On June 5th, the Japan Meteorological Agency announced that this year's rainy season had begun in the Tokyo metropolitan area, but so far we had only a little rain. Such a dry rainy season is called "karatsuyu". If karatsuyu occurs, in many cases, water to be used in the summer cannot be secured resulting in drought.
Although the water shortage will be a problem, karatsuyu is suitable for walking in suburban areas. I visited Hachikoku-yama in the western part of Tokyo Metropolis last weekend. I enjoyed walking in the forest, where I could see beautiful "komorebi". Kimorebi means that sunlight filters through the trees - the interplay between the light and the leaves. I saw a beautiful komorebi path there.
To get to Hachikoku-yama, the Seibu-Seibuen Line is convenient. Connecting Higashi-Murayama Station on the Seibu-Shinjuku Line to Seibuen Terminal near Jukkooku-yama, its operating length is 2.4 km. It is a local route with an electrified single track. The gauge size is 1,067 mm. The electric system is 1,500 V DC overhead.
I got on the EMU 2000N series. Among the train fleet on the Seibu lines, I like the 2000N series best. The yellow colored body and two large rounded front lights are Seibu Railway's traditional design. Meanwhile, two large panoramic front windows with an emergency front door was an up-to-date style in 1988, when the 2000N series was launched. 28 years have already passed, but it is not out of date.
I enjoyed the komorebi path and the train on the Seibuen Line.
