Monday 19 November 2018

Photogenic Spot on the Kominato Railway

DMU Kominato KiHa200 series travels near Kazusa-Okubo station

Boso is a large peninsula in Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo. It is situated between the Pacific Ocean and Tokyo Bay. The coastal area of Boso Peninsula is famous for being a resort area to enjoy marine activities.

By contrast, the inland area of Boso Peninsula is totally different. We can see beautiful hills and valleys covered by thick forests and rice paddies. To visit this countryside, a local private railway named Kominato Railway is convenient. Kominato connects Goi on the west coast and Kazusa-Nakano in the center of the peninsula. There are 18 stations over a total operating length of 39.1km. The route is single track and non-electrified.

A nostalgic two-car DMU train, KiHa 200 series is the main fleet on the track. A total of 14 units were built from 1961 to 1977 by Nippon Sharyo. Currently, they are rather old, but still maintained in good condition. For taking photographs of these classic DMUs, I recommend you get off at Kazusa-Ookubo station. Once you step onto the platform of the station, you will find a nostalgic landscape with forests and rice paddies. Specifically, the large curved track, which is located west of the station, is very beautiful. It is famous among rail fans as a photogenic spot. 

When I visited there in September, the rice paddies in front of the track were still retaining a fresh green. I could fully enjoy looking at the landscape and shooting photos. Kominato Railway attracts reminiscent rail fans like me.

DMU KiHa200 series travels on the Kominato Railway