Shooting the Cruise Train, "Shiki-shima"

JR East's cruise train, the E001 series "Shiki-shima", stands at Kozu station yard

Do you remember when I introduced you to JR West’s sleeper train, “Sunrise Express” last year? That was the only “regular” sleeper train left in Japan. Is there anything else? There are what we call “cruise trains”. I’m going to show you one of such luxury sleeper trains today.

“Shiki-shima (the four seasons island)” is JR East’s cruise train. The formal name is the E001 series. Only one set was jointly built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries and J-TREC, and debuted in 2017. The E001 series is composed of 10 cars. An "EDC" electric/diesel hybrid propulsion system is adopted. On the electrified tracks, it’s operated as an EMU (electric multiple unit). Meanwhile, on the non-electrified tracks, it activates two diesel generators in the first and last cars, and powers the train's traction motors.

JR East doesn’t release the detailed timetable of Shiki-shima, because it’s operated as special group trip trains. It’s not so easy to shoot this train as rail-fans expect. I recently got an information about the timetable of Shiki-shima on several websites, and visited Odawara station on the Tokaido main line, but I couldn’t find it. Why? According to a station attendant, Shiki-shima is temporally accommodated in the Kozu station yard, which is located about 6 kilometers east of Odawara station. Oh, my goodness!

After rushing to the scene at Kozu station, I barely shot Shiki-shima, standing on the detention track. Please look at the photos. Shiki-shima was shining brightly. I did it!... but I was completely exhausted. To be continued…

Shiki-shima approaches Kozu station yard

Official information about "Shiki-shima" by JR East:

https://www.jreast.co.jp/shiki-shima/en/

2025 Sakura Season on the Yokosuka Line

Set F29 of the EMU E235-1000 series (11-cars) travels on the Yokosuka line

On March 24th, 2025, the Meteorological Agency of Japan declared that this year's sakura (cherry) blossoms had started blooming in the metropolitan area. Spring has sprung! As I posted year after year, Japanese people harbor romantic emotions towards sakura blossoms. We are also reminded of the emptiness of life, seeing the beautiful blossoms dropping only a week after they fully blossom. Sakura viewing in this short period is a part of Japanese culture. This year, I took the JR East Yokosuka line to see sakura blossoms in Kanagawa Prefecture.

My destination was Zushi City, about 50 kilometers southwest of the center of Tokyo. When I reached Sakurayama (Cherry Mountain) Park, lots of visitors were there. They were families with children, couples and close-knit groups, and being fun in their own ways under the full-blown sakura trees. What most left an impression was a couple having “maedori (a bridal photoshoot ahead of their wedding day)”. Congratulations on your wedding!

On the way home, I took a moment to enjoy train shooting at Higashi-Zushi station. I was so happy that I could shoot an eleven-car train of the EMU E235-1000 series reflecting the sunlight, but… at the same time, I remembered that his (her) elder brother (sister), namely E217 series, was retired from the Yokosuka line on March 14th. I didn’t have a chance to say good-bye to the E217 series before the retirement. The E217 series… I’m truly sorry… but thank you so much for your hard working on the Yokosuka, Sobu-Rapid and Tokaido lines.

Full-blown sakura trees in Sakura-yama Park near HIgashi-Zushi station

Visit to Kumamoto: Friendly Bird and Tramcar

Trainset 0803 of the electric car Kumamoto City Tram 0800 series

Sorry for jumping from one topic to another, but I’m going to follow up and post about my recent visit to Kumamoto today.

When I visited Mt. Kinbo in Kumamto City with my family, we came across a group of local hikers. The leader of the group kindly showed us how to contact with wild birds there. Please look at the photo below. If a visitor put a nut on his/her palm and hold it out, a Yamagara (Varied tit) lands on his/her hand, and eats it. That’s so cute! I have never seen such a friendly wild bird.

I can't finish here as this is a railway blog. Please look at the top photo. It’s trainset 0803 of Kumamoto City Tram’s electric car 0800 series. The 0800 series was commissioned in 2009. It's a so-called LRT (light rail transit). 3 sets in total were built by Niigata Transys. The 0800 series is a two-car train with two bogies. It means that the 0800 series doesn't have an articulated bogie. The overall length is about 18 meters. An IGBT-VVVF inverter (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor - variable frequency drive) electric control system with two 100kW induction motors is adopted. The 3rd set, namely trainset 0803, is the latest set of the 0800 series. It has the wooden interior, and makes passengers peaceful. The nickname of trainset 0803 is “COCORO (mind)”. COCORO is beloved by passengers because it connects with their minds.

I enjoyed a friendly bird and tramcar in Kumamoto City.

A friendly wild Yamagara (Varied tit) can be seen at the summit of Mt. Kinbo

The 2nd Generation Kenty Skyliner

Trainset AE4 of the EMU Keisei AE series, the 2nd generation Kenty Skyliner

Do you remember when I introduced you to Kenty Skyliner last year? It was a special poster train on the Keisei line. A year has passed since then and Keisei Electric Railway recently launched the 2nd generation Kenty Skyliner. I’m going to show you this new poster train today.

Let me quickly review “Kenty” to start. Nakajima Kento, alias Kenty, is a popular Japanese singer and actor. Keisei has been using Kenty for their advertising campaigns since 2019. For example, Kenty acted as "the Prince of Keisei", and promoted the Narita Airport access train “Skyliner” on the TV commercials. Keisei, then, started to operate a special poster train, "Kenty Skyliner", in 2021. Large posters of Kenty, who is dressed as the Prince of Keisei, were displayed on the side bodies. It meant that Kenty, the prince of Keisei, escorted passengers, who were in the likeness of princesses.

Fast-forward to November, 2024, the 2nd generation Kenty Skyliner debuted. This train displays large posters of Kenty on the side bodies just like the 1st generation Kenty Skyliner, but Kenty doesn’t play the prince of Keisei anymore. He looks more matured and natural.

Incidentally, the 2nd generation Kenty Skyliner is trainset AE4 of the EMU Keisei AE series. The AE series is an 8-car train with crow-shaped black faces. Its maximum speed is 160 kilometers per hour, which is the fastest in Japan except the Shinkansen vehicles. The AE series won the 2011 Blue Ribbon Prize by Japan Railfan Club as the best train that debuted in 2010.

Large posters of Kenty are displayed on the side bodies of Kenty Slyliner

Official information about the 2nd generation Kenty Skyliner by Keisei (in Japanese): https://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetudou/skyliner/jp/kentyskyliner/

Official promotion movie of Keisei Skyliner (in Japanese):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1orJiQNRrw

Advent of Spring on the Odakyu-Enoshima Line

EMU Odakyu 60000 series (4-car-trainset) approaches Katase-Enoshima terminal

The sun is getting stronger in the metropolitan area. The maximum daytime temperature is nearly 20 degrees Celsius. Winter has gone and spring is here. I couldn’t sit still at home, so, I got on a train to find the advent of spring. My destination was Katase-Enoshima on the Odakyu-Enoshima line.

Let me review the Odakyu-Enoshima line to start. It’s a branch line of the Odakyu-Odawara line. It connects Sagami-Ono, a transfer station from the Odakyu-Odawara line, and Katase-Enoshima, a gateway station to Enoshima Island. It was opened in 1929 as a commuter route in the western part of Kanagawa Prefecture. The route length is 27.6 kilometers.

After arriving at Katase-Enoshima terminal, I visited Katase Beach facing the Pacific Ocean (see the photo below). There were many young people and families on the beach. They were being fun in their own ways. On the other hand, the sea surface was filled with surfers. How’s waves? 

Before going home, I enjoyed taking train photos near Katase-Enoshima terminal. Please look at the top photo. It’s the EMU 60000 series, Romancecar “MSE (Multi Super Express)”. One trainset of MSE is basically composed of 10 cars, but it can be broken up into 6 and 4 car sections to enhance operational flexibility. I have already posted many MSE photos in this blog, but this is the carefully selected one to show you a 4-car-MSE trainset led by a stream-lined front car. As a trainspotter, I sticked to show you the train, which you haven’t seen yet.

Katase Beach near Katase-Enoshima terminal

Official information about the EMU Odakyu 60000 series, Romancecar MSE, by Odakyu (in Japanese):

https://www.odakyu.jp/romancecar/features/line_up/60000/

Official information about Romancecars by Odakyu:

https://www.odakyu.jp/english/romancecar/lineup/