The Red List of Trains in Japan has been updated with four new articles, namely:
This update contains more significant feature: lager fonts for smartphone version. I have been struggling with small letters on my smartphone screen but it took months to redress the issue. Now the website is easier for smartphone users to read (hopefully) with no major trouble
Unlike other past articles, this is a part of my diary though related to Japanese railways.
Yesterday, I went with a friend of mine to Mt Takao in Tokyo, roughly 30 miles west of Shinjuku station. Takao station is known for de facto terminal for Chuo Line (Rapid) commuter trains, but the mountain is a mile west of the station. Takaosanguchi station on Keio Takao line is the closest to the entrance of the mountain.
Mt Takao is best known for magnificent views in autumn, particularly tree leaves turning red. There is a funicular called Takaosan Cable Car, which starts from a station near Takaosanguchi. Trees have already been red, but this area is not high and cold enough so that the autumn foliage does not look impressive.
The funicular is the steepest railway in Japan with a 608 ‰ (60.8% or 1 in 1.645) slope. The line is just 0.63 miles long but climbs 889 ft. As the train climbs, the slope gets steeper. The train takes just six minutes but it was tough.
There are usually four trains per hour but they run every 10 minutes during busy period. Even so, I had to wait in a queue for 30-40 minutes. There were aerial lifts called Echo Lift near the funicular but the queue was even longer.
The other funicular station is just the halfway to the peak of the mountain. There are a small museum, botanical garden and a monkey zoo, temples and shrines, but the best place for the autumn leaves is further away, which takes an hour on foot.
Most tourists stop at the peak and turn back, but there is a great place called Momijidai that is about 10 minutes more.
There are several walking trails that go further, but they are not recommended to those who just plan to visit the mountain with T-shirt and sandals during a day-trip. Otherwise, you may eventually end up in a rescue helicopter.
Takaosanguchi station is less than an hour from Shinjuku station by Keio line trains. The funicular is crowded during the high season, and we were told to wait for 70-90 minutes on the way home (4 pm on Friday) so that we gave up getting on a train and walked down the mountain, taking roughly 30 minutes. The queue must be even longer on Saturdays and Sundays.
On 25 April, a refurbishment programme at Seibu Railway's Ikebukuro station in Tokyo has been completed. Platforms 1 and 2 now look like King's Cross station in London. Seibu carried out the construction as Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo - The Making of Harry Potter opened at Toshimaen.
Signboards are replaced with new ones, some of which have a broomstick icon.
A brick pattern on the wall might attract Japanese tourists, even though it is clearly a fake and does not look real at all. There are several features at Ikebukuro station which King's Cross does not have, such as platform edge doors and obnoxiously vivid advertisements.
Seibu 20000 series with Harry Potter advertisements. Pictures of the three main characters must be taken in around 2002 when the film Chamber of Secret was released.
This is the genuine King's Cross, probably one of the most famous railway station in the world. Not only walls and pillars but also the high ceiling make the station magnificent.
Compared to London King's Cross, "Ikebukuro King's Cross" does not look majestic or glorious. Needless to say, imitation can never beat the original. However, it should not be forgotten that Ikebukuro station platforms are designed for children visiting Toshimaen. Even the imitation might be attractive enough for those are on a way to the amusement park and diving into the world of magic. Probably some children would be interested in British culture, and one day visit London to see the real King's Cross station.
Kotoden (Takamatsu Kotohira Railroad) is a small private railway in Kagawa Prefecture, western Japan. There are three lines: Kotohira line (the longest and busiest), Nagao line and Shido line. The network is precisely 60 km (37.3 miles) long with 53 stations in total. There are 80 train carriages for passenger use, all of which are second-hand trains of Keikyu, Keio or Nagoya City Subway. This company has been accused of poor maintenance of facilities especially level crossings.
According to the local media, Shikoku Transport Bureau, a part of Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism ordered investigation on 30th June of a broken down level crossing on Nagao line. On 11th April at around 4 pm, the level crossing did not activate when a train entered it, which could have caused a serious accident. Kotoden later conceded that a deteriorated fuse prevented the level crossing from working. The fuse, which was supposed to be replaced with a new one every 10-15 years, had been in use for nearly 40 years. The company replaced 454 old fuses in accordance with the order.
On 13 July at 11:30 am, less than two weeks after the order was issued, a Kotohira line level crossing did not respond when a train was approaching. The train stopped just in front of the level crossing, but TBS reported that another train passed the crossing a few minutes earlier despite barriers and bells were not working. It meant that the driver failed to check if the track was securely cleared. The company later acknowledged that the level crossing controller was somehow shut down at that time.
Furthermore, a similar incident took place at another Kotohira line level crossing on 19 August. In this case, two trains passed the crossing at a speed of 50-60 km/h and drivers failed to respond a signal warning them of abnormality. In spite of instructions by managers, the drivers did not take them seriously.
It was the seventeenth critical incident since 2015, and resulted in resignation of the president. Even after that, multiple videos of level crossings with bells and barriers not working in spite of an approaching train have been viral, indicating that the company has failed to deal with repeated troubles.
Why have there been so many serious incidents? In the August case, the barrier was 20 years old despite its manufacturer recommended replacing it in 10 years, though the president insisted in a press conference that it must not have been an issue. His statement clearly shows the lack of will to observe safety rules, and it is also evident that train crews and maintenance workers do not recognise how serious the cases are.
Some people argue that Kotoden's financial difficulties have led to those troubles. It is true that Kotoden once went bankrupt in 2001 after unsuccessful investment in a redevelopment project with a department store. However, Kotoden has been doing quite well in recent years (with significant amount of subsidies), as its railway sector recorded a profit of 13 million yen even with the aftermath of COVID. The company estimated in June that there would be much more profit in the next term. These facts show that Kotoden is not a company on the verge of bankruptcy, and it could have been able to do far better than what we see today.
It would take weeks or months for the things to be fixed even if Kotoden decides to deal with the poorly maintained facilities. In the meantime, it is essential for everyone in the area, both car drivers and pedestrians, to exercise increased caution. It is reminded that Article 33 paragraph 1 of the Road Traffic Act provides as follows:
"Before going over a railroad crossing, the driver of a vehicle or streetcar must stop immediately in front of the railroad crossing (or immediately in front of any stop line established by road signs or markings; the same applies hereinafter in this paragraph) and must not proceed until after checking that it is safe to do so..."
There is a good reason why driving schools in Japan instruct that the driver should open a window to hear if a train is approaching in addition to look both sides of the track. Not everyone observe them in these days, but it is important to exercise them especially when level crossings are not reliable.
Enoden is a small private railway in the ancient capital of Kamakura, and the railway itself is recognised as a tourist spot. There are many places to visit, such as Hase-dera (temple), The Great Buddha and Enoshima. In these days, many Slam Dunk (a basketball manga) fans from other countries such as China and South Korea visit a level crossing near Kamakurakokomae station.
Trains run along a beach. Sadly, the Sagami Bay (also known as the sea of Shonan) has been infamous for being dirty mostly because of pollution. Even so, there are a few places where magnificent scenery is available. Shichirigahama Beach is one of them.
When it is sunny, you can see the sunset and the island of Enoshima. When it is clear and dry, you can even see Mt. Fuji as well.
As time passes, the colour of the sky changes dramatically. These photos were taken in less than an hour, but look very different. Which one is your favourite?
Shichirigahama station is approximately 16 minutes from Kamakura, seven minutes from Enoshima and 20 minutes from Fujisawa by an Enoden train. Trains run every 14 minutes except in the early morning and late at night. The beach is just 200 yds from the station.
On Monday 3 April, my parents and I enjoyed a 34-minute journey on Kintetsu Aoniyoshi, a sightseeing train in ancient capitals in Japan. Unlike other articles on this blog, I wrote my thoughts about this sightseeing train which is popular among tourists below.
Aoniyoshi was rebuilt in 2022 from an old intercity train called 12200 series New Snack Car, which dated back to the late-1960s. Aoniyoshi was renumbered to 19200 series, and there is only one unit. It was originally built in 1975, and it is known for being used by not only Emperor Hirohito but also Queen Elizabeth II.
Aoniyoshi is painted purple, the colour that aristocrats in Heian Period (794-1185) regarded as the noblest, with Raden patterns (the decorative technique using pearl shells). Seats were specifically designed by a furniture manufacturer. Windows became larger and the train became fully-accessible. The train capacity is 84 passengers, while it was originally 260.
There are two types of accommodation: "twin-seat" and "salon". Both classes charge the same special fares, but they are affordable enough for tourists. For example, the journey I took from Kyoto to Nara took 1,300 yen per person, of which 570 yen for a basic fare ticket and 730 yen for the special Aoniyoshi ticket.
This is the "twin-seat" for an individual or a group of two. Seats on coaches 1, 3 and 4 are all like this. It might be difficult to figure out from the photo above, but lights and walls have their own patterns. There is a designated seat for wheelchair users on coach 3.
Coach 2 has Salon seats, which are effectively compartments though there is no door between the seats and the corridor. It is for a group of 3-4 people, and there are only three rooms. Salon is very popular and thus difficult to make a reservation, so I had to purchase tickets online seconds after they were available (i.e. 10 am on the day a month before).
There is a little shop selling refreshments on coach 2, but there was a long queue. Since the journey only takes half an hour, it might not be wise to spend too much time here.
It is worth noting that a partition has several patterns, and I presume that both of them are related to something traditional. Such features can be seen everywhere on the train including carpets.
There is a card available only on this train, and it can be collected at the shop on coach 2. It proves that you have actually been on Aoniyoshi. It is free of charge, so you should never miss it.
There was only one thing that was regrettable. The noise and vibrations clearly showed that the train was, despite its appearance, nearly 50 years old. I am afraid that Aoniyoshi was far less comfortable than newer trains. Had the journey lasted more than an hour, it would have been a little exhausting.
Even so, the train journey was fun and the time has passed quickly. Since the fares were not ridiculously expensive, I felt it was absolutely good value for money. I was glad to see that both my parents enjoyed the trip.
Aoniyoshi runs between Osaka-Namba or Kyoto and Kintetsu-Nara daily except Thursdays, but schedules might be revised. Those who wish to take the train are advised to check official websites in advance and book tickets online wherever possible.
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;
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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:
In June 2010, Keikyu 1000 series retired after being in service for more than 50 years. The 1000 series was known as the most numerous "type" (but not "series") among all private railways’ trains, and it was the most well-known Keikyu train.
Meanwhile in Kagawa Prefecture (western Japan), a small private railway called Takamatsu-Kotohira Electric Railroad (hereinafter referred to as Kotoden) has been using resold-1000 series since 1988, but the company had never shown interest in the former owner of the trains. In 2018-21, a unit was covered with an advertisement of Keikyu services to and from Haneda Airport in Tokyo, but it obviously looked very different from the original livery of Keikyu 1000 series.
Therefore, Kotoden Charter Association, a group of Keikyu enthusiasts, decided to initiate a crowdfunding programme to restore a train to the original style. Since it was regarded by Kotoden as a train advertisement, it costed 15m yen (approx. 136k USD) for a two-year contract. This train ran Kotohira Line from 2019 to 2021.
The group carried out another crowdfunding in 2020 to repaint 1200 series (ex-Keikyu 700 series), and it was successful with a donation of 12m JPY (approx. 112k USD) in total. It ran Kotohira Line as well in 2020-21, and it sometimes joined to the other Keikyu-coloured train to be formed of four coaches, which reminded railway enthusiasts of what the old trains were used to be until the 2000s.
Moreover, the group successfully conducted the third crowdfunding to repaint another train on Nagao Line, which has been in service since 2022. This time there was a donation of roughly 9.7m JPY (approx. 84k USD). This unit No. 1305 was the last Keikyu 1000 series and its number is, as it happened, unchanged even today. This red train is scheduled to be operational until April.
Unlike in the United Kingdom, train preservation is not common in Japan due to various reasons including strict safety rules so that there had been very few cases that railway enthusiasts involved in restoring old trains for passenger services. However, things are gradually changing: thanks to crowdfunding services, railway enthusiasts have been more active than before to preserve their favourite trains since the late-2010s as companies cannot always maintain trains without trainspotters' help. Even if not like those in Britain, Japanese railway enthusiasts can contribute to railway companies than before not to allow trains just disappearing. The three successful projects by Kotoden Charter Association was probably one of the impetuses to change nerds' attitude.
Kyoto was once very well known for trams. Kyoto City Tram opened in 1895 as the very first electric railway in Japan, but all lines were closed by 1978 amid heavy traffic jams. However, there are a few trams in the ancient capital, one of which is Keifuku (also known as Randen). Keifuku has two lines: Arashiyama Main Line and Kitano Line. Both lines are used by commuters, students and tourists.
Services are generally formed of a single tramcar, but a few during rush hours are formed of two. Furthermore, when the city is crowded by tourists, all services consist of two cars at the weekend. November is the best season for watching autumn foliage so that many people from nearby cities and prefectures visit Arashiyama area.
In such a case, a rare train can be seen. Keifuku's trains have been painted purple since 2010 (with few exceptions), but this one is still painted dark ivory and dark green, the traditional livery dating back to 1936. No. 301 is the only operational car that still keeps its original livery, and it usually runs only during rush hours.
Arashiyama is famous for magnificent views from Sagano Scenic Railway. Kyoto is an ancient capital, but also a place where railway trip brings you a lot of fun.
If you have been on a train in Tokyo, you might have heard of Rinkai line at least once. JR East's onboard English announcement calls it "Tokyo Rinkai Kosoku Tetsudo Rinkai Line", which is merely a transliteration of the official Japanese name. This is frankly absurd, as there is an official English name, Tokyo Waterfront Railway. Anyway, there is a railway called Rinkai Line.
However, there is another Rinkai line in Tokyo, which is officially called Tokyo Rinkai Shin-Kotsu Rinkai Line. Aren't they the same? No, they aren't. Are they operated by the same company? No, they aren't. Do they serve the same area? Yes, they do. What a confusing story it is!
Tokyo Waterfront Railway Rinkai Line – which I would call it the "genuine Rinkai Line" - is, however, not registered on public documents. Its official name is "Rinkai Fukutoshin Line" (lit. Waterfront Subcentre Line). The line was called as such when it opened in 1996, but it has been called Rinkai Line since 2000 (otherwise it must be extremely confusing especially after Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line was opened in 2008). Rinkai Line connects Osaki (an interchange station with JR Yamanote Line) and Shin-Kiba (an interchange station with JR Keiyo and Tokyo Metro Yurakucho lines). As the word "waterfront" suggests, trains run newly developed areas very close to Tokyo Bay.
More than 99% of the entire population have never heard of Tokyo Rinkai Shin-Kotsu Rinkai Line (lit. "Tokyo Waterfront New Transit Rinkai Line"), but not a few people know its nickname: Yurikamome. It is an automated guided transit, perhaps the most famous one in Japan. Yurikamome opened in 1995, about five months earlier than TWR Rinkai Line (the "genuine" one). Today, Yurikamome connects Shimbashi and Toyosu, and many foreign tourists have also visited the area before the pandemic.
Are these two lines lie closely? They do. Yurikamome steps across TWR Rinkai Line twice near Daiba and Ariake stations. They run parallel for nearly a mile, though they cannot see each other as TWR Rinkai Line is mostly underground. Ariake station on Yurikamome and Kokusai-tenjijo station on TWR Rinkai Line are the closest interchange, as there are less than 300 yards.
Finally, isn't there a risk of confusion. Mostly no, as 999 out of 1,000 people would not call Yurikamome's official name. In most cases, "Rinkai Line" refers to TWR, not the automated guided transit.
