A Walk Along Kyoto's Randen Tram Line

With the Ricoh GR III Diary Edition Camera

I have a fascination with trams.

Perhaps it’s because they ripped them out of my city, Brisbane, in the late 1960s. A small stretch of tram tracks near my house was a constant reminder of their loss. So whenever I can, I seek them out.

Last year I was fortunate enough to ride trams in Sapporo, Tokyo, and Kyoto (twice). It was on the earlier Spring trip to Japan that I made a mental note to come back to Kyoto to spend more time exploring the Randen tram line. So I did just that in November.

Starting from Shijo-Omiya station, I took the tram all the way to the terminus Arashiyama. I’d spied a cute French bakery near the end of the journey - this seemed like the perfect spot to start. Heading back there after a walk around Arashiyama, I bought some tasty treats and sat in the sunshine watching the world go by.

Around the corner there was a supermarket. It was nice to see the locals going about their daily business. This was only a short distance from the crowds of Arashiyama, but it was like another world.

The Japanese make the most of any space they’ve been given. One brilliant example of this is how residents turned the space between their houses and the tram tracks into beautiful gardens with flowers and herbs. There was even some washing hanging out to dry right next to the tracks.

I love how the tram line brought people together for impromptu conversations. Often you’d see people chatting while waiting for a tram to pass. Below you can hear the sound of the warning gates and a tram rolling into a station.

Inbetween trams, a peace descended. The only noises were the sounds of birds chirping and my camera clicking.

Final stop was a walk around the sprawling Kurumazaki Shinto Shrine. I love how bright reds look using the GR III’s Positive Film image control simulation.

At 25 degrees (77F) it was an unusually warm November day. This is my favourite photo from the set - people waiting for the tram while seeking shelter from the hot sun.

Watch on YouTube

If you enjoyed these photos, check out my video Kyoto Travel & Street Photography on the Ricoh GR III Diary Edition camera. It features over 70 photos from my walk near the Kyoto Randen tram line.