Merry Christmas! How are you spending the Christmas holidays this year? Christmas is a religious event in many countries around the world, but Japanese people treat Christmas as a kind of entertainment. For instance, people enjoy Christmas lights, also known as winter illuminations, here and there in Tokyo.
Now, let's head to the main topic. I found that a tramcar on the Toei-Arakawa line is displaying special decorations during the Christmas season same as previous years. Please look at the photos. That’s so cute! This tramcar is Unit 9002 of the Toei 9000 series. The 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 body color, namely brownish-red (Unit 9001) and indigo-blue (Unit 9002). The electric control system is an IGBT-VVVF (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor-variable frequency drive) with two 60KW induction motors. Although the technical specification of the 9000 series is modernized, the exterior design and interior atmosphere of this model remains nostalgic. That's what's fun about it.
Incidentally, the Toei-Arakawa line is a precious survivor of the tram route in Tokyo. It’s operated by Bureau of Transportation, Tokyo Metropolitan Government (Toei). This tramline was once operated as two routes, named Routes 27 and 32; however, they were merged into one route, namely the Arakawa line, in 1974. Connecting Waseda and Minowabashi, its operating length is 12.2 kilometers. The track is 1,372 millimeters dual-gauge. The electric system is 600V DC.
