Iris Garden on the Tobu Noda Line

EMU Tobu 10030 series travels on the Noda Line

From early June to mid-July, the Tokyo metropolitan area has a hot and humid rainy season, called Tsuyu. It is a gloomy period for Tokyoites before midsummer, but it is a pleasure to see some kinds of beautiful flowers which only bloom in this season. Along with hydrangeas, irises are typically seen during the rainy season in the Tokyo metropolitan area. The large colorful blossoms are gorgeous, but elegant as well. It is said that the practice of viewing iris flowers began to spread throughout Japan in the 13th century by flower-loving Samurais.

Last month, I visited the famous iris garden, called Someya Iris Garden, in Saitama City. The nearest station was Nanasato on the Tobu Noda Line, but it was a bit far from the station (about 4 km). The garden was a 60 minute walk from the station. Although it was inconvenient to get to, but I saw many flower lovers there. 

In the meantime, the Noda line is a circular route in the eastern half of the Tokyo metropolitan area, connecting Omiya and Funabashi. The route length is 62.7 km. The track is mostly double and the gauge size is 1,067 mm. Along with the 8000 and the 60000 series, the EMU 10030 series is operated on the Noda Line. It was originally operated on the other Tobu lines and has been moved to the Noda Line since 2013. It has stainless steel bodies with blue and light green colored stripes after moving to the Noda Line.

Someya Iris Garden near Nanasato  Station on the Tobu Noda Line

Toyama Port Line: Another Tram Route in Toyama City

Toyama Light Rail Company TRL0600 series, "Portram", travels on the Toyama Port Line

Tram routes in Japan have been abolished one after another due to heavy traffic jams. However, there is an exception. Toyama city, which is located about 390 km northwest of Tokyo, recognizes the merits of a tram system. This local city has been creating a tram network as a main urban transportation system from the point of view of environmental protection and a barrier-free concept.

The Toyama-ko Line (Toyama Port Line) is a typical tram route in Toyama City. It had been operated as a standard railway by JR West. It was, then, succeeded by Toyama Light Railway Company, and renovated as a tram route in 2006. Connecting Toyama-eki-kita (Toyama Station North) and Iwasehama, its total operating length is 7.6 km. The track is single and electrified. The electric system is 600 V DC overhead.

The main fleet of the Toyama Port Line is the TRL0600 series. It is a low-floor type articulated vehicle. So far, a total of 7 sets, 14 units have been built by Niigata Transys. One of the features of this model is that each set shows a different body color. It is very colorful backed by the urban scenery.

For your information, the Toyama Port Line will be connected with the other tram route, named City Tram Line at JR West Toyama Station in 2020. Once the construction is completed, the trams are directly operated between the above two lines. It will be more and more convenient for passengers.

Toyama Light Rail Company TRL0600 series, "Portram", stands at Iwasehama Station

Official information about the Toyama Light Rail TRL0600 series, "Portram" (in Japanese):

http://www.t-lr.co.jp/about/portram.html

Official information about the Toyama Port Line (in Japanese):

http://www.t-lr.co.jp/index.html

Road to the Resort Island

Diesel rail-car JR West Class KiHa 47 of the KiHa 40 series stands at Shimonoseki Station

Tsunoshima is a small island offshore in the Sea of Japan in Yamaguchi Prefecture, about 1,100 km west of Tokyo. It is famous its white beach with emerald green water. The delicious sea food also attracts holidaymakers. What made Tsunoshima Island famous is Tsunoshima-ohashi Bridge. Connecting Honshu (the main island of Japan) and Tsunoshima Island, whose length is 1,780 m. It was opened in 2000 as a free prefectural road. Amagase Park, which is located at the Honshu side of the bridge entrance, is a notable photogenic spot. 

To get to this resort island, I took the JR West Sanin Line from Shimonoseki, and headed to Kottoi Station. It took about 70 minutes by local train. I, then, changed there for the bus bound for Tsunoshima Island. My vehicle on the Sanin Line was a diesel rail-car, Class KiHa 47 of the KiHa 40 series. The body color was vermilion, which is the so-called "metropolitan color". The KiHa 40 series is a standard diesel rail-car for local lines. It was launched in 1977 by Japanese National Railways (JNR). JNR was Japan's largest railway network at that time, so, the KiHa 40 series was soon introduced to local lines all over Japan such as Hokkaido, Honshu and Kyushu Island. After JNR was split into seven railway companies in 1987, the KiHa 40 series has started retirement. For instance, the last KiHa 40 series rolling stock in the Tokyo metropolitan area disappeared in March this year. 

I enjoyed the beautiful resort island and the nostalgic diesel rail-car in Yamaguchi Prefecture.

Tsunoshima-ohashi bridge near Kottoi Station on the JR West Sanin Line

New Relaxing Train on the Seibu Railway Network

EMU Seibu 40000 series passes through Tsunashima Station on the Tokyu-Toyoko Line

Japan has a problem that urban commuter trains are always crowded in the rush hour. On the other hand, it will soon be another problem that a number of urban commuters decrease due to the decreasing birthrate and population. It is a dilemma for the railway companies. What should they do?

For the former problem, the urban railway companies are continuously conducting enhancement of transportation capacity, such as constructions of double-double tracks and introductions of the longer trains. On the other hand, for the latter problem, many companies have started to operate special commuter trains with reserved seats to improve the quality of passenger service.

Please look at the picture. It is Seibu's new EMU, the 40000 series, launched on March 25th this year. This new model is operated as a commuter train with reserved seats between Tokorozawa on the Seibu-Ikebukuro Line and Toyosu on the Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line on weekdays. It is also operated as a sightseeing train between Seibu-Chichibu on the Seibu-Chichibu Line and Motomachi-Chukagai on the Minato-Mirai Line on weekends.

One of the features of the 40000 series is its multi-purpose seat, which the conductor can change from long seats to cross seats using a remote control. Needless to say, the 40000 series is used as a cross seat train, when it is operated as a reserved seat train, named the "S-train". It is similar with that of "Tobu TJ Liner".

S-train... it is a new relaxing train on the Seibu railway network.

EMU Seibu 40000 series leaves Tsunashima Station on the Tokyu-Toyoko Line

Official information about S-train (in Japanese): https://www.seiburailway.jp/express/s-train/

EMU 415 Series: Inter-island Commuter Train

EMU JR Kyushu 415 series arrives at Shimonoseki Station

As I posted before, Shimonoseki is known as the westernmost city of Honshu Island (the main island), about 1,100 km west of Tokyo. It is very close to Kita-Kyushu City on Kyushu Island across the Kanmon Straits via Kanmon Railway Tunnel, so that Shimonoseki functions as a gateway city to Kyushu Island.

If you visit JR West Shimonoseki Station, you can see not only JR West's rolling stock, but also trains from JR Kyushu lines. For instance, the EMU 415 series is the representative commuter train from Kyushu Island. The 415 series was launched in 1971 by Japanese National Railways (hereafter JNR). It is an AC (alternate current)-DC (direct current) dual electric system train built by Tokyu Sharyo, Nippon Sharyo and so on. Currently, JR Kyushu has a total of 40 sets, 160 units of the 415 series. This model is operated as a DC train on the section between Shimonoseki and Moji stations via Kanmon Railway Tunnel; while it is used as an AC train on the tracks on Kyushu Island.

The outer design of the 415 series is the same as that of the JR West 115 series on the Sanyo Main Line. It is JNR's standard commuter train with a so-called "Tokai-type" face. Tokai is named after the Tokaido Line. As the name suggests, the first Tokai-type train had been operated on the Tokaido Line since 1958.

The EMU JR Kyushu 415 series... it is an inter-island commuter train with a traditional Tokai-type face.

Night view of Shimonoseki City near Shimonoseki Station