Winter Travel to the Tohoku Region: Part 1

JR East’s cruise train, Series E001 EDC “Shiki-shima,” at Ueno Station

The day had finally come. When I arrived at the exclusive lounge “Prologue Shiki-shima” inside Ueno Station in Tokyo, the Series E001 train, “Shiki-shima,” slowly pulled into Track 13 (see the top photo). My long-awaited winter journey was about to begin.

But first—what exactly is “Shiki-shima”?

Last year, I introduced JR East’s luxury cruise train “Shiki-shima” on this blog. At that time, I only visited the station to photograph it. However, this time, I finally had the opportunity to board it with my family.

Operated by JR East, one of Japan’s major railway operators, “Shiki-shima” is a high-end sightseeing train that offers multi-day journeys through eastern Japan. Its name means “Island of Four Seasons,” reflecting Japan’s strong appreciation for seasonal beauty.

Our destination was the Tohoku region, located in the northern part of Japan’s main island, Honshu. Tohoku is known for its hot springs, traditional culture, and breathtaking winter landscapes. While it is less visited than cities like Tokyo or Kyoto, it offers a more tranquil and authentic experience of Japan.

The train itself is officially designated as the Series E001 EDC (electric/diesel hybrid cars) and began operation in 2017. One train set consists of six motor cars and four trailer cars. Cars 1 and 10 are equipped with diesel engines for running on non-electrified railway lines, and they also function as observation cars. Car 5 serves as a lounge, Car 6 as a dining car, and the remaining cars are private sleeper suites. The train is designed to provide not only transportation, but a luxury hotel-like experience on rails.

At 9:25 a.m., Shiki-shima departed quietly from Ueno Station, one of Tokyo’s historic railway terminals, as the station master and staff waved us off.

After settling into the train, there was only one thing I had to do as a railway enthusiast: head straight to the observation car. Take a look at the photo below. This is “View Terrace Ibuki” in Car 10, the leading car. From here, you can see the tracks of the Tohoku Main Line stretching northward, guiding us toward snow-covered landscapes.

Are you ready to travel with me?

To be continued…

“View Terrace Ibuki” on the cruise train “Shiki-shima”

Related link:

・Official information on the “Shiki-shima” cruise train by JR East

The 12th Anniversary of Keio Rail-Land

Keio’s first-generation 5000 series EMU at Keio Rail-Land

On October 10, 2025, Keio Corporation quietly marked a happy milestone—the 12th anniversary of the grand opening of Keio Rail-Land. It felt like a good moment to revisit the museum, so I’d like to share a few impressions with you today.

To begin with, let me briefly look back at what Keio Rail-Land is all about. Operated by Keio Corporation (formerly Keio Electric Railway in English), the museum began life in 2000 as a modest model railway playground for children. Thirteen years later, it blossomed into the museum we know today, complete with a spacious exhibition hall showcasing Keio’s preserved rolling stock. You’ll find it right beside Tama-Dobutsukoen (Tama Zoological Park) Terminal on the Keio Dobutsuen Line—a fittingly peaceful spot for a museum devoted to precious trains.

I had thought that all the vehicles preserved at the museum had already been introduced in this blog, but there was one important omission—the first-generation 5000 series EMU. Please take a look at the top photo. Yes, this is KuHa 5723 from the first-generation 5000 series. The series made its debut in 1963 when the Keio Line’s voltage was upgraded to 1,500 V DC. A total of 155 cars were built by Nippon Sharyo, Tokyu Sharyo, and Hitachi. Unlike earlier models such as the 2400 and 2000 series, both the design and the livery of this train were thoroughly modernized. In addition, the eighth-batch cars introduced in 1968 are known as Japan’s first air-conditioned commuter trains equipped with longitudinal seating. The first-generation 5000 series received the 1964 Laurel Prize from the Japan Railfan Club as the most outstanding new train of the previous year.

And one more small discovery: during my visit I also noticed a 12th-anniversary plate displayed on a 7000 series train running on the Dobutsuen Line (please see the photo below). It may look modest at first glance, but the birthday-cake motif is rather charming, isn’t it?

Happy 12th anniversary, Keio Rail-Land.

The 12th-anniversary plate on a 7000 series EMU

Related links:

・Official information from Keio Rail-Land (in Japanese)

・Official video from Keio Rail-Land (in Japanese)

Serving a Double Purpose on the Odakyu Line, Part 3

A local train, Set 3657 of Odakyu's 3000 series EMU crossing Tama River

The other day, I headed to the Tama River to take care of a personal errand. When I arrived at my nearest station on the Odakyu Line, I immediately noticed something unusual. Many passengers were standing around the concourse, looking puzzled. Was something wrong? When I checked Odakyu’s website, I finally understood the reason: the trains were heavily delayed.

Did I have no idea what to do?

Please don’t worry—railfans are always optimistic. I quickly changed my mindset, realizing that this was a chance to see some rare railway scenes. The proof is in the pudding. Please take a look at the top photo. It may look like an ordinary photo at first glance, but it is actually quite rare because of the shooting angle.

I took this photo of an all-stop train crossing the Tama River through the window of the last car of an express train standing at Noborito Station. In short, the local train on the local track caught up with the express train on the express track. This rare situation, caused by timetable disruption, made it possible to capture this unusual angle. You may think, “Is that all?”—but I hope you can understand my excitement as a railfan.

By the way, what was my errand at the Tama River? The answer lies in the photo below. I visited the riverside near Noborito Station and enjoyed fossil hunting. My find of the day was a fossil crab (Carcinoplax sp.?), from the Iimuro Formation, which was deposited about 1.3 to 1.1 million years ago. Its long claw is cool, isn’t it?

Once again, I served a double purpose on the Odakyu Line.

A crab fossil (Carcinoplax sp.?) found near Noborito Station

The 20th Anniversary of the TX Line: Part 2

Trainset 3181 of the EMU 3000 series with the “Unir” commemorative plate

Do you remember when I introduced the 20th anniversary train on the Tsukuba Express Line (hereafter referred to as the TX Line) last July? Eight months later, I recently revisited the TX Line. Today, I’d like to share what I observed during this visit.

First, a brief introduction to the TX Line. It is a relatively new commuter railway in the Tokyo metropolitan area. The line was opened in 2005 by a joint public–private company, the Metropolitan Intercity Railway Company. Connecting Akihabara in central Tokyo with Tsukuba, a science city in Ibaraki Prefecture, the line has a total operating length of 58.3 km. The maximum operating speed is 130 km per hour, which is very fast for a narrow-gauge railway.

During my visit, I found a second commemorative train celebrating the 20th anniversary. Please take a look at the top photo. You can see a special commemorative plate mounted on trainset 3181 of the EMU 3000 series, featuring the TX Line’s new mascot character, “Unir.” According to the company’s website, Unir is a unicorn who joined the company in 2025. Unir belongs to both the transportation and engineering departments and works in both roles. Unir is also good at playing musical instruments and researching fashion—Unir, you’re a genius! (see the related links).

By the way, there was one disappointing thing I should mention. Please take a look at the photo below—that is Kitasenju Station. It used to be a convenient station near central Tokyo for taking train photos. However, passengers are currently not allowed to go to the end of the platform, as platform extension work for 8-car trains is under way. According to the company, the platform extension projects along the entire TX Line are scheduled to be completed in the first half of the 2030s.

Does that mean it will be impossible to take train photos at Kitasenju Station until then?

The platform of Kitasenju Station under extension construction

Related link:

・Official information about the "Unir" train from the Metropolitan Intercity Railway Company (in Japanese)

・Official information about "Unir" from the Metropolitan Intercity Railway Company (in Japanese)

Yokohama Subway Green Line: A 2026 Update

GREEN×EXPO 2027 wrapped train, 10000 series EMU, Set 10011

I recently revisited Yokohama’s Green Line for the first time in two years, and I would like to share a few observations from this short but interesting metro route.

By way of background, the Green Line is Yokohama’s second subway line, opened in 2008 by the city’s Transportation Bureau. It runs for 13.1 kilometers between Nakayama (JR East’s Yokohama Line) and Hiyoshi (Tokyu’s Toyoko Line), serving ten stations in total. The line uses linear motor technology, which allows for smaller tunnel profiles. A distinctive feature of this system is the reaction plate installed between the rails, clearly visible from the platform.

The highlight of my visit was a specially wrapped train advertising GREEN×EXPO 2027, Yokohama’s upcoming international horticultural exposition. Shown in the top photo is Set 10011 of the 10000 series EMU, now running in this colorful promotional livery. A similar wrapped train has already appeared on the Blue Line, and it is good to see the Green Line joining in as well.

Next, please look at the photo below. You can see the EXPO’s mascot character, Tunk Tunk, with its cute pink, heart-shaped face next to the passenger door. However, there is one problem: a “6 cars” sign just above Tunk Tunk. As I mentioned two years ago, the trains on the Green Line have been in the process of changing from four-car to six-car formations. I had assumed that all 17 trainsets had already been converted to six cars. If that were the case, there would be no need to display a “6 cars” sign on a newly wrapped train.

After looking into the matter, I found that only ten sets have been converted to six-car trains for rush-hour service, primarily for peak-hour operation. As a result, two different train lengths—four-car and six-car sets—continue to coexist on the Green Line.

So, the Yokohama Municipal Subway—you are being frugal, aren't you?

“6 cars” sign located above the Tunk Tunk mascot