It may sound sudden, but do you have a place that never fails to spark joy?
For me, Asukayama is that place as a rail fan. Today, I’d like to share a small story about this area.
■ What is Asukayama?
Asukayama—literally “Asuka Mountain”—is a small hill and public park in the northern part of Tokyo. It was opened in 1732 by Yoshimune Tokugawa as a cherry blossom viewing spot for the people of old Edo.
The closest station is Ōji Station, about 17 minutes from Tokyo Station via JR East’s Keihin–Tōhoku Line. You can also access it via the Tokyo Metro Namboku Line and the Toei Arakawa Line.
■ Why is Asukayama special for rail fans?
First, two preserved vehicles stand inside the park: Toei tramcar Unit 6080 and former JNR steam locomotive D51 853 (I hope to introduce them properly in a future post).
Second, the well-known train-viewing spot Kitatopia is close by.
And third, a charming free monorail called Ascargot carries visitors up the hillside.
■ The precious shared track on the Arakawa Line
While these attractions are wonderful, there's another feature I’d love to highlight—the shared track section on the Toei Arakawa Line.
Most of the line runs on exclusive tracks, but there is one exception: the 0.5 km stretch between Ōji-ekimae and Asukayama stops.
In the photo above, Unit 7705 of the 7700 series is about to begin its climb up the shared track. Even with its 120 kW output, the incline becomes a challenge when the car is crowded. A small automobile easily passes it. Hang in there, Unit 7705!
In the photo below, after conquering the slope, Unit 9001 of the 9000 series is just about to return to the exclusive track. Bathed in the spring sunlight, it looks almost relieved. Nice work on the hill climb!
Asukayama’s charm truly never ends—including this rare shared track.
