I recently visited Atami City in Shizuoka Prefecture on a family trip. I was basically refraining from trainspotting, but I couldn’t hold myself back once we arrived at Atami Station. The reason is simple—I happened to come across Izukyu’s cheerful “Aloha Train.”
Let me briefly review Izukyu first. Izukyu is a private railway on the scenic Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka Prefecture. Connecting Ito and Izukyu-Shimoda, the total operating length is 45.7 kilometers. The line opened in 1961 as a sightseeing route designed to promote tourism to the peninsula. The track is single and electrified with a 1,500 V DC system. Many Izukyu trains directly run onto JR lines, reaching Atami, Tokyo, and other destinations.
Now, back to the main topic. The Aloha Train, officially the Izukyu 3000 series EMU, is the newest model on the line. It was transferred from JR East in 2022. Its former identity was the EMU JR East 209-2100 series, which once operated in the Chiba area on the Uchibo and Sotobo lines. Each set originally had six cars (4M2T), but it was shortened to four cars (2M2T) before joining Izukyu. The body is made of stainless steel. The seaside is painted in blue, while the mountainside is in red—giving it a warm, tropical look. You can also find many sea-turtle illustrations along the train body, adding to its friendly personality.
The train uses an IGBT-VVVF (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor-variable frequency drive) control system paired with 95 kW induction motors. I sincerely hope the 3000 series will continue to be loved by local residents and travelers alike. Aloha!
