On March 14th, the Meteorological Agency of Japan declared that this year's sakura (cherry) blossoms had started blooming in Tokyo. The agency then reported that they fully blossomed on March 22nd. Spring has sprung! As I posted year after year, Japanese people harbor romantic emotions towards cherry blossoms. Cherry blossom viewing is a part of Japanese culture. This year, I again visited a tram route, the Toei-Arakawa line, to enjoy cherry blossoms and streetcars.
Let me quickly review the Toei-Arakawa line. Tokyo once had a 181-kilometer-long tram network; but most routes were abolished due to heavy traffic jams. Along with the Tokyu-Setagaya line, the Toei-Arakawa line is a precious tramline survivor, as it was constructed as an exclusive track. Connecting Waseda and Minowabashi, its operating length is 12.2 kilometer. The track is 1,372-milllimeter-wide and double. The electric system is 600V DC with an overhead catenary system.
I got off at Omokagebashi stop and visited a row of cherry trees along the Kanda River. They were in full bloom, and providing visitors with some glorious scenery. I came across a tramcar 9002 of the Toei 9000 series at Takato Bridge. The tramcar 9000 series is the retro-inspired model, which was commissioned in 2007. A total of 2 units were built by Aluna Sharyo. Each unit has a different color, namely brownish-red (car number 9001) and indigo-blue (car number 9002). Although the technical specification of the 9000 series is modernized, the exterior design and interior atmosphere of this model remains nostalgic.
