Take a healing maple journey on a special train through the secret land of the red leaves~

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🤗 01 Sagano Train

Riding the Sagano, you will be able to see Arashiyama in autumn, which is now a popular maple-viewing pose in Kyoto. It is definitely a rare experience to take photos while gazing at the mountain foliage with the wind blowing on the small train.

The maple trees on both sides of the 250-meter railroad track between Ichihara Station and Ninose Station are intertwined and form a “ tunnel of red leaves. This is the best place to enjoy the maples on the entire line.

When the train approaches the Red Leaf Tunnel, the speed will be slowed down and the lights in the car will be turned off. Only the 100 headlights outside the window shine on the red leaves, and the colors of the maple leaves are vivid and distinct, as if you are intruding into a fantastical journey.

Area: Troco Saga Station (Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture) to Troco Kameoka Station (Kameoka City, Kyoto Prefecture)

Fare: Adults 880 yen, Children 440 yen After purchasing your ticket, you will receive an electronic ticket, which you can use to enter the station directly.

🤗 02 JR Rikyu East Line

The JR Rikyu Higashi Line between Yamagata and Miyagi Prefectures, affectionately known as the “ Oku no Hoso Dojo Yunoyuki Line,” passes through Naruko Gorge, one of the most famous foliage spots in Tohoku.

Naruko-kyo Gorge is located between Naruko-Onsen Station and Nakayamadaira Onsen Station on the JR Rikyu Higashi Line, and the train slows down as it passes through this section of the line every year during the foliage season, so you can enjoy the beautiful red color of Naruko-kyo Gorge through the window of the train.

TEL: 050-2016-1600 (JR East Information Center)

Traveling zones: Kobuta Station (Misato-machi, Tonoda-gun, Miyagi Prefecture) to Shinjo Station (Shinjo-shi, Yamagata Prefecture)

Fare: Varies depending on zone

Ticket purchase website: https://www.jreast.co.jp/ You can also easily purchase JR East weekly passes at the ticket counter using a ticket machine equipped with a passport scanner.

🤗 03 Hakone Tozan Railway

This is Japan's steepest existing gradient railroad, located in Kanagawa Prefecture, and is 15 kilometers long with 11 stations. There are many foliage spots along the line, and the scenery along the way is quite beautiful.

Among them, there is the 61-meter-long Hayakawa Bridge (Izanagawa Railway Bridge) between Tazawa and Oodai Stations, where you can enjoy both the foliage and the valley at the same time. From the riverbed 43 meters below the bridge, you can enjoy a beautiful view of the valley in red and yellow.

Tel: 0465-32-6823 Areas of Travel: Odawara Station (Odawara-shi, Kanagawa-ken) to Gora Station (Hakone-machi, Ashigara-shimogun, Kanagawa-ken)

Fares: Varies depending on the section of the train.

Ticket website: https://www.hakonenavi.jp/international/tw/transportation/hakone-tozan Many discount packages are offered locally, such as the Hakone Tozan Electric Railway 1-Day Ticket, the Hakone Weekly Pass, and the Fuji Hakone Weekly Pass (for foreign tourists departing from Tokyo, Shinjuku, and Odawara only), so you can purchase them as you need them.

🤗 04 Kurobe Gorge Railroad

The Kurobe Gorge Train is a sightseeing train that runs along the Kurobe River through the Kurobe Gorge in eastern Toyama Prefecture. The 20.1-kilometer train runs from 10 stations, starting at Unazuki Station and ending at Zakihira Station, and takes 1 hour and 20 minutes each way.

The 1949-meter-high Mt. Sanabiki can be seen from Cataru Station to Jogyo Station, and the foliage here is a riot of color. It is known as “Kurobe Gorge Five Stages of Dyeing” because of the various colors of snow-capped peaks, red leaves on the mountainside, and green foliage at the foot of the mountain, which are interspersed and overlapped.

Also not to be missed are Lake Unazuki and the Lake Bridge between Unazuki Station and Yanagibashi. The contrast between the bright red bridge, the canyon's red foliage and the emerald green lake is breathtaking.

TEL: 0765-62-1011 (Kurobe Gorge Railway Co., Ltd.)

Areas: Unazuki Station (Kurobe-shi, Toyama) to Zakidaira Station (Kurobe-shi, Toyama)

Fares: Varies by zone

Ticket reservation website:

https://www.torokko-yoyaku.com/en/reserve/reserve_start.php

If the departure date is less than 2 days away, please purchase a same-day ticket. Same-day tickets can be purchased on the day of travel at the station where you are traveling (tickets go on sale at 7:40 a.m.).

🤗 05 Oi River Railway

The “Oi River Railway” runs along the Oi River in Shizuoka Prefecture and is famous for its steam locomotives (SL) and Thomas trains. The line was built for the construction of the Ooi River Dam, but now operates as a sightseeing train with beautiful views of the Southern Alps.

There is a king attraction here, Ooi Lake Kamikochi Station. The fall scenery here is outstanding. The bright red railroad bridge “Ooi Rainbow Bridge” crosses both sides of the valley and looks like it is floating on water.

As time passes, the trees around the valley turn red, and riding on the train over the rainbow bridge is like traveling through a fairyland.

🤗 06 Akita Inland Line

The Akita Inland Line runs from north to south through the inland areas of Akita Prefecture. It is known as “Japan's most beautiful railroad” and “The Smiling Railroad”. Each train runs in groups of 1 or 2, and runs through valleys filled with autumn leaves and idyllic countryside.

There is a special concentration of foliage spots, such as the Ohtsukawa Bridge, the Hirinouchi River Bridge, and the Torizaka Bridge, between Inmatsutagi Station and Maeda Minami Station. If you're lucky, you may even see the beauty of autumn leaves and snowflakes in the same frame.

TEL: 0186-82-3231

Areas of Operation: Hawks Nest Station (Kita-Akita City, Akita Prefecture) ~ Kakunodate Station (Senboku City, Akita Prefecture)

Discounted tickets for foreigners

Adults 1,500-2,000 yen, children 750-1,000 yen, any day. Purchase by presenting your passport at the station window where station staff are available during business hours.

🤗 07 JR Tsukimi lines.

Selected by many organizations as the “World's Most Romantic Railway” and “Japan's Most Beautiful Foliage Railway Line,” the trains on the Tsukimi Line pass through a variety of beautiful and mesmerizing landscapes of maple blossoms.

The Daiichi Tamigawa Bridge between Aizu-Hinohara Station and Aizu-Nishikata Station is one of the most popular foliage spots on the line. The calm waters of the river reflect the surrounding scenery like a mirror, making it an unforgettable sight.

TEL: 050-2016-1600

Zones: Aizuwakamatsu Station (Aizuwakamatsu-shi, Fukushima-ken) to Koide Station (Uonuma-shi, Niigata-ken)

Fare: Varies according to zones

Ticket purchase website: https://www.jreast.co.jp/

🤗 08 Watarase Keikoku Railroad

The Watarase Gorge Railroad is located in the upper reaches of the Watarase River Gorge between Gunma and Tochigi Prefectures, and the small trains that run on the route do not have glass windows, so you can enjoy the scenery of the valley while enjoying the breeze.

Since there is an altitude difference of about 500 meters from the starting point, Kiryu Station, to the ending point, Mato Station, the best time to see the leaves varies from place to place, and you can enjoy the beauty of the leaves at different levels for about a month from late October to late November.

TEL: 0277-73-2110

Zones: Kiryu Station (Kiryu-shi, Gunma) to Mato Station (Nikko-shi, Tochigi)

Fare: Varies by zone

Ticket purchase website:

https://watetsu.com/train/torokei.php

Note that the Watarase Keikoku Kotsu does not run every day, so it is a good idea to check the dates in advance. In addition to the fare, you will need to buy an additional ticket (520 yen for adults and 260 yen for children). Tickets can be purchased up to one month in advance.

🤗 09 Akazawa Forest Railway

Akazawa Natural Recreation Forest is Japan's first natural recreation forest and one of the country' s three most beautiful forests, featuring natural Kiso hinoki trees that are over 300 years old.

The Akazawa Forest Railway runs through it, and although it is only 2.2 kilometers long, it is loved by local residents and tourists for its beautiful spring and autumn delicacy and fresh air.

TEL: 0264-52-1133

Operating days: April 27-November 7

Fare: Adults (junior high school students and older) 900 yen, 4 years old to elementary school students 600 yen, group discount of 100 yen per person for groups of 15 people or more

Official website: https://kiso-hinoki.jp

🤗 10 Minami Aso Railway Takamori Line

The Minami Aso Railway Takamori Line runs east-west through the village of Minami Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture. The tranquil idyllic scenery and the majestic Aso Mountains are unforgettable.

Those traveling on the line should not miss the Daiichi Shirakawa Bridge between Tatsuno and Nagayo stations. A small train will stop at the bridge and passengers can fully enjoy the romantic fall scenery of the Tatsuno Valley.

TEL：0967-62-0058

Areas of Operation: Tachino Station (Minami Aso-mura, Aso-gun, Kumamoto Prefecture) - Takaumori Station

Fare: Adults 1,500 yen, Children (3 to 12 years old) 1,000 yen

Ticket website: https://yoyaku.travel/reservation/

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It is said that we must see the red leaves in Japan once in our lifetime, so let's take action and ride on the special red leaf train to have a healing maple journey when the red leaves roam the mountains in this fall!