It is early summer in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Just before the glooming rainy season, I enjoyed strolling with my family at the weekend. Our destination was Urayasu in Chiba Prefecture, about 20 km east of Tokyo. Urayasu is famous for being the location of Tokyo Disneyland, but it is also known as a commuter city for Tokyo Metropolis.
Although Urayasu looks like a contemporary city now, it was a quiet fishing village until several decades ago. The traditions of the local people are still cherished in the city. One such tradition is the Wedding Boat. On the weekends of late May, new couples board the traditional boat and travel on Sakai River, which flows through the city. There are many local people on the both sides of the river celebrating the new couples. This event was revived seven years ago, and has become firmly re-established among local people.
To get to Urayasu, the JR East Keiyo Line was convenient. It took only 18 minutes from Tokyo to Shin-Urayasu by a rapid service train. We luckily came across the rare train, 209-500 series, which is only set on the Keiyo Line. As you may know, the same model is also operated on the Musashino Line, but the color of the body stripes is different from those of the Musashino Line.
Wedding Boat and the EMU 209-500 series, I saw a unique festival and a train on the Keiyo Line.
Although Urayasu looks like a contemporary city now, it was a quiet fishing village until several decades ago. The traditions of the local people are still cherished in the city. One such tradition is the Wedding Boat. On the weekends of late May, new couples board the traditional boat and travel on Sakai River, which flows through the city. There are many local people on the both sides of the river celebrating the new couples. This event was revived seven years ago, and has become firmly re-established among local people.
To get to Urayasu, the JR East Keiyo Line was convenient. It took only 18 minutes from Tokyo to Shin-Urayasu by a rapid service train. We luckily came across the rare train, 209-500 series, which is only set on the Keiyo Line. As you may know, the same model is also operated on the Musashino Line, but the color of the body stripes is different from those of the Musashino Line.
Wedding Boat and the EMU 209-500 series, I saw a unique festival and a train on the Keiyo Line.
