At a Construction Site of the New Maglev Station

On Friday 17 June, JR Central opened a "square" in front of Hashimoto station in Sagamihara City (Kanagawa Prefecture). Here, Hashimoto station of Chuo Shinkansen has been constructed since 2019, and the construction site can be seen from this mound. It is called Sagamihara Rinia Hiroba (lit. Sagamihara Maglev Square), but hereinafter referred to as the Mound.

The Chuo Shinkansen is the first maglev rail in Japan and is scheduled to open between Shinagawa (Tokyo) and Nagoya in 2027, though it is highly likely to be deferred for several years mainly due to fierce criticism from the Governor of Shizuoka Prefecture. Trains will run at a speed of up to 505 km/h (314 mph).

The Mound is less than a five-minute walk from Hashimoto station (JR and Keio lines), but it is not easy to find its entrance as there are only few small signboards. The Mound is open for public once or twice a week, presumably for local residents. It is not a well-maintained facility so that infants and physically-challenged people might feel it difficult to walk.

Since the most part of the line will be underground, construction workers have been digging the ground to build the new station. It is not possible to see platforms or tracks, but just shows how deep the station will be. Lorries with literally tonnes of excavated soil were slowly moving every minute.

There is a blueprint of the station in the middle of the site. Those who are well-versed in civil engineering might be interested in it.

The Mound is 1,500 sq metres (1,794 sq yards) big. It will be closed in the near future as the construction goes on. According to a staff I spoke to, no decision has been made yet about this land after the construction completes, but it is likely to be a bus terminal and a roundabout.

Sagamihara Rinia Hiroba opens on Fridays and certain Saturdays from 10 am to 4 pm, and is free of charge with no appointment required. Those who plan to visit should check the official calendar in advance, which is available on JR Central website.

50 years on: a comparison (part 2)...Rural railways

Many rural railways in Japan are on the verge of permanent closure as this blog explained last year. Many people insist that it is because of population decline, and blame that the government has been reluctant to save them. However, it must also be noted that the areas with such unprofitable railways are served by well-maintained roads (often motorways), showing that the government has been doing something.

Many of those rural railways were built before the Second World War. As technology advanced and the public lost trust in Japanese National Railways due to severe industrial action in the 1970s, the government decided to shift to road transportation rather than upgrading all existing railways. Hence, roads in rural areas tend to connect towns and cities shorter than railways, and thus local residents hardly use trains in these days.

Then, have railway operators just watched their ridership declining and done nothing? The timetables of 1973 and 2023 indicate that in some cases not only JR but also so-called "third sector" companies, which succeeded unprofitable railways from JNR or JR, have been making efforts to deal with income loss.

Note that all timetables are weekday version and excluding any seasonal trains (i.e regular services only).

Yamagata Railway

KiHa 58 series, a train once used on Nagai Line

Flower Nagai Line is a 20-mile-long third-sector railway in Yamagata Prefecture, which was a part of JR East Nagai Line until 1988. Have services become more or less frequent in the last 50 years?

Akayu station

2023 timetable	1973 timetable
7:06	5:28
7:44	7:09
8:59	8:30
10:47
12:25	11:55
13:05
14:35
15:57	15:25
17:05	16:47
18:36	18:28
19:52	19:38
20:50

The number of services rose by 50%, though there is no service in the early morning today. But this simple comparison does not tell everything. Akayu station is also served by Ou Main Line services to and from Tokyo. The table below shows when Nagai Line trains arrive at Akayu and when connecting services towards Tokyo depart. All services from Akayu to Tokyo are bullet train Tsubasa in 2023, while those in 1973 were either Limited Express Yamabato or Express Zao for Ueno.

2023 timetable	1973 timetable
6:38→6:49
	6:47→8:09
7:18→8:25	7:56→8:09
8:30→9:26
9:12→9:26	9:22→10:13
11:29→13:27
12:39→13:27	12:13→14:07
14:16→14:27
15:22→15:27	15:09→15:21
16:46→17:28	17:33→17:36
18:15→18:27
19:26→19:56	19:15→N/A
20:38→21:07	20:34→N/A

The table shows that train connection is not always perfect in both 2023 and 1973. I have looked for the opposite direction (Tokyo to Akayu then Nagai Line) as well as transfers to and from Yamagata, but they were not so different. Still, the current Nagai Line is a little more convenient than JNR Nagai Line in 1973, as there are simply more services than the past.

Isumi Railway

Isumi Railway trains

There are several unprofitable railways in the Greater Tokyo Area too. Isumi Railway, formerly called JR East Kihara Line until 1988, is one of them. Isumi Railway had been known for heritage trains until earlier this year.

The table below shows trains arriving at Ohara station and connecting Sotobo Line services towards Chiba and Tokyo. In the table, "r" means Express Nagisa for Ryogoku, "s" means Express Nagisa for Shinjuku, "t" means Limited Express Wakashio for Tokyo, and "*" means Rapid for Tokyo. Other connecting trains are stopping services for Kazusa-Ichinomiya or Chiba.

Ohara station

2023 timetable	1973 timetable
	5:44→5:47
6:19→6:23	6:31→6:33
7:32→ 7:41t	7:16→7:22
	7:39→ 7:55t
8:19→ 8:21t	8:47→9:44
	9:43→9:44
10:11→ 10:49t	10:31→11:07r
11:29→12:13	11:48→ 12:14s
12:52→13:18
13:37→14:20
14:58→15:20	14:07→ 14:48t
16:21→16:32	16:13→16:18*
17:12→ 17:19t	17:24→17:28
18:30→18:34	18:30→18:32
19:20→19:34	19:26→19:34
20:57→21:28	20:45→20:48

It seems that both the rural railway and connecting Sotobo Line trains have become less useful in 50 years. The number of Isumi/Kihara Line services decreased and the connection became inconvenient. It might not be easy for students who live by Isumi Railway and go to school using JR Sotobo Line in these days.

Nagaragawa Railway

KiHa 40 series, a train once used on Etsumi South Line

Nagaragawa Railway in Gifu Prefecture has been encouraging tourists to visit the area by rail in these days. In that case, it might be useful to consider about how it is convenient for tourists from Gifu and Nagoya. The table below shows, unlike the other two railways above, when JR Takayama Main Line trains arrive and connecting trains for the scarcely populated area depart.

The table is complicated. With regard to Takayama Main Line services, G means stopping service from Gifu, and N means Limited Express Hida or Express Norikura from Nagoya. With regard to Etsumi South Line services, "g" means trains for Gujo-hachiman, "h" means Hokuno, "m" means Minoshi, "y" means Yunohoraonsenguchi, "*" means Minoshirotori.

Mino-Ota station

2023 timetable	1973 timetable
6:11G→6:26h	N/A→5:45h
N/A→6:54m	6:18G→6:48g
7:04G→7:20y
7:28G→7:47m
7:56G→8:12*	8:10G→8:18g
8:26N→9:04m	Okumino, 9:37h
9:22N→9:56h
11:28N→11:35h
12:26N→12:54*	12:27G→13:25h
14:17G→14:27g
15:29N→15:34h	15:02N→15:16h
15:53G→16:18y	16:28G→16:48h
16:19G→16:46h
17:27G→17:33h	1737G→17:44*
17:57G→18:02y
N/A→18:25h	Direct service, 18:33h
19:00N→19:05y
19:30G→19:36*	19:55G→20:20*
20:19G→20:34m
21:02N→21:11*
21:53G→21:59m
22:20G→22:28m

Note that there were two direct services from Nagoya or Gifu in 1973: Express Okumino from Nagoya to Hokuno (departing Mino-Ota at 9:37) and a stopping service from Gifu to Hokuno (departing Mino-Ota at 18:33).

It seems that Nagaragawa Railway has achieved a significant improvement even amid the decline in ridership. However, it must be borne in mind that Nagaragawa Railway has been regarded as an alternative to Meitetsu Minomachi Line, a tram line that was permanently closed in 2005. Thus, the overall ridership must have dropped as population declined and local residents have shifted to their own cars. Even so, it is laudable that the company has been focusing on good connection with JR Takayama Main Line.

Kyoto Tango Railway

287 series, which is also used for Limited Express Hashidate

Kyoto Tango Railway, formerly known as Kitakinki Tango Railway, has two lines in northern Kyoto Prefecture. This article focuses only on Miyazu Line since Miyafuku Line was under construction in 1973. Miyazu Line has been served by not only regional stopping services but also intercity trains to and from Kyoto, but it is not easy to compare between 2023 and 1973. The table below shows stopping services from Nishi-Maizuru towards Amanohashidate and Toyooka.

In this table, "a" means trains for Amino, "m" means Mineyama, "tg" means Tango-Yamada, "ty" means Toyooka and "*" means Miyazu.

Nishi-Maizuru station

2023 timetable	1973 timetable
	4:32ty
6:17ty	6:39ty
7:01ty	7:45tg
7:45a
8:42a	8:31ty
9:44t
10:37a	10:10ty
11:37ty
12:37ty	12:30ty
13:37m
14:37ty	14:50ty
15:37ty
16:37ty	16:08ty
17:37ty	17:46ty
18:37ty	18:40tg
19:37ty	19:49*
20:35ty
21:59a	21:29tg
22:33*

It is clear that Kyoto Tango Railway has been making great efforts to provide hourly services except in the early morning and late at night in spite of population decline and a new motorway (Maizuru-Wakasa Expressway) in the area.

How about intercity services? As Miyafuku Line was opened in 1988, services to and from Kyoto run different routes today compared to those in 1973. Even so, the number of services and journey time are worth looking into. The tables below show Amanohashidate station, which is close to a famous and popular tourist spot with the same name.

Amanohashidate station (2023)

	Departing at	Arriving at
Hashidate 2	9:50	12:07 (Kyoto)
Hashidate 4	13:47	16:06 (Kyoto)
Hashidate 6	15:51	18:07 (Kyoto)
Hashidate 8	18:08	20:21 (Kyoto)

Amanohashidate station (1973)

	Departing at	Arriving at
Tango 2	7:04	9:49 (Kyoto)
Tamba 3	9:08	13:04 (Osaka)
Tango 4	10:18	13:00 (Kyoto)
Tango 5	14:44	17:37 (Kyoto)
Tamba 4	16:05	19:51 (Osaka)
Asashio 4	17:40	19:59 (Kyoto)

There are four limited express services today, but there were six services in 1973. However, it might not be fair to assert that the intercity services became inconvenient in the last 50 years. Express Tamba and Tango (very confusing names) ran different routes so that their duration was very different: Tamba ran via Fukuchiyama, Sasayamaguchi, Sanda and Takarazuka (Fukuchiyama Line), while Tango (and Limited Express Asashio) ran via Ayabe and Sonobe (San'in Main Line). The current Limited Express Hashidate services call at Fukuchiyama, but overall they run routes similar to Tango.

Today, trains from Amanohashidate to Kyoto take roughly 30 minutes shorter than those in 1973. Since trains between Kyoto and Osaka take only 30 minutes, Tamba route is apparently no longer useful. Hence, services in 2023 became slightly more convenient than 50 years ago.

Imbi Line

KiHa 120 series, a train currently used for Imbi Line

Finally, this article looks into Imbi Line between Chizu and Higashi-Tsuyama, one of the most unprofitable sections in western Japan. This area has been a scarcely populated region for centuries, but it was a part of main route connecting Okayama and Tottori until when Chizu Express opened in 1994. As all intercity services have shifted to the new railway, Imbi Line has been on the verge of permanent closure for more than 20 years.

The table below shows southbound services at Chizu station. "o" means trains for Okayama, "t" means Tsuyama. Bold ones are Express Sakyu.

Chizu station

2023 timetable	1973 timetable
	5:52o
6:15t
8:17t	8:16o
	8:52o
	11:36o
12:54t	12:09o
	13:41o
	15:37o
16:29t	16:39o
17:57t	17:34o
19:24t	19:20o
20:57t	20:45t

Even without intercity services (Express Sakyu), it is patently obvious that the the railway in this region has become useless. Even though the number of regional services look almost the same, trains in the daytime have been cut dramatically. This is not only because of the population decline but also the extension of National Route 53. The road is well-maintained and cars can run faster than trains so that Imbi Line has become the dishonourable symbol of decline.

Since this article is not an academic essay, and focused only on five lines out of many rural railways in Japan, it is hard to come to conclusion. However, it is clear that not a few train operators have made their services more convenient than 50 years ago, and nobody should simply accuse those companies of taking no measures to maintain trains.

There are two possible implications: those with infrequent and few services could be improved by providing more trains, or it is already too late to save them. As many cities, towns and villages have to decide whether or not to maintain railways with huge amount of subsidies, they should carefully think if the railways can still be saved.

The Red List of Trains in Japan (Mar-2023 update)

The Red List of Trains in Japan has been updated with 8 new articles. More importantly, many existing articles have the latest information reflecting the annual timetable revision that took place on Saturday 18th March. For instance:

In Hokkaido, KiHa 283 series has been reinstated as Limited Express Okhotsk and Taisetsu, replacing KiHa 183 series of Japanese National Railways;

JR East 651 series, once known as Super Hitachi and until recently used for Limited Express Akagi and Kusatsu, retired;

JR Central KiHa 85 series was withdrawn from Limited Express Hida;

And the biggest railway project in a decade, Sotetsu and Tokyu Shin-Yokohama Lines finally opened and the new through-services to and from Tokyo were launched.

In addition, there were many more minor changes on train allocation and future prospects of certain trains.

Finally, the new eight articles are as follows:

• Hankai Mo 161 series
• Hankai Mo 351 series
• Hankai Mo 501 series
• Hankai Mo 601 series
• Hankai Mo 701 series
• Hankai 1001 series Sakai Tram
• Hankai 1101 series
• Yokohama Subway 4000 series

60-year-old trains

Turning 60 has a special meaning in East Asian culture. It is called jiazi in Chinese, hwangap in Korean and kanreki in Japanese (please leave a comment what is it called in other Asian countries, if it exists). Countries in East and Southeast Asia use traditional zodiac calendar, and it is well known that there is a 12-year cycle. In addition, there is another cycle with five different elements and attached to the 12-cycle. It means that the traditional sexagenary cycle is consisted of sixty patterns in total (twelve times five). Thus, the cycle completes every 60 years so that people celebrate either the 60th or the 61st birthday.

Being 60 years old or more is not rare in these days as life expectancy is far longer today than in the past, but kanreki is still regarded as something to celebrate. Hence, we should celebrate some trains in Japan which turn 60 this year and wish their longevity.

First of all, JNR 103 series. It was developed by Japanese National Railways and it was the most numerous train in Japanese history, with roughly 3,500 carriages were introduced in total to various commuter rails in major cities in Tokyo and Osaka areas. Many famous railways in Japan such as Yamanote line were once served only by the 103 series.

The first unit of the 103 series was introduced in March 1963, but it is hard to believe now that this commuter train was once predominant on JNR or JR network, as only a few units remain in Hyogo Prefecture today. There are also several units on Chikuhi line in Fukuoka Prefecture, but they do not look like genuine 103 series, as if being completely a different type.

JNR 113 series was once the most successful suburban train in Japan. The first unit was registered for mainline use in December 1963. The 113 series was mass-produced and introduced to various lines in Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka areas amid sharp increase in demand.

JR East, Central and Shikoku have already withdrawn all trains, but JR West still uses more than 20 four-carriage units in Kyoto and Okayama areas. However, the number those in Kyoto (Kusatsu and Kosei lines) will be dramatically declined or even they will possibly retire in March 2023, as redundant 223 series trains are gradually reallocated from Hanwa line to Kyoto area. Those in Okayama are also subject to be replaced with brand new 227 series from later this year.

This is JNR 115 series , and the first set of trains was introduced in January 1963. Unlike the 113 series, the 115 series was designed for railways with steep slopes and tight curves, but both series look almost the same. The 115 series was also introduced to various lines in the Greater Tokyo Area (mostly north Kanto region), Niigata, Nagano, Okayama and Hiroshima areas, as well as a few lines in Shizuoka Prefecture. The 115 series had been known until the early-2010s, as one of the most common rolling stock developed by JNR as JR companies were reluctant to invest in suburban trains in areas with fewer population than Tokyo and Osaka.

However, the number sharply declined in the 2010s as both JR East and West replaced the 115 series with newer trains. Today, JR West uses more than 150 carriages in Okayama and Yamaguchi areas. They are also subject to replacement in the next few years, but unlike other old trains, some 115 series units are likely to remain for a while as they are handy. Shinano Railway also has a few trainsets, and they are scheduled to be replaced with SR 1 series by no later than 2027.

Tobu 8000 series should not be forgotten. The 8000 series entered service on 1 November 1963 and used on the entire Tobu network except unelectrified Kumagaya line (closed in 1983) and freight lines. The series was known for the most numerous rolling stock in history of Japanese private railways.

The 8000 series dwindled in the 2000s and 2010s, but still many of them are operational on Noda line and other branch lines. The company will introduce brand new trains to Noda line from around 2024, but those on small branch lines might remain until the late-2020s.

These four types of trains have turned or will turn 60 this year. However, it must be noted that all of them were mass-produced for about 20 years. It means that when it comes to the youngest trains, only 40 years have passed since introduction (though still pretty old enough). As noted above, many trains have already been withdrawn so that one might think that operational trains are in fact not 60 years old.

That is mostly right. Here are the oldest operational carriages of the four types aforementioned:

	Carriage no.	Date of built
103 series	KuHa 103-247	19 Jul 1973
113 series	KuHa 111-5703	4 Jun 1974
115 series	MoHa 114-316	4 Oct 1974
8000 series	8111	30 Nov 1963

Unit no. 8111 (preserved 8000 series)

8111 (and three more carriages in the same trainset) is the oldest, and it is likely to turn 60 in November. This is going to be the genuine kanreki train within months. However, this unit is a preserved train owned by Tobu Railway Museum so that it might not be fair to refer to it. When it comes to a train that is currently for passenger use, 8750 and another carriage in the same trainset are the oldest as they were registered on 23 April 1969.

Finally, while kanreki is something to celebrate, I must say that those railway companies are unlikely to hold any kind of event at present…what a shame!

A shortcut to Keiyo Line platforms

E233 series on Keiyo Line

Keiyo Line is a commuter rail in Tokyo, owned and operated by JR East. It is 32 miles long and connects Tokyo and Soga in Chiba Prefecture. There are several important places near the line, including Tokyo Disney Resort and Makuhari Messe. Musashino Line trains also run Keiyo Line tracks to Tokyo station.

An extremely long corridor

Keiyo Line platforms at Tokyo station is notoriously far from other platforms, as if they are different stations. Walking 400 metres (approx. 440 yds) sounds a good exercise but it is surely a nightmare especially when having suitcases. There are lifts, escalators and moving pavements, but it is still a hard work. According to JR East, it takes up to 20 minutes when changing from a Keiyo Line train to other trains and vice versa.

Fortunately, there is a shortcut. Not at Tokyo, but an adjacent station, Yurakucho. Most people do not know that Yurakucho station and Keiyo Line platforms at Tokyo station are very close to each other. In 2016, Toyo Keizai published an English article referring to it. It reads "If your starting point is closer to Yurakucho than Tokyo, you should definitely get off at Yurakucho. Exit this station from the north end called Kyobashi-guchi, and walk across the street heading toward the Tokyo Kokusai (or International) Forum. In about four minutes, you’ll reach the entrance to the Keiyo Line of the JR Tokyo station" (emphasis added)

A "voucher"

This article duly summarised the point, but it lacks the most important fact. You do not have to tap out and tap in at these stations. If you show a ticket or Suica card and tell a station staff at Yurakucho station that you are going to Keiyo Line, the staff gives you a small voucher. If you hand the voucher to another staff at Tokyo station, you can enter without paying extra. To put it simply, both Yurakucho and Tokyo are effectively regarded as one single station. The same applies when going from Tokyo to Yurakucho station.

A Tokyo station entrance inside the International Forum

How long does it take? It is about a five-minute walk. If you go from Yurakucho station, leave the station from Kyobashi exit, cross the road and just go inside the International Forum. There are very few signs, but signboards of Hall C, B and A navigate you. Do not go to any of these halls, but simply go straight, and you will find a staircase. Then, you will find ticket barriers.

This de facto fare exemption is only applicable when you come from or go to a southbound train on Yamanote Line (e.g. Hamamatsucho and Shinagawa, or even beyond). If you are from or going to Tokyo station and beyond, you cannot choose this route and you have to simply change trains at Tokyo station.

It might not look easy, but worth trying it if you use Keiyo Line frequently.

2023 Timetable Changes on JR Network

Details about annual timetable changes have been announced by JR Group. The revision will take place on Saturday 18 March 2023. There will be some further service reduction on several lines as the ridership remains lower than pre-pandemic amidst remote-working culture, but services will be reinstated to the original level on several lines. What are other major differences?

New stations

E233 series

Makuharitoyosuna on Keiyo Line (Chiba Prefecture) and Maegata on Tazawako Line (Iwate Prefecture) will open.

Makuharitoyosuna will be located between Shin-Narashino and Kaihimmakuhari stations. The new station is close to a major commercial district that includes Aeon Mall. The station was initially scheduled to open in around 2024, but the construction completed earlier with less expenditures than planned, an extremely rare success in these days. Four trains per hour will call at this station at off-peak times.

701 series

Maegata will be located between Morioka and Okama, and it is next to another Aeon Mall. According to Morioka City, the station usage is expected to be 1,700 a day, the second busiest station on the rural Tazawako Line after Morioka station. 12-16 trains a day should be calling at this station.

Osaka station

New platforms of Osaka station, commonly known as "Umekita", will open. They effectively constitute a new station on Tokaido Main Line (Umeda freight branch line), which has been used for trains from Shin-Osaka to Hanwa Line and vice versa. Limited Express Haruka (Kyoto - Kansai Airport) and Kuroshio (Shin-Osaka - Shingu via Wakayama and Shirahama) will call at Osaka station, one of the most important station in the second largest city of Japan.

According to JR West, it will take 47 minutes from Osaka station to Kansai Airport, 20 minutes shorter than now. The journey time from Osaka to Wakayama will be cut from 90 to 57 minutes.

Trains in Hokkaido

KiHa 141 series

Brand new 737 series trains will be introduced to stopping services on Muroran Main Line, replacing KiHa 141 series. Furthermore, KiHa 183 series, a type of diesel limited express train developed by Japanese National Railways, will retire.

High-speed trains

E7 series

All Joetsu Shinkansen services will be provided by E7 series, replacing E2 series. The maximum speed of the line will be raised from 240 to 275 km/h (150 to 170 mph), and thus the journey time between Tokyo and Niigata will be shortened by up to seven minutes.

Sotetsu & Tokyu Shin-Yokohama Lines

Sotetsu 20000 series

Through-services between Sotetsu lines and Tokyu lines are scheduled to commence in March 2023 as Sotetsu Shin-Yokohama Line is extended and Tokyu Shin-Yokohama open. JR Group is not the party of these new through-services, but there are some indirect effects on them. For example, JR Central sets a Nozomi service from Shin-Yokohama to Shin-Osaka at 6:03 am, which runs on Mondays and Saturdays.

Train fares

Train fares will be raised, especially limited express services during busy seasons. There are currently three levels of limited express ticket fares: peak-season, normal and off-season. The fares calculated mainly based on travel distance, and the price gets 200 yen higher in peak season, whilst 200 yen cheaper in off season. From 1 April 2023, there will be another level called "busiest season (最繁忙期)", which will be 400 yen more expensive than usual. Each JR companies use their own calendars so that, for example, 1 May 2023 is designated by JR East by the busiest whilst JR Central, West, Shikoku and Kyushu do not.

Furthermore, the discount for limited express tickets will be discontinued in some cases. When you purchase a bullet train ticket and a limited express ticket on conventional lines at the same time, the latter ticket is 50% off. This discount is called " transit discount (乗継割引)", but it will not be applied for some limited express services in Chugoku and Shikoku regions from 1 April 2023.

Permanent closure of a rural line

Rumoi Main Line between Ishikari-Numata and Rumoi (35.7 km, 22 miles) will be permanently closed on 1 April 2023, and the rest of the line (14.4 km, 9 miles) will be closed by 31 March 2026. This is a part of downsizing programme carried out by JR Hokkaido, the Government of Hokkaido and other cities and towns nearby.

This article is merely a summary. For more information, see official documents below (written in Japanese). Further detailed timetables are anticipated to be available by February.

• JR Hokkaido
• JR East
• JR Central
• JR West (overview)
• JR Shikoku (no change will take place)
• JR Kyushu

The Railway in Japan: the 150th Anniversary

On 14th October 1872, the very first railway in Japan opened between Shimbashi and Yokohama, which are now called Shiodome and Sakuragicho, respectively. The railway was supposed to open three days before that, which was 9th September in the lunar calendar, but it was postponed due to a storm. In fact, the line had been in use since 12th June but it was a provisional service, so 14th October is officially set as the birthday of the railway in Japan.

There are several memorials and heritage of the very first railway even today, and this article shows some notable examples that can be found in Tokyo and surrounding prefectures.

Japanese railways in the early days were dependent on the British Empire. One of the most influential person was Edmund Morel (1840-71), a young civil engineer. After graduating King's College London, he engaged in railway construction in the British colonies including Australia, New Zealand and North Borneo. He came to Japan in 1870 with his wife, and he arranged the plan that contributed to saving money (especially foreign reserves) and encouraging domestic industrialisation. He died of tuberculosis at the age of 30, a year before the railway was opened. His grave is located in the Foreigners' Cemetery in Yokohama, and it is designated as a National Railway Memorial.

This is a monument near Sakuragicho station, which was called Yokohama station at that time. Sakuragicho station is about a mile away from the current Yokohama station, but Sakuragicho is actually closer to the port and thus the then city centre. The monument is about a three-minute-walk from Sakuragicho station, but it is not necessarily easy to figure out.

The monument is nearly triangular-prism-shaped, and each side has an illustration of the then-Yokohama station, the first timetable and inscription, respectively.

The English inscription reads:
"The first railway in Japan was opened to traffic here May 7, 1872 (lunar calendar). It operated between the Yokohama Station located on this spot and the Shinagawa Station in Tokyo. The far-sighted endeavour of the men who developed this railway typified the spirit of their times. May their tradition continue to inspire future generations."

As noted above, the first railway was imported from the United Kingdom, and probably that is why the inscription is based on British English, while most English documents in Japan are American one.

Neither station buildings remain today. The original buildings of both stations were destroyed by the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923, but JR East reconstructed the Shimbashi station building in 2003, and it is now a small museum called Former Shimbashi Station. The building itself is less than 20 years old, but its design is based on what was used to be. The ruins of platform can be observed in the museum, though no photograph is allowed inside the building.

There is also a small monument behind the museum, consisted of a platform and tracks. They are obviously not original ones, but they tell us that the very first train departed towards Yokohama exactly at this position. The museum is less than a ten-minute walk from Shimbashi station of today.

The very first locomotive in Japan still exists. It was built in 1871 by Vulcan Foundry, a company in Merseyside (defunct in 1962). The locomotive was initially called "the first locomotive" and renumbered to Class 150 in 1909. The locomotive was used on the line for eight years, then reallocated to Kobe, Nagoya and later Osaka. It was resold in 1911 to Shimabara Railway in Nagasaki Prefecture, where the loco was operational until 1930.

The locomotive had been preserved at Transport Museum in Tokyo since 1936. It was designated as a National Railway Memorial in 1958 and as an Important Cultural Property in 1997. It has been preserved at Railway Museum in Saitama since 2007, and now exhibited near the entrance.

Furthermore, there is another locomotive at a shopping centre CIAL Sakuragicho. This one was built in 1871 by Yorkshire Engine Company (defunct in 1965), and initially called "the tenth locomotive", which was renumbered to Class 110 in 1909. However, Frederick Collier Christy (a locomotive superintendent) soon reported it to Richard Vicars Boyle (an engineer-in-chief) that the No.10 loco was poorly constructed and thus very unreliable. The locomotive was used between Shimbashi and Yokohama for the first eight years, and transferred to Kobe with the No. 1 locomotive, then reallocated to various places including Hokkaido, Nagoya and Toyama. The loco was withdrawn in 1924.

This locomotive had been preserved at Omiya Maintenance Depot until 1962, and moved to Ome Railway Park in the west of Tokyo. As its condition deteriorated, JR East dramatically repaired and restored it to the original style, and installed at its original workplace in 2020.

The above-mentioned memorials are mostly easy to access for tourists. Those visiting Tokyo and Yokohama might be so busy to look around the cities that they have no time to see railway heritage, but they are worth visiting if you like Japanese railways. Most places are open every day and free of charge, but the Railway Museum in Saitama is obviously not. The Foreigners' Cemetery in Yokohama is open on certain Saturdays, Sundays and holidays only, so it is advised to check the calendar online in advance.

Shonan-Shinjuku Line and its rivals

Shonan-Shinjuku Line Map (General)

Shonan-Shinjuku Line is a major railway service in Tokyo, operated by JR East. Like Thameslink in London, Shonan-Shinjuku Line offers services from north to south and vice versa, going through the centre of the capital. It was first commenced in late-2001, and soon expanded again and again. Today, it is regarded as one of the most important and successful railway network in Japan.

Shonan-Shinjuku Line Map (Technical)

Technically, Shonan-Shinjuku Line is not registered on an official document. It consists of several existing lines as shown above. Before the Shonan-Shinjuku Line was launched, almost of all services on those lines started or terminated at Tokyo or Ueno, and all passengers had to take another train to continue their journeys. Shonan-Shinjuku Line, which provides direct services between them, made train journeys in the Greater Tokyo Area far more convenient and less troublesome than ever before.

E231 series for Shonan-Shinjuku Line

As JR East launched the Shonan-Shinjuku Line, rivals had to reconsider their strategies. To be specific, Tokyu and Odakyu have been working hard to win the competition against JR East, many of which have also been successful.

5000 series on Tokyu Toyoko Line

Tokyu Toyoko Line competes with Shonan-Shinjuku Line between Yokohama and Shibuya. Toyoko Line had been served by stopping and express services until March 2001, but Tokyu introduced a faster one (limited express). Tokyu has also been in competition with JR East between Yokohama and Shinjuku or even Ikebukuro since 2013, when through-services of Toyoko Line and Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line started. Tables below show their performance. Both Tokyu and JR East offer their fast services every 15 minutes.

Yokohama - Shibuya

	Journey time	Single fare
JR East	25-28 minutes	400 yen
Tokyu	27 minutes	280 yen

Yokohama - Shinjuku*

	Journey time	Single fare
JR East	30-33 minutes	570 yen
Tokyu	34 minutes	450 yen

*Shinjuku station of JR East and Shinjuku-sanchome station of Tokyo Metro.

Yokohama - Ikebukuro

	Journey time	Single fare
JR East	36-42 minutes	650 yen
Tokyu	41 minutes	480 yen

The tables show that fastest services of Shonan-Shinjuku Line are slightly faster than Tokyu's limited express, but fares are quite different. No wonder why many passengers from Yokohama prefer Tokyu to JR East.

Odakyu 3000 series

Odakyu also competes with Shonan-Shinjuku Line between Fujisawa and Shinjuku as well as Odawara and Shinjuku. Odakyu has been providing Romancecar services, which are even faster but expensive. Thus, the company introduced Shonan Express between Fujisawa and Shinjuku in 2002, which does not require any additional ticket. It was rearranged to Rapid Express in 2004, and most people prefer Odakyu to JR East.

Fujisawa - Shinjuku

	Journey time	Single fare	Frequency
JR East	49 minutes	900 yen	2 per hour
Odakyu	57 minutes	600 yen	3 per hour

Odawara - Shinjuku

	Journey time	Single fare	Frequency
JR East	77 minutes	1,520 yen	1 per hour
Odakyu	89 minutes	900 yen	3 per hour

It is even clearer than the JR-Tokyu competition that Odakyu takes longer but way cheaper than Shonan-Shinjuku Line. A return journey between Odawara and Shinjuku via Odakyu saves more than 1,200 yen, enough to have a wonderful lunch at a restaurant in Tokyo.

Tokyu and Odakyu provide cheaper services, but it does not mean at all that Shonan-Shinjuku Line is useless, as not all passengers can use an alternative option to JR East. In addition, if there had been no Shonan-Shinjuku Line, neither private railways would have changed their timetables with fast and reasonable train services. It might be a rare example of successful competition that is beneficial for railway users.

Green Car, Free of Charge

185 series repainted like a train in the early-60s.

In Japan, some JR trains have first class coaches called Green Car(s). The reason why first class is called as such is because the coaches had a pale green stripe to distinguish themselves from standard class coaches together with a clover mark that is still in use. Japanese National Railways adopted such a livery in 1960, and first class tickets were also green. Since 1969, first class coach has been called Green Car, and JNR removed the pale stripe in 1978.

211 series Green Cars in 2012

In the Greater Tokyo Area, JR East provides Green Car services on its suburban trains. To be specific, Takasaki, Tokaido Main and Utsunomiya Lines (also known as Shonan-Shinjuku or Ueno Tokyo Lines), Sobu Rapid and Yokosuka Lines (including services towards Narita Airport and other relevant lines in Chiba Prefecture) and Joban Line. Green Cars of suburban trains on these lines are now all double-decker.

Needless to say, you have to purchase a Green Car ticket in addition to an ordinary fare ticket. As of 2022, a Green Car ticket for suburban trains in the Greater Tokyo Area costs 580-1,260 yen. The price is cheaper when you purchase at the weekend and before getting on a train.

However, you can take a seat on a Green Car without paying extra in very limited cases, as described below.

Coaches nos. 4 and 5 of E531 series are Green Cars as well

In rare instances, a very few Joban Line trains between Tsuchiura and Iwaki provide de facto free Green Car service. Such a service is never announced in advance. It is said that not a few local residents attempt to be on a "precious" seat, though no light refreshments are available and seats are often set backwards.

E501 series has standard class seating only

Why is there such a case? The reason is simple: because the train is not supposed to have Green Car coaches. Stopping services in this area are provided mainly by E531 series, but some of them are E501 series. Each 10-car E531 series unit has two Green Cars, but no E501 series unit does. When there is a lack of the E501 series, an E531 series train is used instead. Hence, there are free Green Cars.

E231 series on Shonan-Shinjuku Line

There were a few other cases in the past. Some E231 series on Takasaki and Utsunomiya Lines had free Green Cars from 1 Jul to 16 Oct 2004. Furthermore, several E531 series trains on Joban Line had ones as well from 6 Jan to 17 Mar 2007. They were temporary as Green Cars were gradually inserted to all units at that time. Presumably, staffs of JR East considered it would be wise to make them free for a while as they would attract potential passengers paying extra after Green Car service was duly launched.

E233 series on Chuo Line

A similar temporary scheme will possibly be adopted again in Tokyo soon. JR East is preparing for Green Car service on Chuo Line (Rapid), which is scheduled to be launched in March 2025. Since it will take at least several months for all units to have first class coaches, they could be treated as de facto free Green Cars for a while. There is no relevant official announcement from the company so far, but based on precedents, the temporary measure is likely to be adopted in January 2025 – unless JR East is mean enough to shut all doors.