2025 Sakura Season on the Tama Monorail Line

EMU Tama Intercity Monorail 1000 series approaches Shibasaki-taiikukan station

I have been introducing my favorite sakura (cherry) viewing spots in this blog for many years. Following the Sakurayama Park in Zushi City the other day, I am going to show you the cherry blossoms in full bloom in Tachikawa City today.

Please look at the photo below. Negawa Greenway is a hidden gem about 40 kilometers from the center of Tokyo. The walkway along the stream is brimming with cherry blossoms in full bloom. Local people are getting together under the cherry blossoms and enjoying food and drinks. They are couples, families and close-knit groups. It looks like it feels good.

To get to this beautiful spot, the nearest station is Shibasaki-taiikukan (Shibasaki-gymnasium) station on the Tama Monorail line. Taking this opportunity, let me explain about the trains of this straddling type monorail line. The EMU 1000 series is the sole model owned by Tama Intercity Monorail Co., Ltd. It was commissioned in 1998 when the route was partially opened. A total of 16 sets were built by Hitachi and Kawasaki Heavy industries from 1998 to 2005. One trainset is composed of four 15-meter-long motorcars, but the first and last cars are unconventional each. One bogie has motors, but another bogie has no motors. As a result, the composition of one trainset is equivalent to 3M1T. The electric system is 1,500 V DC and the electric control system is IGBT-VVVF (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor-variable frequency drive).

I fully enjoyed the beautiful cherry blossoms and the nice view train on the Tama Monorail line.

Full-blown cherry trees on the Negawa Greenway near Shibasaki-taiikukan station

Shooting the Cruise Train, "Shiki-shima": Part 2

JR East's cruise train, the E001 series "Shiki-shima", approaches Odawara station

Continuing with what I covered last time, I'm going to show you “Shiki-shima”, the JR East E001 series, today.

After shooting Shiki-shima at the Kozu station yard, I went back to Odawara station, and awaited the arrival of this cruise train again. At ten forty, Shiki-shima came back from Kozu to take up the passengers again. Let me explain about the composition of this train. Shiki-shima consists of 10 cars. The first and last cars are observation cars. The other eight cars are six sleeping cars (Car 2, 3, 4, 7, 8 and 9), a lounge car (Car 5) and a dining car (Car 6). Car 7 is the highest-grade sleeping car consisting of Shiki-shima Suite and Deluxe Suite. These rooms have cypress baths. Everything is top-notch, isn’t it?

After picking up passengers, Shiki-shima left Odawara station at ten fifty. It was seen off by two local “samurais” in armors and kabutos (decorative samurai helmets). It was a thoughtful way of treating the passengers. The passengers continued the journey. According to JR East’s website, the passengers and crew had a farewell party, after arriving at Ueno terminal in Tokyo on that day. The crew did more than what the passengers had expected.

By the way, you may ask me, "Don’t you go on board the luxury cruise train to travel?” Good question! I'd like to go on board Shiki-shima at some point… but, I'm always busy. It’s very popular, so, I can’t make a reservation. It’s very expensive and... (so many excuses!)

Local "samurais" (right) send off Shiki-shima cruise train from Odawara station

Official product descriptions about the E001 series, Shiki-shima, by J-TREC (in Japanese):

https://www.j-trec.co.jp/company/070/06/jtr06_088-093.pdf

Shooting the Cruise Train, "Shiki-shima"

JR East's cruise train, the E001 series "Shiki-shima", stands at Kozu station yard

Do you remember when I introduced you to JR West’s sleeper train, “Sunrise Express” last year? That was the only “regular” sleeper train left in Japan. Is there anything else? There are what we call “cruise trains”. I’m going to show you one of such luxury sleeper trains today.

“Shiki-shima (the four seasons island)” is JR East’s cruise train. The formal name is the E001 series. Only one set was jointly built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries and J-TREC, and debuted in 2017. The E001 series is composed of 10 cars. An "EDC" electric/diesel hybrid propulsion system is adopted. On the electrified tracks, it’s operated as an EMU (electric multiple unit). Meanwhile, on the non-electrified tracks, it activates two diesel generators in the first and last cars, and powers the train's traction motors.

JR East doesn’t release the detailed timetable of Shiki-shima, because it’s operated as special group trip trains. It’s not so easy to shoot this train as rail-fans expect. I recently got an information about the timetable of Shiki-shima on several websites, and visited Odawara station on the Tokaido main line, but I couldn’t find it. Why? According to a station attendant, Shiki-shima is temporally accommodated in the Kozu station yard, which is located about 6 kilometers east of Odawara station. Oh, my goodness!

After rushing to the scene at Kozu station, I barely shot Shiki-shima, standing on the detention track. Please look at the photos. Shiki-shima was shining brightly. I did it!... but I was completely exhausted. To be continued…

Shiki-shima approaches Kozu station yard

Official information about "Shiki-shima" by JR East:

https://www.jreast.co.jp/shiki-shima/en/

2025 Sakura Season on the Yokosuka Line

Set F29 of the EMU E235-1000 series (11-cars) travels on the Yokosuka line

On March 24th, 2025, the Meteorological Agency of Japan declared that this year's sakura (cherry) blossoms had started blooming in the metropolitan area. Spring has sprung! As I posted year after year, Japanese people harbor romantic emotions towards sakura blossoms. We are also reminded of the emptiness of life, seeing the beautiful blossoms dropping only a week after they fully blossom. Sakura viewing in this short period is a part of Japanese culture. This year, I took the JR East Yokosuka line to see sakura blossoms in Kanagawa Prefecture.

My destination was Zushi City, about 50 kilometers southwest of the center of Tokyo. When I reached Sakurayama (Cherry Mountain) Park, lots of visitors were there. They were families with children, couples and close-knit groups, and being fun in their own ways under the full-blown sakura trees. What most left an impression was a couple having “maedori (a bridal photoshoot ahead of their wedding day)”. Congratulations on your wedding!

On the way home, I took a moment to enjoy train shooting at Higashi-Zushi station. I was so happy that I could shoot an eleven-car train of the EMU E235-1000 series reflecting the sunlight, but… at the same time, I remembered that his (her) elder brother (sister), namely E217 series, was retired from the Yokosuka line on March 14th. I didn’t have a chance to say good-bye to the E217 series before the retirement. The E217 series… I’m truly sorry… but thank you so much for your hard working on the Yokosuka, Sobu-Rapid and Tokaido lines.

Full-blown sakura trees in Sakura-yama Park near HIgashi-Zushi station