|---|
| 8:30 | Arrive at Saga-Arashiyama Station, walk to Tenryu-ji when it opens |
| 10:00 | Garden and buildings |
| 11:30 | Stroll through the Arashiyama area |
| Afternoon | Sagano Romantic Train (book ahead) |
Arashiyama is an easy add-on to a Kyoto day. See our guides to Kyoto's temples and getting around Kyoto.
Tips
- Go early. Arashiyama gets very crowded from late morning in spring and autumn.
- Be considerate. Kyoto's tourism association reminds visitors that many attractions sit close to residential areas, so keep noise and your behavior in check.
- Book the train first, then plan the rest of your day around it.
Sources
Prices change
Prices, exchange rates and rules in this article were checked on the date shown above. They can change at any time, so please confirm on the official website before you book or buy.
