New Year Greetings 2023

The year 2023 has began.

The last year was not full of happy memories due to fundamental changes of circumstances that affected almost everyone in this world. There might be some difficulties this year as well, but I wish all of you lots of luck and happiness and overcome those obstacles.

Whilst celebrating the dawn of the new year, I would like to notify readers of this blog and followers on Twitter a few things as follows.

About this blog

As I have been busier than before and the number of viewers is dwindling in recent months, I wondered if it was worth keeping this blog regularly updated. Finally, I have decided to update this blog once every TWO weeks from January 2023. I had posted an article every Saturday, but from today, a new article will generally be available on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month. There might be more articles when necessary, for example, when an important announcement has been made by a railway company. I shall inform you via Twitter when a new article is available.

You can also visit my Japanese blog which is updated once every two weeks - the first, third (and fifth) Fridays of each month.

About social media

I have been using Twitter and it is the service I mostly rely on to communicate with other people. However, as concerns about a bleak future of Twitter grow, I have also been using Mastodon since last year. I would be appreciated if you follow my account. Feel free to ask me any question related to railways in Japan or other general topics.

Thank you for your understanding.

Looking back this year (2022)

Today is the New Year's Eve, the last day of this year. It might be the best day to look back this year with several train photos I took.

Unlike my Japanese blog, I do not post new photos to this blog or Twitter very often. Articles on this blog are not always "casual" (according to friends of mine) as I seldom use such expressions like "I think". Not a few people might have thought that I do not take photos very often, and focus on discussing about something on this blog instead. But in fact, I did enjoy trainspotting this year as listed below.

Janurary

Two four-carriage units of Keikyu 1500 series forming eight coaches. This so-called "4+4" coaches of the 1500 series has been phenomenally rare in the last 15 years. As withdrawal of the series continues, almost of all four-car units are expected to be withdrawn by March 2023.

February

Mizushima Rinkai Railway's KiHa 35 series. The KiHa 35 series is a type of diesel train developed by Japanese National Railways for commuter rails. This is the only operational one in the country, which runs only a handful of days every year. A major overhaul was carried out recently so that this train is likely to be in service for four years unless it breaks down.

March

Tobu 100 series SPACIA. It has served Limited Express services between Asakusa and Nikko or Kinugawa for more than 30 years, and it is still one of the most well-known trains in Tokyo. However, as a brand new train enters service in mid-July 2023, the incumbent SPACIA might not last long.

April

Kintetsu MoTo 51 series, a quasi-electric-locomotive that is used for empty coaching stock movement. A Keihanna Line's train was about to be despatched to another depot. I was on a trip to Nara at the time, and it was a completely unexpected encounter with this train.

May

415 series in Kyushu. This old rolling stock had been used in the southern island of Japan for nearly 50 years, but I suspected that all 415 series trains would retire when West-Kyushu Shinkansen high-speed rail opened. It was correct, and they were abruptly taken out of all services in September.

June

No train photo in June, as I was simply busy and the rainy season discouraged me to go outside.

July

E2 series bullet train. JR East repainted a unit ivory and green in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of Tohoku and Joetsu Shinkansen lines. Schedules of this train had been avilable on the official website, but JR East stopped updating information so that it is a little bit hard to figure them out today.

August

Izukyu 3000 series. JR East gradually withdraws 209 series commuter trains but a few of them were resold to this small private railway in the west of Tokyo. The 209 series has been infamous for being prone to troubles because of cheap structures, but it seems not a matter of concern for Izukyu.

September

211 series in Shizuoka. JR Central has been replacing the 211 series and other 30-year-old suburban trains with brand new trains since this year, but the series, which was developed by Japanese National Railways, are still common in this area. The JNR trains might be dramatically decline in the latter-half of 2023.

October

E235 series on Yamanote Line painted black. In spite of the 150th anniversary of the railway history in Japan, companies held very few events commemorating the milestone. Instead of them, I visited several places by myself to see monuments in Tokyo and Yokohama, as I wrote on this blog before (see also HERE).

November

Keifuku (also known as Randen), one of two tram networks in Kyoto. This tram line is heavily used by tourists going to Arashiyama in the northwest of Kyoto city centre, and services are very crowded in November as many people visit there to enjoy autumn foliage. In that case, all services are formed of two coaches like this.

December

381 series, Limited Express Yakumo. The 381 series is now the very last train painted beige with red stripes, the traditional livery adopted by Japanese National Railways. As the 381 series is due to be replaced with brand new trains from 2024, many railway enthusiasts are expected to visit Okayama, Tottori or Shimane Prefectures to see it.

They were my favourite photos I took this year. Other photos might be uploaded to The Red List of Trains in Japan in due course.

Finally, I would like to thank everybody who read any article on this blog this year. I will keep updating it in 2023 too. Please check the next article I post tomorrow.

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

Ticket machines rejecting 500 yen coins

Right: the new 500 yen coin.

Last year, the Japan Mint issued a new 500 yen coin. This is the third 500 yen coin in the Japanese history. The size and weight are almost equivalent to those of the second 500 yen coin, but the new coin features a bi-metallic three-layer structure to make counterfeiting even more difficult. The new coins have been in circulation since 1 November 2021.

More than a year has passed since the circulation began, but not all railway operators made their ticket machines compatible with the new coins. JR East's machines mostly accept the new ones, but others like Tokyu still have considerable number of machines that only accept the old ones. Not a few other machines such as vending machines selling bottled beverages reject the new coins either. This is frankly strange, as Japanese business owners usually adapt this kind of changes swiftly. Why is it so sluggish this time?

*Partly retouched in accordance with the 1895 Act on Control of Imitation of Currency and Securities.

The answer is quite simple: because it is not wise to take action now. The Ministry of Finance is going to introduce new banknotes (1000, 5000 and 10000 yen), and they are due to be in circulation from 2024. Therefore, not a few business owners considered that it would be better to deal with new notes and coins at the same time. The business sector recently received samples of new notes from the National Printing Bureau, and currently tests of new machines are carried out, as Nikkei reported.

Another reason is that Japanese people have gradually shifted to cashless payment. Japan has been infamous for being a cash society, but not a few people are familiar with other means of payment, not only credit/debit cards but also other contactless cards and QR code. Since not as many coins as we had seen before are necessary in these days, the replacement of the 500 yen coins has not been so quick.

Furthermore, there is no reason for the government to dispose of the old coins so urgently this time. When the second 500 yen coin was minted in 2000, the government had to replace the first 500 yen coin (minted in 1982-1999) as quickly as possible, since too many counterfeit coins were found in vending machines. The most common case was 500 South Korean Won coins, which were precisely the same size and made of the same material but worth 170 yen at that time. No such cases are reported today so far.

As not a few ticket machines are incompatible with the new 500 yen coins, Mizushima Rinkai Railway in Okayama Prefecture has been taking quite a unique approach. They resumed selling old-fashioned paper-based tickets by hand. This type of ticket has been uncommon since the 1990s due to introduction of automatic printing systems (not least ticket machines). The Railway reintroduced this old type of ticket, which is often called "soft ticket" in Japanese, as the company cannot afford replacing their ticket machines. However, not a few railway enthusiasts ask for one as a collectable, and probably contributing a little to the business.