Spring 'Sakura' along Watarase Valley Railway
(Watarase Keikoku Tetsudo)
わたらせ渓谷鉄道（桐生市、みどり市、日光市）
Enjoy beautiful sakura cherry blossoms from an open window train!
DATE
2024 : Late March to Mid April
Going in Autumn? See here to enjoy autumn foliage on Watarase Valley Railway (mid November).
TIMES
Eleven normal trains run daily as well as the special ‘Trolley (Torokko,トロッコ)’ trains below run a few times during the high seasons.
*Timetable is based on spring 2024
Trolley (Torokko トロッコ) Trains timetable
March
20th , 23rd, 25th , 27th , 29th, 30th, 31st only
Trolly trains leaving Kiryu station towards Ashio (The starting station):
10:32 am
*The above times are based on the 2024 timetable so please check the railway’s official site
Trolly trains leaving Ashio station towards Kiryu:
2:01 pm
*The above times are based on the 2024 timetable so please check the railway’s official site
April
1st to 14th and weekends only
Trolly trains leaving Kiryu station towards Ashio (The starting station):
Mon 9:30am & 1:35pm, Tues 10:32am, Wed 9:30am & 1:35pm, Thurs 10:32am, Fri-Sun & National holidays 9:30am, 10:32am & 1:35pm
*The aove times are based on the 2024 timetable so please check the railway’s official site
Trolly trains leaving Ashio station towards Kiryu:
Mon 11:37am & 3:34pm, Tues 1:57pm, Wed 11:37am & 3:34pm Thurs 1:57pm, Fri-Sun & National holidays 11:37am, 1:57pm & 3:34pm
*The above times are based on te 2024 timetable so please check the railway’s official site
*All dates & times are subject to change due to weather and/or unforeseen circumstances.
SCHEDULE
We recommend booking a ticket for the Troroko (トロッコ) trains in advance from Lawson (convenient store) or from Omama station (大間々駅) station in advance as it may be sold out on the day.
COST
A oneway fair from end to end (Kiryu-Mato) is 1,130 yen. But you can also buy a one-day-pass for 1,880 yen which would be cheeper depending on how far you are going. For the Torokko Trolly train (open view carriage) you need an add on ticket for 520 yen one way.
*Prices were accurate at Oct 2022
How to enjoy the autumn leaves on Watarase Valley Railway
Picturesque scenery
Beautiful view
Fun train ride
Sakura and plum flowers
Fun for kids and family
Fun for couples
Traveling solo
Enjoy for 1 whole day!
🚞 🌸 A fun (and different) way to enjoy sakura cherry blossoms and the beautiful Japanese mountains🌸
🚞 Watarase Valley Railway runs through the ⛰ mountains between Tochigi and Gunma prefectures and is a great way to sit back and enjoy the 🌸 cherry blossoms in the spring time.
🌸😍🌸 Sakura is especially nice near Godo and Mizunuma stations.
The open carriage (Torokko Trolly train) is especially cool, but regular trains also have a really good view. 👀 The open carriage trains are very popular, so if you can only get a regular train, make sure to check out the window beside the driver where passengers can take cool pictures from the front of the train. 📸
The start of the Watarase Valley Railway dates back to 1914 when it was opened to transport ore mined from the Ashio Copper Mine 🪨 which once produced 40% of coper in Japan (The mine closed in 1973).
Since 2009, the railway has focused on tourism and is a popular attraction to enjoy the 🌸 sakura cherry trees and 🍁autumn leaves . You can also use the railway to visit many attractions.
If you have time you can visit, a historical soy source factory at Oomama sta (大間々駅), explore Mt. Akagi from Mizunuma sta (水沼駅), Ashio Copper mine from Tsuudo sta (通洞駅), visit Furukawa Kakemizu Club from Ashio sta (足尾駅), hiking from Konaka sta (小中駅) , Tsuudo (通洞駅) and Mato (間藤駅), and take a bus to visit Nikko shrines bus from Ashio (足尾駅) or Mato (間藤駅) stations.
What to do from stations on Watarase Valley Railway
- Culture
- Mizumuma Onsen (at Mizunuma Sta)
- Tomihiro Hoshino Museum (bus from Godo sta)
- Visit Ashio Copper Mine (at Tsudo Sta)
- Visit Furukawa Kakemizu Club (from Ashio sta)
- Active
- Hiking (from Konaka, Tsuudo, & Mato sta)
- Cycling
- Walking around small villages
- Visit Mt. Akagi (Bus from Mizunuma sta)
- Visit Nikko (Bus from Ashio or Mato stations)
- Food / Drink
- Eat at the train restaurant Seiryu (at Godo Sta)
- Himokawa Udon (near Aioi sta)
- Soy source brewery (Oka Naozaburo shoten near Omama Sta)
- Visit sake brewery (Kondo Shuzo near Oomama sta)
Akagi Area Guide
- Town overview
- How to get there
- Things to doin Akagi area
- Events & Festivals
- Articles about Akagi area
2-days in Mt. Akagi
- Explore by e-bike
- Mountain top restaurants
- Torii Toge Viewpoint
- Akagi Shrine
- Aoki Ryokan
- Stargazing
- Hiking
- Fujimi Onsen
- Ogo Train Yard
- Satoyama e-bike adventure
Round trip from Tokyo
- Start from Tokyo
- Visit Tochigi
- Visit Sano
- Visit Akagi
- Visit Kiryu
- Back to Tokyo
How to get to Aioi station
(Changing from Tobu line from Tokyo)
From Tokyo
- 1H 50min from Asakusa by train.
- 2H 20min drive from Tokyo area by car
Address
Aioi Station (相老駅)
2-756 Aioi cho, Kiryu City, Gunma Pref. Japan 321-4218
By Train
From Tokyo (TOBU Line)
From Asakusa in Tokyo, take the Ryomo Limited express towards Akagi station and get off at Aioi station. Approx. 1hour 50min,
By Car
From Ota-Kiryu Interchange (Kitakanto Expressway)
25 min drive from Ota-Kiryu IC (太田桐生) on the Kitakanto Expressway (Kitakanto Jidoshado).
How to get to Ashio station
From Tokyo
- 3H drive from Tokyo area by car (via Nikko)
- 3H drive from Tokyo area by car (via Watarase Valley)
- 3H 30min by train (via Watarase Valley Railway)
Address
Ashio Station (足尾駅)
6 Kakemizu, Ashiomachi, Nikko city, Tochigi Prefecture
栃木県日光市足尾町掛水6番地
By Train
From Tokyo via Watarase Valley Railway (TOBU Line)
From Tokyo, take the Tobu line to Aioi sta (100-110min). change to Watarase Valley Railway and travel up in to the mountains until you get to Ashio sta. (90min).
From Tokyo via Watarase Valley Railway (JR Line)
From Tokyo take the Shinkansen to Takasaki station (90min) and change to the JR Ryomo line to Kiryu sta (50 min). From Kiryu station take the Watarase Valley Railway to Ashio station (90min).
From Tokyo via NIKKO (TOBU Line)
From Asakusa (Tokyo) take the Tobu Line (express) to Tobu-Nikko sta (2h). From in front of the station, change to bus to Ashio station(1h). Approx. 3.5 hours
From Tokyo via Nikko (JR Line)
From Tokyo take the Tohoku Shinkansen (bullet train) to JR Utsunomiya station (50min) and change for the JR Nikko line to Nikko station (50min). Walk to Nikko station (3min) and take the bus to Ashio sta (1h).
By Car
From Kiotaki Interchange (via Nikko)
30 min drive from Kiotaki IC on the Nikko-Utsunomiya Douro (Expressway).
*Driving route through Nikko
From Isesaki Interchange (via Gunma)
90 min drive from IsesakiIC on the Kita-Kanto Expressway (Kita-Kanto Jidoshado).
*Driving route through Watarase Valley
Contact Details (Event Organizer)
Any questions about this?
For information about this event please contact the Watarase Keikoku Testudo (Watarase Valley Railway) directly.
Tel: +81 0277-73-2110
Japanese Official Website (External, Japanese site)
How to Enjoy Autumn Foliage on Watarase Valley Railway (Internal, English site)
