Let’s pick up where we left off.
After enjoying the snow-covered landscape along the Tsugaru Railway Line, we went to Hirosaki Station in Aomori Prefecture, where the Train Suite Shiki-shima cruise train was waiting for us. This winter journey was full of unforgettable moments—beautiful scenery, local culture, and regional cuisine—but I’ll save those stories for another time. For now, let’s get back to the railway highlights.
On the return run to Tokyo, I spent quite a bit of time enjoying the forward view. The observation car was nearly empty, so I practically had the place to myself. For railfans, this spot is pure heaven.
One particularly memorable moment occurred near Tsukinoki Station in Miyagi Prefecture. Take a look at the top photo first. A green train was approaching in the distance. Any guesses?
It turned out to be a train of the Abukuma Express. As mentioned in my post from 2024, Abukuma Express is a regional railway operating between Fukushima and Tsukinoki, with a total route length of 54.9 km.
Interestingly, the tracks of Abukuma Express and JR East’s Tohoku Main Line run parallel for only about one kilometer near Tsukinoki Station. Despite that short shared stretch, Shiki-shima happened to meet an Abukuma Express train right there. Even better, it was the green AB900 series trainset (Set AB-7), which I had never seen before. What a lucky encounter!
Before wrapping up this post, let me share one more highlight from the journey. After departing Utsunomiya Station in Tochigi Prefecture, passengers were treated to a live jazz performance in the lounge car (see the photo below).
Utsunomiya is known in Japan as a “city of jazz,” and the musicians actually boarded the train at Utsunomiya Station. Their performance created a wonderful atmosphere on board. It was a refreshing and memorable way to end the day’s journey.
