Wednesday, 9 January 2019

Seven Crossroads on the Keikyu Line

EMU Keikyu 1500 series arrives at Kohjiya station on the Kuko (airport) line

Do you know any five crossroads in your city or area? Maybe yes. Then, do you have six crossroads in your city or area? If yes, then, do you have seven crossroads in your city or area?

In Tokyo, there is a seven crossroads in Ohta Ward. It is a scarcely known spot among Tokyoites, but famous for local people named "Nanatsuji (seven crossroads)". I visited this local spot on New Year's Eve as I could make time. Surprisingly, there was no traffic light at the crossroads, although cars and bicycles continuously passed through. According to the local people, they haven't seen a traffic accident, because drivers try to pass through safely, and give way to others on the crossroads. It is a good story, isn't it?

To see this rare spot, the nearest railway station was Kohjiya on the Keikyu-kuko (Keikyu-airport) line. Connecting Keikyu-Kamata and Haneda Airport Domestic Terminal, its total length is 6.5 kilometers. The track is double. The gauge size is 1,435 millimeters. On the way back home, I enjoyed shooting trains at the end of the platform. Many kinds of trains bound for Haneda Airport frequently came into Kohjiya station.

My favorite one was the old model EMU Keikyu 1500 series from Shin-Zushi station. It has vivid red colored bodies with a white colored stripe. It was beautiful in the sunlight. The seven crossroads and taking a photograph of the old train, it was a good New Year's Eve in 2018.

Nanatsuji (seven crossroads) near Kohjiya station on the Keikyu-kuko (airport) line