The Last of Overnight Sleeper Train on the Tokaido Line

EMU JR West 285 series, overnight sleeper train, "Sunrise Express" arrives at Tokyo Terminal

As we move forward in the twenty-first century, all of the time people manage to save is actually making their lives more hectic. A typical example is the decline of overnight sleeper trains.

In the 1970s, overnight sleepers were star trains on the trunk lines in Japan. Many reputable trains, such as Fuji (the highest mountain in Japan), Sakura (a cherry blossom) and Asakaze (morning breeze), were operated with high occupancy rate. Some of the tickets were called as "platinum tickets" due to the difficulty of reservation.

But now, almost all sleeper trains have been abolished because people have transferred to other transportations such as the Shinkansen or air carriers. Certainly, they are faster and more convenient than those of sleeper trains; however, people are busier than ever. Consequently, there is only one overnight sleeper train on the Tokaido Main Line; "Sunrise Express" (see the top photo).

Sunrise Express is an EMU that has comfortable berthing. Connecting Tokyo, Takamatsu (the gate city of Shikoku Island) and Izumo-shi (a historical city in San-in Region), it travels through the night on the Tokaido and other branch lines. When the train bound for Takamatsu crosses the Seto-oohashi Bridge, which links Honshu and Shikoku islands, the passengers can see the beautiful sunrise on the Sea of Seto-naikai.

Although comfortable and scenic travel is provided, it has not been possible to put a stop to its long-term decline of passengers. I think that it is now literally in danger of being abolished.

Sunrise Express; it should be designated as an endangered species.

Side view of EMU JR West KuHaNe 285-1, the top number car of 285 series at Tokyo Station

More information about Sunrise Express (Interior photos with captions in Japanese):

http://www.jr-odekake.net/train/sunriseseto_izumo/accommo.html

Sky Blue Trains Connecting Three Prefectural Capitals

EMU JR East E233-1000 series arrives at Tokyo Station, the Keihin Tohoku Line

When Tokyoites think of "sky blue colored trains", they imagine the JR East Keihin-Tohoku Line. Connecting Ofuna and Omiya, it penetrates the Tokyo metropolitan area from south to north. There are 35 stations over a total operating length of 59.1km.

Formally, the Keihin-Tohoku Line is divided into three lines. The southernmost section, which connects Ofuna and Yokohama, is called the Negishi Line. The central section, between Yokohama and Tokyo, is a part of the Tokaido Main Line. Finally, the northernmost section, between Tokyo and Omiya, is a part of the Tohoku Main Line. Although, the formal names of the line are discrete, people call it the Keihin-Tohoku Line, because trains are directly operated on three lines.

One of the features of this line is that it connects three prefectural capitals in the Tokyo Metropolitan area. They are Yokohama City of Kanagawa Prefecture, Tokyo, and Saitama City of Saitama Prefecture. Because of its line alignment, the Keihin-Tohoku Line trains are always full with commuters and students. Nevertheless, 10 car trains are operated every 2-3 minutes during rush hours and every 5 minutes during the daytime, I always see packed trains at Tokyo Station.

In the meantime, the most attractive place on this line is Akihabara, where Japan's largest oasis for "otaku" -- a subculture lover, who likes anime, gaming, electronics etc. Whether you are an otaku or not, Akihabara will have more than enough to make a visit worthwhile. So, I will introduce this subculture town some time in the future.

The Yamanote Line E231-500 (left) and the Keihin-Tohoku Line E233-1000 series

Yatsu Higata on the Keisei Main Line

EMU Keisei 3000 series at Keisei-Takasago Station

After visiting Yatsu Rose Garden (see my November 26th blog), I stopped off briefly in Yatsu Higata (Yatsu Tidal Flat), which is accessible from the garden.

Yatsu Higata is well-known as a habitat of migratory birds. Especially, the black-winged stilt is a representative bird in this flat. It was sundown. The sky was beginning to darken (see the bottom photo). In the stillness of twilight, it looks beautiful and peaceful. Local people were enjoying jogging or walking their dogs on the walking trail in their own way.

I know this area has a long history of an environmental protection movement. Back in the 1950s, Yatsu Higata was one of the largest tidal flats in Japan. But, since the 1960s, many tidal flats in this area have been reclaimed by the local government. Yatsu Higata is the final local tidal flat that escaped from land development. Eventually, 40  hectares of wetland were preserved and designated a Ramsar Site in 1993.

After enjoying the beautiful rose garden and the tidal flat, I headed to Yatsu Station again. I took the Keisei Main Line and went back home. Transferring from a local to a limited express train at Funabashi Station. It took half an hour to Ueno, which is a terminal station in the eastern part of downtown Tokyo.

I enjoyed two beautiful sightseeing spots where we can see both plants and animals. As a railfan, I also enjoyed riding the fast Keisei commuter trains. It was a valued short trip to an eastern suburb of the Tokyo metropolitan area.

FYI - I have swapped links with "Jumitetsuan" website (in English and Japanese). Please visit and enjoy Japanese and Asian railway topics.

Sunset of Yatsu Higata (Yatsu Tidal Flat) near Yatsu Station, the Keisei Main Line

Rival Railway Story, Keio vs. Odakyu

EMU Keio 9000 series at Keio Yomiuri Land Station

"Tama New Town" is located in a south-western suburb of downtown Tokyo. The population is nearly 200,000.

In the 1960s, Tokyo was suffering from a major problem; an explosion of population. Specifically, the housing shortage was serious. Tokyoites needed houses or flats at reasonable prices. To solve this issue, the central and the metropolitan governments jointly had launched a "new town" development project in the Tama Hills area.

As part of the development, two railways were constructed separately; the Keio-Sagamihara and the Odakyu-Tama lines. Both of them connect Tama Center, a core area of the new town, with Shinjuku, a giant subcenter of downtown Tokyo. Keio and Odakyu became good rivals.

Keio Electric Railway operates trains every 5 minutes during rush hour and 6-7 minutes during the daytime. The fastest train travels the route between Tama Center and Shinjuku in 31 minutes. The fare is 330 Yen. Meanwhile, Odakyu Electric Railway operates trains every 6 minutes during rush hour and 7-8 minutes during the daytime. The fastest train travels the above route in 35 minutes. The fare is 360 Yen (except "Romance Car" services; see my September 4th blog).

So far, it looks like Keio has had the edge over Odakyu in terms of frequent operation, travel time and fares. But, Odakyu is steadily planning a comeback. The key strategy of Odakyu is the construction of another double track in the downtown area. Once it is completed, the transportation capacity and travel time will be drastically improved.

The two companies competition is set to continue.

EMU Odakyu 4000 series at Kyodo Station

More information about Keio: http://www.keio.co.jp/english/index.html

More information about Odakyu: http://www.odakyu.jp/english/

Winter Cherry Blossoms on the JR East Hachiko Line

DMU JR East KiHa 110 series near Tansho Station on the Hachiko Line

Although there is no designated national flower in Japan, many people think it is the cherry blossom. From March to April, the cherry trees bloom in pink all over the Japanese archipelago. On weekends at this time, major viewing spots in Japan are crowded with people who come to see the flower.

But, some cherry trees also bloom in winter. They are called "Fuyu-zakura (winter cherry)". So, viewing Fuyu-zakura is one of the amusements for flower lovers. Last weekend, I took the JR East Hachiko Line and headed northwest. My destination was Tansho, a small station located in Kamikawa Town, Saitama Prefecture.

Connecting Hachioji, a western suburb of Tokyo and Kuragano in Takasaki city of Gunma Prefecture, the Hachiko Line penetrates the north-western part of the Tokyo metropolitan area from south to north. The operation length is 92km. The Hachiko line is divided into two sections at Komagawa. The southern section is a commuter line, electrified at 1,500 V DC. Meanwhile, the northern section is non-electrified, a typical single track local route. DMU KiHa 110 series is operated hourly on average. So, I had to change from the EMU to the DMU at Komagawa Station (see the top photo). It's a bit inconvenient for passengers.

After arriving at Tansho Station, I took a bus and visited Sakura-yama (Cherry Mountain). It was a steep mountainous area, where 7,000 cherry trees were planted. It was late bright fall. I enjoyed both autumn leaves and cherry blossoms at the same time (see the bottom photo).

I had a great weekend again.

Winter cherry blossoms in the Sakura-yama Mountain near Tansho Station, the Hachiko Line