The Chuo Rapid Line, Tokyo's Main Transportation Artery

EMU JR East E233 series at Tokyo Station, the Chuo Rapid Line

The Chuo Rapid Line is one of the busiest railways in the Tokyo metropolitan area, along with the Yamanote Line. The route connects Tokyo, the city center and Takao, a western suburb. The total length of the line is 53km.

According to statistical data, the trains carry a maximum of 42,000 passengers per hour on a weekday morning. Nevertheless, 10 coach trains operate every two minutes in the morning, the congestion rate, which is defined by the number of passengers divided by the carrying capacity, is 194%.

Unfortunately, the Chuo Rapid Line has a poor reputation among Tokyoites. In addition to its rush-hour melee, the ratio of on-time operation is lower than that of other lines, due to malfunctions, accidents and bad weather. It's rather ironic because the name of the line is the Chuo "Rapid", but it is often delayed.

For your information, the "Rapid" is named after "Rapid Services". The Chuo Line is double-double truck. A double truck, whose name is the Chuo-Sobu Local Line, is used for local trains. On the other hand, another double truck, Chuo Rapid Line is allocated for Rapid Services and Limited Express Trains.

Apart from the poor reputation, there are plenty of attractive spots on the Chuo Rapid Line. Shinjuku is a giant subcenter in the western part of downtown Tokyo. There are many department stores, shopping malls and hotels. Meanwhile, Kichijoji is more casual. You can find good restaurants, fashion boutiques and grocery stores.

EMU JR East E233 series at Ochanomizu Station, the Chuo Rapid Line

Burningbush Hill on the MinatoLine

Railcar Type KiHa 3710 near Nakaminato Station, Hitachinaka Kaihin Railway

Burningbush, academic name: Kochia scoparia, is a very useful plant in Japan.

Firstly, it's used as the material for making brooms. So, its name is "Houkigusa (broom grass)" in this country. Secondly, the seeds are edible as a rare delicacy called "tonburi", especially in the northern part of Japan. Its texture is similar to caviar. So, it's called "land caviar" in Japan. Thirdly, it's also grown for ornamental purposes. It produces many small flowers in August. Then, in October, it turns a glowing red. It's very impressive as a signal of the coming of autumn.

To enjoy viewing beautiful burningbush, which has changed to a red color, I strongly recommend visiting Hitachinaka City in Ibaraki Prefecture, a northern suburb of the Tokyo metropolitan area. It takes around one hour from downtown Tokyo to Katsuta on a limited express train of the Joban Line, JR East. Then, you should transfer to the Minato Line of Hitachinaka Kaihin Railway to Ajigaura, a terminal station. The Burningbush Hill is located in the Hitachinaka Kaihin Park near this station (see the bottom photo).

This small local railway was severely damaged on March 11th this year by a giant earthquake. But, since then, the company has been making all-out efforts to get it back up and running. Eventually, the trains resumed operation all the way along the line on July 23rd. Lovely railcars type KiHa 3710 and others also returned to operation (see the top photo).

Visit the Burningbush Hill on the local railway… today was a very beautiful day again in the autumn weekend.

Burningbush Hill in Hitachinaka City, Ibaraki Prefecture

More information about railcars of Hitachinaka Kaihin Railway (in Japanese):

http://www.hitachinaka-rail.co.jp/train/

The Light and Dark Sides of the Watarase River

Railcar Watarase Type Wa 89-310 at Kami-kanbai Station

Watarase-gawa is a major river in the northern part of the Kanto Plain, north of Tokyo. It's about 100km in length and its source is at the Kanto Mountains. The river passes downward to join the Tone River and eventually flows into the Pacific Ocean.

Watarase River reveals two faces in its basin… a light side and a dark side.

The light side is a clear stream (see the bottom photo). It's especially beautiful during April and May when all the forests along the river are freshly green, and between October and November when the leaves have changed color. Superb hot springs also spread throughout the area.

The dark side is a starting point of environmental pollution in Japan. In the basin, copper resources were found in the 17th century and had been developed for long time. But, after adopting modern mining technologies in the late 19th century, people had been suffering from mineral poison such as gas and water from ore refineries. The mine was closed in 1973 after declining the production.

To visit Watarase River area, the Tobu Railway is convenient from Kitasenju, a northern terminal of Tokyo. Then, you can transfer to a local railway, the Watarase Valley Line at Aioi Station. A lovely chocolate colored railcar will bring you to the heart of the valley (see the top photo).

There is a beautiful valley and mined land, where currently it has been changed to a Mining Museum. You can enjoy the valley and the history of the mining as well.

Takatsudo Valley near Ohmama Station

More inforormation about Watarase Valley Railway (in Japanese): http://www.watetsu.com/

Sheer Indulgence of "Onsen" on the Tozan Railway

EMU Hakone-tozan 1000 series at Ohiradai Station

Although I just visited Hakone in July (see my July 11th’s blog), I prowled there again to hunt for a superb “onsen”(hot spring). I love Hakone, a winy volcanic mountain resort in the western part of the Tokyo metropolitan area. Access from downtown is excellent. Taking Odakyu and Hakone Tozan Railways, it takes only 90min from Shinjuku. This time, I rode a standard commuter train on the Odakyu Line.

The Hakone Tozan Line is substantially divided into two sections at Hakone-yumoto Station. The section east of Hakone-yumoto is an ordinary railway, whose track gauge is 1067mm. Trains of Odakyu Railway directly operate into the line (see the bottom photo). Meanwhile, the section west of Hakone-yumoto is an steep mountain climbing railway whose track gauge is 1435mm. A special train of Hakone Tozan Railway with mountain climbing specifications operates on the line (see the top photo).

After taking Hakone Tozan Railway, I got off the train at Miyanoshita Station and visited the following quiet onsen, surrounded by steep mountains with dark green forests.

http://www.eiju.jp/hotspring.html

There are several reasons why I like hot springs, but a hot spring in the open air is the most charming of them all. Only the voice of the gentle wind and the limpid stream were heard as I soaked in the bath outside. I really appreciated it. Onsen is the heaven specifically for people who are leading a life of hustle and bustle in the city.

EMU Odakyu 1000 series at Hakone-yumoto Station

One Saturday Morning at Shinjuku Station

EMU JR East E351 series, Limited Express "Super-Azusa" at Shinjuku Station

Although Tokyo Electric Power Company announced in early September that it had avoided the power shortages predicted for midsummer, still Japanese people are trying hard to save electricity. Needless to say, the power shortage would have been caused by the nuclear power plant disaster that followed the giant earthquake and the tsunami. Many companies were contributing by trying to save electricity. This applied to my company as well. This September, I had to go to my office on Saturdays to equalize electricity consumption, because many other companies were off on a Saturday.

Last Saturday morning at Shinjuku Station, I saw an elegant train, EMU JR East E351 series, Limited Express "Super-Azusa" bound for Matsumoto (see the top photo) on the way to work. Families, couples and young groups were going to embark the train to visit beautiful mountain resorts on the weekend. This train was specially-developed in 1993 for passing through tight curves in mountain ranges at a high speed. Just before entering the tight curves, the train automatically tilts its body to mitigate the centrifugal force. So, it's called a "tilting train". Thanks to this device, the new train greatly reduced the travel time between downtown Tokyo and Yamanashi and Nagano Prefectures.

I felt a bit jealous of those who were riding the state-of-the-art train and going to resorts. But, immediately I rejuvenated, because I still get choked up thinking about the victims of the giant earthquake. Year 2011 will be a memorable for all Japanese people.

Limited Express, "Super-Azusa" leaves Shinjuku Station

More information about JR East Limited Express "Super-Azusa":
http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/routemaps/azusa_kaiji.html