Passagem de Randen

I highly recommend getting this for your trip. It covers 4 train lines and is easy to redeem. It's cheaper than riding solo. A solo trip costs 250 yen. They will provide you with a map for guidance.

The Randen staff were exceptionally friendly! They kindly told me where I could get a stamp. Arashiyama was also a lot of fun, with many interesting shops and food stalls along the commercial street. Following the bamboo grove, you can walk to the Tokai promenade, where there are many temples, eventually leading to Atago Nenbutsu-ji Temple. I only spent half a day, and I already felt it was well worth it. You can take line B towards Kinkaku-ji, but I mainly used line A. The train wasn't crowded, and it looked very nice.

This is my fourth time visiting Arashiyama, and the first time I've encountered rain. The Togetsukyo Bridge, Bamboo Grove, and Nonomiya Shrine have a different kind of beauty in the rain. This was my first visit to Tenryu-ji Temple, and there were photo opportunities everywhere. Kurumazaki Shrine and Kitano Tenmangu Shrine are also unique and worth visiting.

It's an amazing way to go to Arashiyama. It's a bit slow but it goes through the residential areas, giving you a glimpse of the local life in Kyoto. My son also liked the old train vibe and keeps referring to the train as “Thomas”.

The Randen train is so cute! The scenery outside the window is so charming, like something out of a Ghibli movie, and the Japanese landscape is incredibly beautiful. I made some lovely and cute memories. You absolutely must try it!

The Randen day pass is very useful if you have multiple journeys planned on the Randen Line (both Kitano and Arashiyama), because otherwise there is a flat fare system of ¥230 for any one-way journey. The day pass is valid for the full day on the same day only (and not on a 24-hour basis. So if you buy it at 5 pm, it expires at 11:59:59 pm on the same day). Randen trains are also very beautiful and cozy with good views. There is also a sakura tunnel on the Randen Line which runs between Kitano Hakubaicho and Arashiyama. Klook QR works, and you can also get assistance in obtaining a physical pass from the train operator based on your Klook booking if you wish.

The Randen (train) was fine. Although the conductor didn't recognize the mobile guide, he waved us through after seeing it, and the process was very smooth. However, the JR West Bus made me very unhappy. I know they were in a hurry, and they kept telling us to pay, completely ignoring my phone display and only asking us to show a card. I didn't have a card 🥹, and I was nervous, wondering if I was on the wrong bus. In the end, of course, I paid with an IC card because it was too embarrassing.

L'entrée avec le billet numérique a été fluide et rapide. Pas besoin d'attendre dans de longues files d'attente – nous avons simplement scanné le code QR et sommes entrés. Un processus très efficace et adapté aux touristes.

Using the QR code for entry was super convenient. We skipped the ticket counter and walked right in. It saved us time and hassle, making the experience even better.

Having the tickets on our phone made things so easy. We avoided queues and got in without delays. Definitely a great way to save time and enjoy the attraction more.