There is a Japanese proverb that says isseki nicho — “killing two birds with one stone.” As a non-native English speaker, I didn’t know until recently that this proverb actually originated in England. Today, I’d like to post a story related to this saying… but I’ll choose the softer expression “serving a double purpose,” because I don’t want to kill any birds.
Enough with the preface — let’s move on to the main topic. I recently visited the Tamagawa Bridge on the JR East Chuo Line for the first time in three years. What was the purpose of my visit? First, I wanted to photograph trains crossing the bridge. Please look at the top photo. That’s the EMU JR East E353 series, the limited express Azusa. It features a special air-suspension tilting system that allows it to maintain high speed through tight curves in the mountainous areas. Its maximum operating speed is 130 kilometers per hour — cool, isn’t it?
After enjoying train photography, I turned to another of my hobbies: fossil collecting. As I have written before, it’s been my lifelong passion. I’ve been visiting fossil localities in the metropolitan area since I was a boy. The riverbed near Tamagawa Bridge is one of my favorites. There, you can observe fossiliferous layers of the Renkoji Formation — young shallow-marine sediments deposited about 1.3 million years ago. Please take a look at the photo below. That was my find of the day: Akanishi (Rapana venosa). The spines on its shell are really striking!
So, I served a double purpose on the Chuo Line.
