The Red List of Trains in Japan has been updated, with four new articles as listed below.
In addition, Seibu 8000 series and Fujikyu 8500 series have been added to the list. There are also many other articles that are now up to date.
I hope they are useful!
Soji-ji is a temple in Tsurumi (Yokohama city), about 13.5 miles south of Tokyo station. It is one of two head temples of the Soto sect of Zen Buddhism. There are many wooden buildings, but they were mostly built in the 20th century, as the temple relocated from Ishikawa Prefecture in 1911. Even so, Soji-ji is still one of the most important and influential temples in Japan.
This temple is also known for tombs of celebrities, including Yujiro Ishihara (actor, 1934-1987) and Antonio Inoki (a professional wrestler and politician, 1943-2022), but it is not well known that this temple has a connection with railways nearby. There are memorials of two disasters, namely Sakuragicho train fire and Tsurumi rail crash.
At 1:45 pm on 24th April 1951, a commuter train on Tokaido branch line (now Negishi line) hit a loose overhead wire after a maintenance worker accidentally cut off another wire and failed to close the mainline, because he thought it would not obstruct trains. The wire tangled up in a pantograph and caused a short circuit with sparks. The train was made of wood, and thus it was quickly engulfed in fire, but many passengers were unable to evacuate as windows did not open, because the Japanese National Railways staff had locked them to tackle fare evasion. As a result, 106 passengers were killed.
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| (Some smartphones may fail to view the image correctly) |
Soji-ji, the largest temple in the area, held a memorial service two weeks after the tragedy, where the Emperor Hirohito and the Empress Nagako offered flowers. A memorial and a Buddhist statue were erected here by the then stationmaster of Tokyo and the then General Secretary of the National Railway Workers' Union in the following year.
Another, even more devastating disaster took place near the temple on 9th November 1963. At around 9:50 pm, a freight train on Tokaido freight line derailed and collided with two Yokosuka line trains. 161 people were killed, making it the second deadliest train accident after the Second World War.
Since the crash site was very close to Soji-ji, many bodies were brought into the temple. A year later, priests of the temple erected a large memorial, with names of 160 passengers inscribed. The JNR (and later JR East) have conducted a ceremony here on 9th November every year.
Hyakken Roka, a 164-metre long (538-ft long) corridor, is not just an ordinary corridor that divides the precinct into parts. It was a temporary morgue on the day of Tsurumi rail crash (see also 4:38 in the video). A little ceremony is held here every day to remember the victims. Young monks run the corridor with a watering can, and the two lines of water sprinkle are said to represent railway track or incense sticks.
Both Sakuragicho train fire and Tsurumi rail crash, which are amongst the Five Disasters of the Japanese National Railways, happened when Japan was recovering from the War, and thus the railway in Japan was not as safe or reliable as it is today. Whilst most people have already forgotten them, the monuments at Soji-ji remind us of the past tragedies.
(Note that Soji-ji is a place of worship, so any boisterous or disturbing behaviour is not accepted.)
There is often a connection between a railway and religion. For example, Keikyu, which is now known as an airport rail link between Haneda Airport and Tokyo, was initially built to transport prayers visiting Heiken-ji temple (Kawasaki Daishi). There are a few other railways opened for a similar purpose, and Kotoden might be one of the most interesting examples in Japan, as all of its lines have a strong connection with religion.
Kotoden, officially Takamatsu Kotohira Electric Railroad, is a small private railway company with three lines (Kotohira, Nagao and Shido Lines) in Kagawa Prefecture, western Japan. They are ordinary commuter railways today, but they were once heavily used by worshippers and pilgrims visiting temples and shrines, which most people overlook these days.
Kotohira Line is the longest and most used one amongst the three lines, connecting Takamatsu-Chikko (which is close to JR Takamatsu station and the port) and Kotoden-Kotohira. The line is 32.9 km (20.4 miles) long, and a journey on the entire line takes about an hour.
Kotohira is a town known for the largest shrine in the region called Kotohira Shrine (also known as Kompira shrine), which has been one of the most famous and authoritative patrons of maritime transport in the country for more than 400 years. Ferries and boats are not as common today as they used to be, but the shrine still attracts millions of sailors and tourists every year.
Kotohira Electric Railway opened in 1926, and extended to Kotohira in the following year to transport visitors to the shrine. It was one of four railways constructed for the shrine, showing how high the demand was back then. Even after Kotoden was established in 1943 amidst the war, Kotohira Line remained an important railway in the region. However, as the visitors gradually shifted to road transport, Kotoden has concentrated on local residents going to work, school or for shopping rather than tourists coming from other part of the country.
Even so, not a few visitors to the shrine still use the line. Kotohira station is also served by JR Dosan Line, but Kotoden outweighs JR when it comes to a journey between Takamatsu and Kotohira. To put it simply, Kotoden is more convenient and cheaper.
Nagao Line is a 14.6 km (9 miles) long railway that branches off at Kawaramachi, opened in 1912 by Takamatsu Electric Tramway. The line is mostly in residential area, used by commuters and students during rush hours but quiet at off-peak times.
Nagao Line had been used by pilgrims visiting Nagao-ji temple, one of the 88 temples of the Shikoku Pilgrimage. It was so hard that not a few pilgrims lost their lives in the past, but it gradually became a casual trip as railways and roads were built. Nagao Line was part of it.
The number of pilgrims has declined over decades, but the number of foreign tourists visiting temples is gradually increasing, probably because The New York Times referred to it in 2015.
Shido Line is a 12.5 km (8 miles) long railway connecting Kawaramachi and Kotoden-Shido, opened in 1911 by Tosan Electric Tramway. According to Kotoden's official website, both Nagao and Shido Lines were initially served by small trains for tourists. Shido Line lies close to the sea, attracting both tourists and local residents going on an outing.
Kotoden-Shido is close to Shido-ji, another temple that is part of the Pilgrimage. In addition, two more temples, namely Yakuri-ji and Yashima-ji, are close to Yakuri and Kotoden-Yashima stations on the line. There is even a funicular near Yakuri station, which transports not only pilgrims to the temple but also those going for hiking. There was also another funicular at Yashima, though it was closed 20 years ago.
Yashima is known for an old battlefield. There was Battle of Yashima on 22 March 1185, in which the Minamoto and Taira clans fought against each other (Genpei War). This battle is also well known in Japanese literature (Tale of the Heike), which almost of all Japanese students at secondary school learn.
Not a few Japanese people focus on the battlefield, but Yashima-ji should not be forgotten. While the funicular has already been closed, there is a bus from JR Shido or Kotoden-Shido stations, making it easy to access to the temple.
Kotoden might just be a mundane rural railway with old-fashioned trains at first glance, but given its history and connection with religion, it might look a little more interesting. Note that these temples and the shrine are places of worship, so any boisterous or disturbing behaviour is not accepted.
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| Blue: Tokaido Shinkansen Orange: Chuo Main Line |
Nagoya is the fourth largest city in Japan with approximately 2.34 million people. It is 267 km (166 miles) west of Tokyo, but because of topographical reasons, railways and roads connecting the two cities exceed 320 km (200 miles). Most travellers between the two cities rely on Tokaido Shinkansen, the oldest high-speed rail in the world, as it takes just 1.5 hours and trains run every 4-10 minutes at the daytime.
It is often overlooked that there are two more railways that directly connect Tokyo and Nagoya. Tokaido Main Line, which largely parallels the Tokaido Shinkansen, still serves the cities. Whilst most passengers have already shifted to the Shinkansen, Tokaido Main Line is still important for freight trains. In addition, Chuo Main Line also plays role in these cities, though very few people use it to travel between Tokyo and Nagoya. This article focuses on Chuo Main Line, and whether it is worth to choose this route.
Like Tokaido Main Line, Chuo Main Line starts from Tokyo station. Chuo Line is well known in Tokyo for orange and overcrowded commuter trains. Intercity services, Limited Express Azusa and Kaiji, run along with the commuter trains. Azusa is faster and goes farther, as it connects Tokyo or Shinjuku and Matsumoto.
Most Azusa services are provided by E353 series, which might look a little bizarre but quite new and thus clean. Even amidst the labour shortage, an onboard trolley service with foods and drinks is available on most trains.
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| From ruins of Kofu Castle |
After leaving Takao in the western end of Tokyo Metropolis, the train dives into mountains. Major stations on Chuo Main Line include Otsuki (where Fujikyu Railway, which is highly popular amongst foreign tourists visiting Mt Fuji), Kofu (the capital of Yamanashi Prefecture) and Kami-Suwa (which is close to Lake Suwa).
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| A little vineyard at Shiojiri station platform |
There has been no regular direct service between Tokyo and Nagoya since the 1960s, so at least one transfer is required. In most cases, it is necessary to change trains at Shiojiri station in Nagano Prefecture, which is about 2.5 hours from Shinjuku by Azusa. It is one of a few "border stations" where operational border of JR East and JR Central exists. That is why, the line is sometimes divided into Chuo East Line (Tokyo - Shiojiri, JR East) and Chuo West Line (Shiojiri - Nagoya, JR Central).
Shinonoi Line, which goes on to Matsumoto and Nagano, branches off here. Since not just Azusa but also many regional services on Chuo East Line start from or terminate at Matsumoto, some people misunderstand that Matsumoto is part of Chuo Main Line.
There is another limited express train called Shinano, running between Nagano and Nagoya via Matsumoto and Shiojiri. 383 series is used for Shinano, and the rolling stock was first introduced nearly 30 years ago, so some units look shabby. A brand new train called 385 series is due to be introduced in financial year 2026.
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| (A typical post towns in Japan) |
Stations on the western part of Chuo Main Line are mostly smaller than those in the Greater Tokyo Area. A few of them in Nagano Prefecture, Narai for example, are close to post towns in the 17th to 19th centuries. Old wooden buildings have been preserved in some places and become tourist spots.
After leaving Nakatsugawa, the towns by the line look more like suburb residential areas than countryside. From Kozoji to the west, the line gets increasingly busy with long commuter trains. Shinano arrives at Nagoya station two hours after leaving Shiojiri.
It takes about 5 hours in total from Tokyo to Nagoya via Chuo Main Line, about 3.5 hours longer than Tokaido Shinkansen. Nevertheless, only one transfer is necessary, and both Azusa and Shinano run hourly, so it is not difficult to complete the journey.
However, the total cost of Chuo Main Line route is almost the same as Tokaido Shinkansen, as the Chuo route is longer than Shinkansen not just by duration but also actual distance, and requires two separate limited express tickets. Therefore, it should be noted that the Chuo route is just for those wishing to try a different route or those fed up with a boring Shinkansen journey, not for anyone looking for a cheaper alternative.
There are many laws concerning the railway business in Japan, and Act No. 65 of 1900, commonly known as the Railway Operation Act might be interesting. Even though the law remains in force and has partly been amended in 2025, it is written in classical Japanese, making it hard to read for those unfamiliar with law or literature.
The law is short as it only contains around 50 provisions. It regulates basic rules concerning the operation of train services. For example, fares as well as terms and conditions must be published in advance (Article 3), and train operators may refuse to transport gunpowder and other explosive materials (Article 5). Those who board a train without a valid ticket may be fined up to 20,000 yen (Article 29), and those who asked for a donation, sold or distributed something or made a speech without permission may face a fine of no more than 10,000 yen (Article 35).
However, there are a few questionable provisions that might no longer fit for purpose. Here are three examples chosen by the author.
Trains in the Greater Tokyo Area are so crowded in the morning that it is common to see station staff pushing passengers onto an overcrowded train. However, Article 26 of the law stipulates that "Any railway staff member who forcibly let passengers onto an overloaded train shall be punished by a fine of up to 20,000 yen". Do the station staff in the Greater Tokyo Area violate the law every morning?
The answer is no. Railway companies and the authorities have interpreted the law that it does not prohibit passengers from voluntarily boarding an overcrowded train, and the staff are regarded as "merely" assisting them. No railway employees have been charged with the violation of Article 26 for decades, indicating that this provision is no longer effectively enforced.
Article 4 paragraph 1 of the law stipulates that "Any patient with an infectious disease may not board a train except in accordance with rules prescribed by the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. According to Article 41 of the law, anyone who violated Article 4 or concealed the disease shall be punished by a fine of up to 20,000 yen, and fares already paid will not be refunded.
Thus, any COVID-19 patient who knowingly boarded a train technically violated the law, but there has been no report of such incidents. To be exact, there were in fact a few people arrested on a train or at a station whilst having infected with COVID, but they were charged with severer offences such as Forcible Obstruction of Business (Article 234 of the Penal Code). For example, Yomiuri Shimbun reported in January 2022 that a 20-year-old man was arrested after threatening other passengers on a Tokaido Line train with COVID, causing a 15-minute delay.
According to Article 39 of the law, anyone who discharged a gun shall be punished by a fine of up to 20,000 yen. Needless to say, another law regulates the case and thus the Railway Operation Act is almost never used. Act for Controlling the Possession of Firearms or Swords and Other Such Weapons strictly regulates the use of firearms, and Article 3-13 stipulates that unless certain conditions are met, nobody is allowed to discharge a gun at public spaces including roads, parks, stations, theatres, department stores as well as trains and buses. Article 31 provides anyone who violated Article 3-13 shall be punished by imprisonment of more than three years or even life imprisonment, even if no damage to life or property is caused.
Before 1958, Article 39 of the Railway Operation Act did play an important role, but after the Act for Controlling the Possession of Firearms or Swords and Other Such Weapons was promulgated, the Railway Operational Act might no longer be needed in this context.
The Railway Operation Act is an old law, so it is no wonder why many of its provisions now sound outdated. When it comes to serious offences, other laws are likely to be applied with even harsher penalties. Nevertheless, the Railway Operation Act is still valid today, and thus all railway users must comply with the law.
