sagano train in arashiyama, kinkakuji & nijo castle

The Sagano Romantic Train is a 25-minute sight-seeing train running across scenic mountains and Hozugawa river. We bought the train ticket at Torokko Saga station and then walked to Torokko Arashiyama station through the bamboo grove. We boarded the train there until the last station, Kameoko Torokko. There's an option to take the river cruise back to Arashiyama.

Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavillion) is the must-visit temple in Kyoto. The top two floors are covered in gold leaf, overlooking a pond.

Nijo Castle (Nijo-jo) was the Kyoto residence of the first shogun (military ruler) in Edo period. It was built in 1603. It has two palaces, Honmaru and Ninomaru. Honmaru is closed and almost all the paintings in Ninomaru are reproductions with the real ones kept in the gallery. Ninomaru is fascinating with its nightingale floors, squeaking when one walks on it, to alert one's presence. The castle is surrounded by stone walls and moats with a major renovation going on now.