Asakusa, Retro Terminal on the Tobu Line

Tobu Asakusa Station and the terminal building

Tobu is one of the major railway companies in Tokyo. They operate the largest private railway network in the Tokyo metropolitan area, and are currently very aggressive in diversifying their business as well. Their latest biggest news is the grand opening of Tokyo Sky Tree, the 634 meter-high world's tallest broadcasting tower near Oshiage Station (see my blog on July 29, 2011). At the same time, Tobu has renovated Asakusa Station and the terminal building in the northeastern part of downtown Tokyo.

Tobu-Asakusa Terminal Building (see the top photo) was opened in 1931. It has seven stories above ground and one below. The ticketing office is on the ground floor; meanwhile the platforms are on the second floor, where four 6-car trains can stop in parallel. Matsuya Department Store occupies the 3rd to 7th floors in the building.

Due to restriction of the site, Tobu couldn't expand their station as the number of passengers grows. But thanks to the restriction, this retro building has been surviving for 81 years since it was opened. The recent renovation accentuated the beauty of Asakusa Station. For example, the building has been precisely restored to the original style as it was completed in 1931. Additionally, it is now lit up at night. Furthermore, the walls and pillars were retrofitted for anti-seismic reinforcement.

I have a special fondness for the retro feel of Asakusa Station, as it leaves the impression of Art Deco in the 1930s.

Tobu Asakusa Station and EMU 10000 series

Boso Express, Access to the Countryside in Chiba

EMU JR East E257-500 series, Limited Express "Shiosai", leaves Choshi Station

Chiba, which is situated in the eastern part of the Kanto District, is a neighboring prefecture of Tokyo. It lies across the Kanto Plain in the northwest and Boso Peninsula in the southeast.

Chiba has two faces... one as an urban area, which extends from Tokyo, and the other as a countryside along Tokyo Bay and the Pacific.

The railway system in the urban area is fully incorporated into a commuter line network in the Tokyo metropolitan area. JR East and Keisei lines mainly undertake roles of transportation. In contrast, the railways in the countryside are more local and isolated. JR East local lines and small private railways are key players there.

To visit the countryside in Chiba Prefecture, JR East's express trains are convenient. From the downtown Tokyo area, they frequently leave and head to cities and towns in the area.

Currently, the main carriers on the above routes are the Boso Express, EMU E257-500 series trains. They were launched in 2004 replacing the old trains, EMU 183 and 189 series. The blue, white and yellow, three-toned body is very vivid. The blue stands for the ocean. The white stands for the beach. Meanwhile the yellow stands for the canola flowers in Chiba Prefecture.

When I was a child, I often visited Chiba to go swimming with my family. Steam locomotives (SLs) were still operated from downtown Tokyo at that time. Shortly after, diesel trains replaced SLs. Then, modern EMUs were launched and became to play the main role.

Time and tide stay for no man.

Side view of KuHa E256-519, EMU E57-500 series, Choshi Station, the Sobu Main Line

More information about Boso Express, Sazanami and Wakashio: http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/routemaps/sazanami_wakashio.html#category01

Tobu Spacia and Daylily Community in Kirifuri Highland

EMU Tobu 100 series, "Spacia" (new color) at Tobu-Nikko Station

The Japanese Archipelago is being heated in dazzling sunshine. The Meteorological Agency announced on July 17th that rainy season this year has finished in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Tatebayashi City in Gunma Prefecture reached 39 degrees Celsius, the highest temperature of this summer so far. As if waiting for the midsummer, Japanese people move to cool environments away from the hot urban areas.

My evacuation area last weekend was Kirifuri (Misty) Highland in Tochigi Prefecture, some 120km north of Tokyo. It is located at altitudes between 1200 and 1600 meters above sea level, and is even cool in midsummer. Not only merely its climate, but the beautiful daylily community is also attractive in this area. The grassy hills are swathed in beautiful yellow daylily blossoms in this season (see the following picture).

So as to avoid a traffic jam on the highways, I took a train of Tobu Railway from downtown Tokyo. This company operates luxury limited express, "Spacia", to Nikko, the nearest city to Kirifuri Highland.

Currently, Tobu Railway is gearing up for the promotion of tourism to Nikko, a World Heritage Site by renovating their flagship trains, the Spacia EMU 100 series (see the top photo). The interior has become more gorgeous and the exterior colors have also been changed.

Thanks to the leisurely reclining seat, it was very relaxing in the train. I enjoyed drinking beer while I went back home.

Rail travel is the best in Japan.

Daylily community in Kirifuri Highland near Tobu-Nikko Station

Station with the Longest Name in Japan

DMU Rintetsu Type 6000 arrives at Chojagahamashiosaihamanasukoenmae Station

Kashima Rinkai Railway, called Rintetsu, is a local railway company in Ibaraki Prefecture, the north-eastern part of the Tokyo metropolitan area. Connecting Mito, a major city in the prefecture and Okunoyahama in Kashima Coastal Industrial Zone, the total length is 72.2km.

Rintetsu has two different functions.

First, Rintetsu has a commuter transport function in the Mito urban area. The Ooarai-Kashima Line (53km) has such a role. Single or two-car diesel trains are operated every 20 to 60 minutes. Local people, specifically high school students are the main users of Rintetsu.

Second, Rintetsu has a freight transport function to and from the Kashima Coastal Industrial Zone. The Kashima-Rinko Line (19.2km) has such a role. Container freight trains pulled by diesel locomotives are operated to deliver industrial materials and ship out the products.

This local railway was damaged on March 11th last year by a giant earthquake. Since then, the company made all-out efforts to get it back up and running. Eventually, the trains resumed operation all the way along the line on July 12th. Lovely railcars type 6000 returned to operation.

The station with the longest name in Japan is on Rintetsu. That is "Chojagahamashiosaihamanasukoenmae". It means that "surf sound and rugosa rose park on the millionaire beach".

Actually, there is a small park named Shiosaihamanasu (the surf sound and rugosa rose) near the station, but I can't find any place-name, Chojagahama (millionaire beach) adjacent to the station on the map. Probably, it's a name used by only local people.

Who is the millionaire there?

The station with the longest name in Japan, "Chojagahamashiosaihamanasukoenmae"

More information about Kashima Rinkai Railway (in Japanese): http://www.rintetsu.co.jp/

Hydrangea and Classic Trains in the Hakone Mountain

Hydrangea and classic EMU Hakone Tozan Type MoHa 1 near Miyanoshita Station

The season of hydrangea flowers in downtown Tokyo has already passed, but still continues in high altitude suburban areas. Hakone Mountain is one such area.

Last weekend, I visited there to see late-blooming hydrangea along the Hakone Tozan Railway. Just like the Keio-Inokashira Line (see my blog on June 19th), Hakone Tozan Railway is a gorgeous viewing spot for hydrangea flowers. Railway employees have been lovingly working plants on to the embankments of the track for many years. Nowadays, we can enjoy seeing colorful blossoms here and there from the trains (see the top photo).

The other targets last weekend were classic trains. They are Type MoHa 1 and 2. Type MoHa 1 was launched in 1950, when the voltage in the section between Odawara and Hakone-Yumoto stations was raised from 600 to 1500 volts. A total of 6 units were manufactured, and 4 units (103, 104, 106 and 107) are still operated. Meanwhile, Type MoHa 2 was manufactured from 1955 to 1957. Five units were manufactured, and 3 units (108, 109 and 110) are still operated. The exterior appearances of both types do not vary much; but, the interiors differ considerably. Long seats are arranged in Type MoHa1, meanwhile there are cross seats in Type MoHa 2.

I love the classic feel of these trains. Specifically, I like long resistors on the train roofs. They exude a strong dignity with their cubed bodies. I am always impressed when I see these classic trains climb powerfully up the 80 per mill steep railway track.
 

Classic EMU Hakone Tozan Type MoHa 2 with a roof top resistor