Wednesday 22 January 2020

2020 New Year Scene on the Odakyu Line

EMU Odakyu Romance Car MSE, 60000 series (4-car section), travels on the Odawara line 

It's already late January. Time really flies. Before ending the first month of the year 2020, I'm going to show you one more topic on the New Year scene in the Tokyo metropolitan area.

It's warm and clear on New Year's Day. After celebrating New Year at home, I enjoyed strolling in the suburban area on the Odakyu line. I found that Odakyu's limited express train, Romance Car "MSE", EMU 60000 series, carried a special sticker on the front. It was a round shape and emblazoned with a rat. This is the year of the rat in the zodiac. As you may know, the zodiac was originally from China. The Japanese zodiac is based on a 12-year cycle. It is said that a rat is a symbol of prosperity because of having many children.

Incidentally, MSE (Multi Super Express) was launched in 2008. The train body is a metallic blue color with red and white stripes. It is composed of 10 cars, but one set can be broken up into 6 and 4 car sections to enhance operational flexibility. MSE is operated as a sightseeing train between Shinjuku, a sub-center of Tokyo, and Hakone, Gotemba and Enoshima, which are famous resorts in the Tokyo metropolitan area. On the other hand, MSE is also operated as a commuter express between downtown Tokyo, such as Otemachi on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda line, and Hon-Atsugi in the western suburb of the metropolitan area.

I am sure that MSE will continue to be successful in 2020.

Special sticker celebrating New Year

Official information about the EMU Odakyu romance Car 60000 series, MSE (in Japanese):
Official information about Odakyu Romance Car:
Official promotion movie of Odakyu Electric Railway and Wallabies:
Official promotion movie of Hakone by Odakyu Electric Railway: