The Queen and Trains in Japan

The demise of the Queen Elizabeth II was a shock in Japan as well, as TVs and newspapers organised special report about her devotion to duties that lasted for more than 70 years. Since the Imperial Family has had a special relationship with the Royal Family since 1869 (with an interruption caused by the Second World War), not a few Japanese people know her and interested in the Royal Family.

Her Majesty has been to Japan in 1975 with Duke of Edinburgh, and she was the very first British monarch to visit the country. During her six-day visit, she got on some trains including Shinkansen high-speed train.

On 10th May, when the Queen was supposed to go from Tokyo to Osaka, then-Transport Minister deeply apologised that she could not use a bullet train due to industrial action, and she had to be on an aeroplane instead. The Queen reportedly said with a smile that she was used to strikes so that there was no need to worry.

Two days later, she could get on a bullet train from Nagoya to Tokyo. The Queen expected that the journey would be as punctual as a clock. With profound regret, the train left Nagoya station with a two-minute delay due to heavy rain, but a well-experienced driver successfully made it. The train arrived at Tokyo station on time. JR Central later quoted her phrase in its advertisement in 1994, "as punctual as a a clock".

She enjoyed the journey on Shinkansen, the then fastest train in the world. NHK uploaded a video taken at that time. A year later, British Rail launched High Speed Train, whose maximum speed was almost equivalent to the Shinkansen.

近鉄特急に乗車したエリザベス女王　運転士への心こもった贈り物とは https://t.co/5KXvgpjmQo

英国のエリザベス女王は、1975年に初めて来日した際、近鉄特急を利用しました。当時の記録によると、運転士らへのこまやかな心遣いがうかがえます。 運転士への贈り物とは何だったのでしょうか。 pic.twitter.com/wviueOB3gt

— 朝日新聞デジタル (@asahicom) September 9, 2022

On 11th and 12th May, she also used Kintetsu to visit Ise Grand Shrine, the holiest and the most important religious site in Japan. The train was Kintetsu 12200 series New Snack Car, which was the newest rolling stock at that time. The Queen gave drivers a "decent present" with words of gratitude.

The 12200 series was operational until 2021. The carriage which the Queen and Prince Philip boarded still remains on the mainline, and it was converted to a sightseeing train Aoniyoshi and re-entered service in 2022. Though the company has not used her name for advertisement, a few local newspapers reported about it earlier this year.

The Queen visited Japan only once, but as a Japanese citizen, I hope that she and her husband enjoyed our country. There are mixed views about the Royal Family, but whatsoever the opinion is, her devotion to duties for over 70 years, which no one could discharge instead of her, should not be underestimated.

Rest in peace, your Majesty.

Extremely-hard ice cream on bullet train

Mt Fuji from a bullet train

A journey on a high-speed train in Japan is always exciting and relaxing. You might put your luggage on an overhead shelf, adjust seat reclining to the most comfortable position, stretch yourself, then look outside from a window and see how the train accelerates. A few minutes after boarding, you might feel a little bit hungry and look for something to eat. Then, a staff with a catering wagon approaches. What would you choose?

Vanilla flavour (sorry, out of focus!)

The most popular choice is probably ice cream, specifically "Super Premium Ice Cream" manufactured by Sujahta Meiraku, a Nagoya-based company. The price depends on flavours but generally between 300 and 400 yen. Both tourists who simply enjoy the journey and businesspeople who regard the bullet train merely as a part of their work ask for the ice cream. It is well known for a good taste and incredible hardness.

Strawberry and Chocolate flavour

In Japan, the term "ice cream" is precisely defined by the 1951 Ministerial Decree Concerning Ingredient and Standard of Milk and Dairy Products. According to the Decree, "ice cream" must contain at rates of 15% of milk solids and 8% of butterfat. Those failing to meet the criteria are classified as "ice-milk" or "lacto-ice".

According to JR-Central Passengers, a company which manages the catering service, the Super Premium Ice Cream is literally premium, and it has been carefully designed for bullet train passengers as Shinkansen is a symbol of Japan, and it probably justifies why it is a little more expensive than other ordinary ice creams, or "quasi" ice creams.

Pistachio flavour

The ice cream is always served when it is so hard that nobody can eat before it melts. Catering staff put ice creams in a small bag with dry ices to keep the products cold enough (-20 to -30 degrees Celsius, or -4 to -22 degrees Fahrenheit). That is why, many Japanese people on Twitter call it "Shinkansen extremely-hard ice cream".

The ice cream had been widely available across the bullet train network in Japan, but sadly JR East and Hokkaido discontinued the catering service on most of their trains. It is still available on Tokaido and San-yo Shinkansen, the route between Tokyo and Hakata via Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima. There are several flavours, but those who try it for the first time are recommended to choose vanilla.

The ice cream is so hard that you must wait for up to 30 minutes before it becomes eatable. Thus, you should not ask for one if you are going to alight the train within 30-40 minutes. Some catering staffs offer a metal spoon that makes the ice cream soft (as it conducts heat), but it is not necessary unless you want it for a souvenir.

Torrential Rains and Rural Lines, a Bleak Future

【米坂線】
坂町駅～米沢駅間の上下線は、当分の間列車の運転を見合わせます。同区間は現時点で運転再開見込みは立っていません。#米坂線　#大雨 pic.twitter.com/K2qoYmCkdH

— JR東日本【信越エリア】運行情報 (公式) (@JRE_Shinetsu_A) August 5, 2022

On 3 August, an extreme torrential rain struck Tohoku and Hokuriku regions in Japan, destroying houses and infrastructure. The rain continued for more than a week, resulted in far more precipitation than average figures observed in August. Aomori, Akita, Yamagata, Fukushima and Niigata Prefectures were hit hard.

Many railways have also been devastated by the torrential rains, and JR East has been investigating and rebuilding them. On 25 August, the company published a document about current situations with photos. Three weeks have passed since the disaster, but not a few of them are yet to be reopened, as listed below. Replacement buses are available on all routes.

• Ban-etsu West Line: Kitakata - Yamato (10 km / 6 mi)
• Gono Line: Iwadate - Kajikazawa (75 km / 47 mi)
• Hanawa Line: Kazunohanawa - Odate (37 km / 23 mi)
• Ou Main Line: Takanosu - Odate (18 km / 11 mi)
• Tsugaru Line: Kanita - Minmaya (29km / 18 mi)
• Yonesaka Line: Imaizumi - Sakamachi (68 km / 42 mi)

All but Ou Main Line are enumerated in a list of "significantly unprofitable railways" (click here for a detailed English summary) which could be subject to a permanent closure. In fact, one of the reasons why an expert committee of the Transport Ministry issued the report was because those lines were vulnerable to natural disasters that are recently intensifying amid the global warming. Thus, local residents and politicians have expressed concerns about the fate of those devastated railways.

Is engineering work on going? According to TBS, JR East estimates that Ou Main Line could be reopened within a few months, possibly about 2-3 months. Fukushima Mimpo reported that JR East, the Japanese Government and the government of Fukushima Prefecture are discussing how to rebuild Ban-etsu West Line, and how much do each parties expend. Hence, these two lines are likely to be restored within a year.

However, the fates of Gono, Hanawa, Tsugaru and Yonesaka Lines are unclear. According to Kahoku Shimpo, Gono and Hanawa Lines are so badly damaged that it would take more than a year to rebuild them. Some parts of Gono Line are still inundated so that engineer workers are unable to investigate the situation. Yamagata Shimbun reported that local governments officially requested JR East to rebuild Yonesaka Line, and JR East acknowledged the importance of the resolution, but it could be lip-service. No new relevant report about Tsugaru Line is heard so far.

JR East will definitely ask local governments for sufficient contribution to those rural railways. All parties consider that the lines should be reopened as soon as possible, but some cities, towns and villages might disagree with reconstruction if it costs tremendously. In that case, the line could be permanently closed and replaced with bus service, which could be allegedly safer, more convenient and cheaper as discussed in the past article.

50-year-old train in the capital

50 years have passed since introduction of London Underground 1972 stock. It entered service on 26 June 1972, and still used on Bakerloo line today. It is now the oldest rolling stock in the country except heritage trains, and Transport for London conceded that their replacement would be in the late-2030s or even in the 40s. There might be mixed views on the stock: some people (mostly railway enthusiasts) love this traditional design dating back to the 1960s, while others (commuters) mourn a bumpy ride and a lack of air-conditioning.

Is there any train for regular service that has been in use for more than 50 years in Tokyo? Yes, it is Tobu 8000 series. It entered service on 1 November 1963, so nearly 60 years have passed since introduction. They were mostly withdrawn from major commuter lines by the 2010s, but there are a few units formed of two coaches on small branch lines in Tokyo, namely Tobu Daishi and Kameido lines. More fleets are used in nearby prefectures like Chiba and Saitama, and they are likely to remain in service for several more years.

There were several more trains until a few years ago such as JNR 115 series (1963-2015), Tokyo Metro 6000 series (1968-2018) and Keikyu 1000 series (1959-2010), but currently Tobu 8000 series is the only one.

There is one more type that will certainly be 50 years old soon: Keisei 3500 series. The 3500 series was first introduced in 1972, and the very first fleet, which was registered on 26 December 1972, is still operational. Since their retirement is not imminent, they will certainly become 50 years old later this year.

Many foreign tourists describe trains in Japan always-shiny, but there are a few old-fashioned trains. Not a few daily users dislike out-of-date rolling stock with weak air conditioning and no information monitor above doors, though some railway enthusiasts like those trains.

The Red List of Trains in Japan (Jul-2022 update)

The Red List of Trains in Japan has been updated with nine new articles as listed below. The website is mostly about trains that are operational today and those in service until around 2010, but I have decided to add a few bullet train articles with photos of static display, as Shinkansen has always been a symbol of Japan.

E6 series

• JNR 0 series bullet train
• JR East 400 series bullet train
• JR East E6 series bullet train
• Saitama Railway 2000 series
• Toyo Rapid 2000 series
• TWR 70-000 series
• TX-1000 series
• TX-2000 series
• TX-3000 series

In addition, I have modified errors on several articles and made others up to date. I hope they are useful.