On Monday, April 8, we took the shinkansen from Osaka to Kyoto and then transferred to a local train to Arishiyama, a mountainous area that is very popular for visitors in spring and autumn. We were last there in the autumn of 2004.

From the station we took a short train ride on the "Sagano Romantic Train" so called because of the mountain scenery during spring and autumn. Unfortunately, most of the cherry blossoms had already fallen, so there was really nothing exciting to see.