Japan is a country that is extremely famous for its public transportation, with nationwide coverage, as well as almost zero time difference. And along with the development of the country, as well as to promote the image of Japan to domestic and foreign tourists, many sightseeing trains have been born throughout the country. Each region will have its own unique scenery, such as trains running through Mount Fuji, running through glaciers in Hokkaido, or running along the Aomori coast, ...
And today, I will introduce to you a famous sightseeing train with the slogan “Bringing the Best of Kyoto On Board” – bringing the best of Kyoto on board, that is Kyo-train GARAKU.
Kyo-train GARAKU, or simply Garaku, operates from Osaka to Kyoto, starting at Osaka Umeda Station and ending at Kyoto Kawaramachi Station. Along the way, it stops at four smaller stations: Juso, Awaji, Katsura, and Karasuma.
How to go:
From Hankyu Umeda Station (Address : https://goo.gl/maps/GXjvrLHHxXQZzkwK7)
Arrive at Osaka/Umeda Station, then walk to Hankyu Umeda Station. From there, take the Hankyu Line and head to platform 3. On platform 3, you’ll find information about the train car numbers and the train's departure times clearly displayed.
From Kyoto Kawaramachi Station (Address: https://maps.app.goo.gl/YE7hpKz629fv5pV59)
Follow the Hankyu Line and head to platform 2, as shown in the photo below.
Now, let’s embark on a journey to explore this unique and special train together!
The train will have 6 carriages, with each carriage having a different theme. I will introduce each topic, along with photos I took so you can easily visualize 😉
- Car 1: Autumn – Autumn.
The first carriage of the train features an autumn theme, decorated with traditional autumn motifs, and is called Ryusui-ni-kaede (floating maple leaves on the river). It captures the serene beauty of autumn in Kyoto.
The seats in this carriage are designed with traditional tatami mats, and the backrest and headrests are beautifully adorned with maple leaves floating on the river, enhancing the autumn theme.
In this first carriage, we also have the opportunity to enjoy the train driver's view, which, in my opinion, offers the most captivating and unobstructed view of the scenic route ahead.
With numerous windows both in front and on the sides, we can easily take in the street scenery and the beautiful natural landscapes of both Osaka and Kyoto as we travel.
Video seen from the train driver's view:
2. Car 2: Winter – winter.
The train's second carriage features a winter theme, with a bamboo garden in the center of the carriage and specially designed windows that provide a perfect view of the snow. It beautifully captures the essence of winter in Kyoto.
The standing space on the train is quite "chill" in the second car.
3. Car 3: Spring – spring.
Designed with a spring theme, the train's third carriage is decorated with cherry blossoms - a symbol of spring in the land of the rising sun.
This carriage is divided into two sections: the right half features a row of vertical seats with tatami mats adorned with cherry blossom motifs, while the left half has horizontal seats facing the window, providing passengers with a more comfortable and scenic view for sightseeing.
In the horizontal row of seats on the left, there are larger round windows, also adorned with cherry blossoms on both sides. This seating arrangement can accommodate 2-3 people, offering a comfortable and picturesque experience.
And this is my most satisfactory photo today, capturing the exact moment the baby looked straight out at the straight green road, on the train running at 100km/h 😀
In my opinion, this is the most beautiful carriage for taking photos, as the corner by the window and the surrounding scenery are absolutely stunning.
4. Car 4: Summer – summer.
Carriage 4 features a summer theme, adorned with iris motifs. Similar to carriage 3, it has horizontal seats facing the window, offering passengers a perfect view of the surroundings.
Video I took next to the window in cars 3 and 4:
5. Car 5: Early Autumn – early autumn
In the center of carriage 5, there is a traditional Japanese garden, reminiscent of the ones often found in the ancient wooden houses of Kyoto, adding a serene touch to the carriage’s atmosphere.
Make sure to grab a photo by the window before anyone else comes along :v
6. Car 6: Early Spring – early spring.
The last carriage of the train, decorated with plum blossom motifs, features rows of traditional tatami seats and familiar round windows, completing the beautiful and cultural journey.
Video I filmed going around in the carriages of the train:
Some more information about the ship for you:
- The train operates only on weekends and Japanese public holidays.
- Train ticket prices are the same as regular train fares, so there's no need to buy special tickets or make reservations. You can simply enter and exit the train using a regular train card.
- The train only runs 4 trips a day (Osaka - Kyoto and vice versa) according to a fixed schedule.
- Specific time frames for trains running during the day:
+ In the afternoon, the train from Osaka to Kyoto runs in 4 time frames: 9:32, 11:32, 13:32, and 15:32. The stop times at the next stations are listed in the photo below.
+ In the afternoon, the train from Kyoto to Osaka runs in 4 time frames: 10:41, 12:41, 14:41, and 16:41. The stop times at the next stations are listed in the photo below.
The photo represents my farewell. Thank you for reading until the end of the article!
***************************************************************************************************************
Discover our helpful services in Japan:
- Taking photos of individuals, couples, and families in Osaka, Kyoto, Nara: See more HERE
- Plan and schedule your trip to Japan: See more HERE
- eSim data, pocket wifi travel in Japan: See more HERE
***************************************************************************************************************
*** Please read the requirements carefully Copyright & Collaboration before copying or quoting blog content and images. Thank you.
Coming soon to explore this train! 😃
Come
Respect you 💯
thank you