Sagano Romantic Train Coloring Pages

The Sagano Romantic Train running slowly through Hozu Gorge

The Sagano Romantic Train is a sightseeing train that runs along the Sagano Scenic Railway in Kyoto.
It opened on April 27, 1991, and runs for 7.3 kilometers from Torokko Saga Station near Arashiyama to Torokko Kameoka Station.
The train tracks run along the Hozu Gorge, where the Hozu River flows between the mountains.
It goes over the valley while passing through many tunnels and iron bridges, so you can see the river and mountains right outside your window!
These tracks used to be part of the JR San-in Main Line. When a new route was built, people decided to use the old tracks for sightseeing.

The black and red locomotive, and the yellow and red train cars

The train pulling the Sagano Romantic Train is a diesel locomotive called the DE10.
The short bonnet in front is black, and the driver's cab is red. There is a smokestack standing on top of the bonnet!
There are 5 passenger cars behind it. They are painted yellow and red, and the windows open wide.
The first coloring page shows the locomotive and cars stopped at the station, seen from a front angle.
Look for the oval headmark on the front, the white handrails, and the two lights on top of the bonnet!

Sagano Romantic Train with Autumn Leaves and Iron Bridge coloring page

The second picture shows the locomotive running toward you next to bright red maple leaves.
It has a round headmark on the front of the locomotive.
Fallen maple leaves are scattered on the train tracks.
The third picture is a detailed side view of the passenger cars crossing a green iron bridge with autumn mountains behind them.
On the lower part of the passenger cars, there are patterns made of diamonds and arrows.
Try to find the power transmission towers on top of the mountains, too.
See if you can find the green sign under the right side of the iron bridge, as well.

Last chance to see it this autumn

This locomotive and passenger cars are scheduled to retire after their last run on December 29, 2026.
Starting March 1, 2027, a brand-new Sagano Romantic Train with glass windows that go all the way down to your feet will start running.
That means this autumn is your last chance to see the fall leaves from the current Sagano Romantic Train.
Check out the coloring pages for nearby Togetsukyo Bridge in Arashiyama and Tsutenkyo Bridge at Tofukuji Temple, a famous spot for autumn leaves in Kyoto, too!

Color the locomotive with black and red

The short hood at the front of the locomotive is black, while the cab and the frame under the body are red.
For the black parts, do not press your colored pencil too hard. Layer the color a few times to make it deep and smooth.
If you leave the white handrails uncolored, they will stand out clearly against the black body.
Try coloring the border of the oval headmark with gold or ocher.
Feel free to decorate the inside of the round headmark on the second page with your favorite colors or drawings.
Color the lights light yellow to make them look like they are glowing!

Color the passenger cars with yellow, red, and orange

The passenger cars on the first and second pages use both yellow and red.
For the passenger car on the third page, color the top red, the bottom stripe orange, and the pattern inside the stripe black to make it look just like the real thing.
The pattern is small, so use a sharp colored pencil and take your time so you do not go outside the lines.

Autumn leaves and fallen leaves

For the maple leaves, mix orange and yellow leaves around the red ones to make them look bright and pretty.
For the fallen leaves on the tracks on the second page, use both red and brown. This shows that some leaves fell a while ago.
For the mountains on the third page, mix orange and yellow trees here and there into the green. It will look like a mountain starting to change color in autumn.
Line up your coloring page with locomotive coloring pages like the D51, and compare how the shapes of the locomotives are different!

A Railway Built on Old Tracks

In 1989, the tracks between Saga Station and Umahori Station on the Sanin Main Line were changed to new ones so electric trains could run.
The old tracks along Hozu Gorge were no longer used, so they were saved and turned into a sightseeing railway: the Sagano Romantic Train.
That is how the Sagano Romantic Train started running in 1991.

"The Rich" Car with No Window Glass

One of the passenger cars is a car called "The Rich," which joined in 1998.
It has no glass in the windows, so you can feel the breeze and hear the river directly.
During the autumn leaves season, you can look at the colorful leaves right in front of you, without looking through glass.

The New Sagano Romantic Train

Starting March 1, 2027, a new locomotive called the DEC743 Series will start pulling the passenger cars.
The new passenger cars have side windows that go all the way down to your feet and glass ceilings, too. This lets you see even more of the grand view of Hozu Gorge!
They say Car 4 will even have a special room with tatami mat seats.
Even with the new Sagano Romantic Train, the lovely view of running through the autumn leaves of Hozu Gorge will stay the same!