Photographing a Subway Train: The Fukutoshin Line

A Tokyo Metro 17000 series EMU leaving Higashi-Shinjuku Station

Today, I'm featuring the Fukutoshin Line, one of Tokyo's subway lines. The theme of this post is "An Express Train Overtaking a Local Train Underground." I hope this post will give you an insight not only into one of Tokyo's subway lines but also into the competitive landscape of the city's urban railway operators.

・What's the Fukutoshin Line?

The Fukutoshin Line is Tokyo's newest subway line, and the 13th to be built in the city. Its subway line number is 13, and its line color is brown. It opened in 2008 and is operated by Tokyo Metro Co., Ltd.

The name "Fukutoshin" means "subcenter." In fact, the Fukutoshin Line connects three of Tokyo's major subcenters: Ikebukuro, Shinjuku and Shibuya.

・Technical Specifications of the Fukutoshin Line

The line is 20.2 km long, running from Wakoshi to Shibuya. Almost all the route is underground. It has a track gauge of 1,067 mm and uses a 1,500 V DC overhead power supply.

Fukutoshin Line trains also operate through services onto the Tobu Tojo, Seibu Ikebukuro, Tokyu Toyoko, Yokohama Minatomirai and Sotetsu lines.

・The Main Track at Higashi-Shinjuku Station

All right, please take a look at the photo above. It shows a Tokyo Metro 17000 series EMU leaving the northbound through track at Higashi-Shinjuku Station.

At first glance, it looks like an ordinary underground track. However, this station is more complex than I had expected. It has a two-level structure with additional tracks that allow express trains to overtake local trains.

Why did Tokyo Metro build such a complicated structure?

The answer is simple: operating express trains is essential. Tokyo has an extremely dense railway network, giving passengers a choice of several routes to reach their destinations. This also means that urban railway operators are competing with one another to attract passengers.

The Fukutoshin Line's main competitors are JR East's Yamanote and Shonan-Shinjuku lines, which run along a similar corridor. To remain competitive with JR East, Tokyo Metro needs to offer faster services. This is why express trains and the additional tracks they need were essential at Higashi-Shinjuku Station.

・The Passing Track at Higashi-Shinjuku Station

Next, please take a look at the photo below. It shows the northbound passing track at Higashi-Shinjuku Station. You can see the illuminated tunnel wall curving away towards the main track.

I was impressed not only by the complicated structure of Higashi-Shinjuku Station but also by the almost otherworldly beauty of the illuminated shield tunnel. It looks beautiful even without a train!

I enjoyed photographing not only the subway train but also the fascinating underground structures and their beautiful shield tunnels.

A passing track at Higashi-Shinjuku Station

Related link:

・Official information about the Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line

・Official information about the Tokyo Metro 17000 series EMU (in Japanese)

Memories of a Former Tozai Line Train in Indonesia

The former Tokyo Metro Series 5000, Set 59 EMU, in Indonesia, with a conductor

(March 2007)

When I wrote about the Series 05 EMUs on the Tozai Line in September—the so-called “aluminum-recycled cars”—I was reminded of the trains that donated their aluminum. Today, I would like to share some memories of these donor trains, the Series 5000 EMUs, with you.

・What Was the Former Tozai Line Series 5000?

The Series 5000 was a commuter train developed by the Teito Rapid Transit Authority (the predecessor of Tokyo Metro) in 1964. It operated on the Tozai Line and its connecting lines until 2007. After the series was withdrawn from the Tozai Line, most of the cars were scrapped, while some of their aluminum was recycled for use in the Series 05. Meanwhile, other cars were transferred to the Chiyoda Line's branch line and the Toyo Rapid Railway. In 2007, 30 cars were also sent to Indonesia (see the photos).

・My First Memories of the Series 5000

When I was in elementary school, I often rode the Series 5000 on the Chuo-Sobu Line, which connects with the Tozai Line. During the warmer months, I could always count on these trains to take me to science classes organized by Suginami Ward on Saturdays.

Why? The Series 5000 had large ceiling fans that circulated a pleasant breeze. At that time, air-conditioned commuter trains were still uncommon in Tokyo. Those ceiling fans made my journeys much more comfortable, and I was grateful to the Series 5000 for that.

・My Second Memories of the Series 5000

When I was stationed in Jakarta from 2007 to 2011, I came to rely on the Series 5000 once again.

Please take another look at the top photo. It shows Set 59 of the Series 5000 in Indonesian livery. You can also see a conductor, Mr. S, standing beside the train. He was very kind and helpful to me, as I was still unfamiliar with the railways in Indonesia at the time.

Thanks to Mr. S and the Series 5000, I was able to fully enjoy traveling on the Serpong Line, which had only recently been electrified.

Finally, please take another look at the photo below. Here is the same train in its new livery! I photographed it at Bogor Railyard on the Bogor Line.

I was delighted to see that the destination sign at the front still displayed a destination from its days in Japan: “Rapid, Ōtemachi”! Can you imagine how you would feel if you came across a train displaying the name of a destination in your home country while living abroad?

・Final Thoughts

I know that the former Tozai Line Series 5000 trains have now been retired from service in both Japan and Indonesia.

Thank you, Series 5000! I will never forget you.

The former Tokyo Metro Series 5000, Set 59, in Indonesia, wearing a new livery

(October 2010) 

Tobu 60000 Series EMU: 2026 Update

Tobu 60000 series, set 61501, at Nanakodai Railyard

Today, I would like to share a topic that may appeal to old-school trainspotters. I think this post will give you an insight not only into the state of a railway company's rolling stock fleet, but also into Japan's social circumstances.

・Reduction in the Number of 60000 Series EMUs

You may remember my previous post about an event organized by the Japan Railfan Club at Nanakodai Railyard on the Tobu Urban Park Line (Noda Line). Tobu Railway kindly provided club members with an 80000 series EMU to photograph. At the same time, however, the company had prepared one more trainset for us.

Please take a look at the photo above.

You can see the 60000 series, set 61501, standing on a siding. At first glance, it looks like an ordinary trainset, but in fact, it consists of five cars, one fewer than a standard 60000 series trainset. Why?

According to Tobu Railway, the 60000 series trainsets were being shortened from six cars to five in response to passenger demand. This was due to declining ridership on the Urban Park Line. As you know, the number of people working remotely in Japan has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic. More importantly, Japan's population has entered a period of decline. Railway companies cannot simply sit back and do nothing in this situation.

The cars removed from the 60000 series trainsets were refurbished and incorporated into newly built 80000 series EMUs. Smart recycling, isn't it?

・Refurbishment of the 60000 Series EMUs

The 60000 series fleet was being reduced, but there is an upside.

Please look at the photo below. The middle car (Car 4, MoHa 62501) looks different from the cars on either side. It features a livery decorated with colorful circles. You may have seen a similar train before. Yes, that's a "Tanoseat" car!

The Tanoseat car features a dedicated space for families with children. It has a unique seating area with space to park a baby stroller, called "Tanoseat" (see my previous post). The name is a blend of tanoshii (meaning "fun" in Japanese) and "seat" in English. When families travel in this car, it makes their journey more enjoyable.

I was delighted to see the Tanoseat-equipped 60000 series EMU on the Tobu Urban Park Line!

Tobu MoHa 62501 featuring the "Tanoseat"

Related link:

・Official information from Tobu Railway (in Japanese)

I Want to Ride It Someday, Too: Unpenji Ropeway

A gondola on the Unpenji Ropeway in Kagawa Prefecture, Shikoku Island

Photo: Nicolai Okkels

I've received some more beautiful photographs from a Danish railfan. When he visited Japan last year to take part in the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage, he took these photos of the Unpenji Ropeway in Kagawa Prefecture. My thanks go to Nicolai Okkels for kindly sharing these photographs with me.

Please take a look at them. You can see a gondola traveling through the air against a backdrop of green mountains, countless houses, and the blue sea. This is the Unpenji Ropeway in Kagawa Prefecture, on Shikoku Island.

Shikoku is the fourth-largest island in Japan, located about 800 kilometers west of Tokyo. The Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage is a unique spiritual journey that takes pilgrims to 88 Buddhist temples scattered across the island. Walking the entire route from one temple to the next adds up to more than 1,400 kilometers. It may sound daunting, but don't worry — pilgrims can also use public transportation along the way if they wish.

Unpenji Temple is a good example. Perched near a steep mountain summit at an elevation of 927 meters, it can be reached conveniently by the Unpenji Ropeway. This aerial tramway, operated by Shikoku Cable Company, opened in 1987. It is a four-cable, cross-type system connecting Sanroku and Sancho stations. The route is 2,954 meters long, with a vertical difference of 657 meters and a maximum gradient of 28.83 degrees. Its Swiss-made gondolas operate every 20 minutes, taking about seven minutes for a one-way trip at a maximum speed of 10 meters per second. Each gondola can carry up to 101 passengers.

Looking at the beautiful photographs, I noticed that the ropeway has an unusually long span between its support towers. In fact, the distance between Support Towers No. 2 and No. 3 is 1,882 meters, the longest of its kind in Japan. Support towers, you really are something!

I hope you have enjoyed this post and the beautiful photographs. Finally, you may be wondering...

"Even visitors from overseas enjoy the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage. So, have you ever taken part in it yourself, as someone who lives in Japan?"

Good question! Well, unfortunately, not yet. I'm always busy, and my family is usually short on time, too. It can also be expensive.

And I must admit — I'm a bit of a wimp, so I don't think I could manage the 1,400-kilometer pilgrimage mainly on foot. But at least I'd love to ride the Unpenji Ropeway someday!

A beautiful view from the gondola

Photo: Nicolai Okkels

Related link:

・Official website of Shikoku Cable Company

“Tetsubun-usume?” Activities in Yokohama City

The preserved platform of the former Yokohama Minato Station

I imagine there are slang terms used by railfans in your country, too.

In Japan, we have some as well. For example, we use the term “yami-tetsu” to describe photographing trains and railway-related facilities in the dark, as well as the people who enjoy doing so. Today, I’d like to introduce another term: “tetsubun.”

・What Is “Tetsubun”?

In Japanese, the word for “railway” is tetsudō, which literally means “iron road.” Meanwhile, tetsubun means “iron content.”

I bet you’ve figured it out by now!

Among Japanese railfans, tetsubun refers to how much of a railway enthusiast someone is. When someone is particularly keen on railways, we jokingly say they have “tetsubun-koime” (a high iron content). On the other hand, when someone’s railway-related activities are relatively low-key, we call it “tetsubun-usume” (a low iron content).

・My Visit to Yokohama During a Holiday

Let’s move on to my recent outing. I visited Yokohama to meet an old friend. However, just before we were due to meet, I received a message from him saying that he would be two hours late because something urgent had come up.

What could I do to kill two hours?

・My “Tetsubun-usume” Activity, Part 1

I decided to keep my railway-related activities low-key and visited the preserved platform of the former Yokohama Minato Station (Yokohama Port Station).

Please take a look at the photo above. You can see a small platform and some preserved rails. This is the platform of the former Yokohama Minato Station, built in 1928. When international passenger ships were due to depart from Yokohama Port, special connecting trains ran from Tokyo to Yokohama Minato Station, bringing passengers to the port.

I sat down on a bench on the platform. It was just an ordinary bench, but sitting there, I could imagine how travelers must have felt just before leaving Japan. Was it just my imagination?

・My “Tetsubun-usume” Activity, Part 2

Next, please take a look at the photo below. You can see the gondolas of the Yokohama Air Cabin, which I photographed from a path along the canal.

The Yokohama Air Cabin is an urban gondola lift that opened in 2021. It connects Sakuragicho Station with Unga Park Station, covering 630 meters each way.

I found it rather strange to see gondolas moving against a backdrop of skyscrapers rather than natural mountains. I’ll take a ride and write a report on the experience in the near future.

・Final Thoughts

I had planned to keep my railway-related activities low-key. However, once I got started, I found myself getting carried away. In the end, my supposedly “tetsubun-usume” outing turned into a thoroughly enjoyable “tetsubun-koime” experience!

Gondolas on the Yokohama Air Cabin, with skyscrapers in the background

Related links:

・Official information from Yokohama Air Cabin