Tuesday 16 July 2019

Rose Garden in Kanagawa Prefecture

8260F of the EMU Odakyu 8000 series travels on the Odakyu line

There are several reputable rose gardens in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area. They are Yono Park, Kyu-Furukawa Garden, Keisei Rose Garden, Yatsu Rose Garden and Yokohama English Garden. Are there still more? Yes, Flower and Green Center is another must-see spot. I visited a rose garden of Flower and Green Center in May, and enjoyed the colorful blossoms as well as the sweet fragrances... a total of 1,300 kinds of roses.

To visit this beautiful garden, the nearest station is Hadano on the Odakyu line. What is new with Odakyu? On April 26th, the company announced that a new train, named the EMU 5000 series, will be launched by March, 2020. The introduction of the new commuter train model will be first time in 12 years. What are the distinctive features of the 5000 series? Firstly, the interior of the 5000 series is wider than those of the recent models such as the 3000 and the 4000 series. Secondly, the front of the body is streamlined, which is now in fashion.

What will happen after the introduction of the brand new 5000 series train? The oldest 8000 series will be gradually retired from the track. The EMU 8000 series, which was launched in 1982, is a fully painted steel body train. Its major assignment is as an express train to transport commuters from the western suburbs to the city center of Tokyo.

Take photos of the 8000 series before it is too late!

Rose garden of the Flower and Green Center near Hadano station on the Odakyu line

Official information about the new EMU Odakyu 5000 series (in Japanese):