Travels in Japan & Railroad Sceneries

Wakkanai, at the northern end of Japan (1995)
Wakkanai Dome at the north pier as a ruin of Railroad Ferry between Wakkanai and Korsakov, former Odomari (Japanese name) while Sakhalin was under Japanese government.	Overlooking of Wakkanai Dome at the north pier to prevent passengers from strong cold winds. Cape soya is the most nothern point, which lies several kilometers east of this Northern pier.
C55 left at Wakkanai Dome at the north pier.	Express train arriving Wakkanai station.
C55 was pulled down in 1997 due to corrosion by salty winds (The Tensho Armada). Ref.: About railroad ferries in Encyclopedia Wikipedia　　100 year history of the railroad ferries.
Discontinuance of Usui Pass Line on Sep.30 1997
Usui Pass Line known as the most severe inclination in JR line was discontinued on Sep.30 1997 for compasation of opening new Nagano Shinkansen. Electric cars are pushed up with help of electric locomotives.
Railroad monument of previous cogwheel line.	You can drive electric locomotive after training.
Mojiko (Moji port) station as a monument of railroad developement in Kyushu Island (visited in 1999) Mojiko station was working as the entrance of Kyushu island before opeing of Kanmon Tunnel under the strait to connect the island to the main land of Japan.
Front view of Mojiko station, the gate to Kyushu island before opening the tunnel under Kanmon strait.	0 km post of Kagoshima line (JR Kyushu).
Front view of Mojiko station from a little apart.	A building at Mojiko station area.
Mt. Fuji from Tokyo
From Koremasa bridge at rather upper reach of Tama river. Commuter line and freight line are running in parallel.
Tama river bridge of Odakyu line（1993），Now a new bridge of higher level is made at the upper side behind.	Views of Mt. Fuji and the bridge over Tama river from Izumi on the bank, Komae city(2005)
Yurikamome, a new transit for Tokyo bay area going up loop line to the rainbow bridge	Tokyo monorail for Haneda airport running apart from the loop.
Mt. Fuji at sunset．
Both Yurikamome, a new transit of Tokyo bay area named from a kind of sea gull living in this area known as Miyakodori, and Tokyo monorail connecting Haneda airport to the city cut the view from the rainbow bridge at the end of Tokyo bay. Mt. Fuji is also seen in a fine day. Tokyo monorail that starts from Shimbashi station and Yurikamome that start from Hamamatsucho are only 1,000ft apart at the nearest point. Yurikamome with head lights (right) is leaving the rainbow bridge through a loop line.
Oigawa Railroads (visited in 2001)
Senzu Sta. to connect steam pulled train to the upper light rail line with cogwheel rail..	Electronic locomotives for rack rail is impossible to pass through small right rail tunnels．
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Rack rail, the upper line of Oigawa Railway. this is only one cogwhhel railway in Japan now.	Certificate for aboad of steam locomotive pulled train.
Tokyo - Niigata - Akita - Lake Tazawa - Tokyo (2004)
To attend alumini party at Akita, I have planed a really round loop trip via Niigata, that is, I have departed from Tokyo by Max Toki No.313 to Niigata, there I have transferred to Inaho no.5 for Akita. On the next day I have taken Komachi No.18, known as Mini-Shinkanse, which go the route of Tohoku Shinkansen of 1435mm gauge between Tokyo and Morioka, and then go through reconstructed previous 1058mm gauge route. Therefore, the size of cars are rather small copared with the normal Shinkansen.
MaxToki No.306 arriving Tokyo Central station. This train becomes Max Toki No.313 within 17 minutes (Joetsu Shinkansen).	Track 20 lies next to Track10. Shinkansen trains bound for north start tracks #20,21,22 & 23. Tracks #14 to 19 for Shinkansen bound for west lie next to 23.
Inaho No. 5, an express train of 1058mm gauge, leaving Niigata station.	Komachi No.18 of 1435mm gauge, arriving to Tazawako station. The size of the train is rather small compared with the normal Shinkansen.
Shinkansen in Kyushu, an isolated section is opened. Connection to the major line is still a future story.
Newly opened Haneda (Tokyo International) Airport Terminal 2	Relay Tsubame Arriving at Kumamoto Sta. , the train to connect isolated Kyushu Shinkansen Tsubame.
Inside of New Kyushu Shinkansen Tsubame. Connection of relay Tsubame to Tsubame was too smooth to find intervals to take pictures..
The platform of Kagoshima Central Sta. is too short to find spaces to take pictures.	Tsubame departing Kagoshima Central Sta.
Sakurajima, an active volcano in Sunset	Sunrise and an active volcano, Sakurajima
Visited Myoko Highland, 24 miles from northern coast of the Main Island, where I stayed from 1945 to 1947.
Myoko No.4 to connect Nagano Shinkansen.	Mt.Myoko from the station area.
I have visited the battle ship Mikasa at the Mikasa memorial park in Yokosuka on the day of 100th anniversary of the battle of the sea of Japan.
	A new car from Hokusou line via Keisei line and Toei subway to Haneda Airport, seen at Keikyu Shinagawa station.
The Tsukuba Express line newly opened, that connects Tsukuba Educational and Reseach City to Tokyo Metropolis in 45 min.
Kita-Senju is the only station above the ground in Tokyo Metrpolitan area. Atrain from north bound for Tokyo Akihabara (left) and a train from south bound for Tsukuba (right).
A logo at the side of a train.	An entrance of Asakusa station.
Commemorative tickets at Asakusa station issued on the opening day.
Tokyo-(Shinkansen)-Hachinohe-(JR Exp.)-Hakodate, Sapporo-(JR Sleeper, Hokutosei=the Plough)-Tokyo (2005)
Shinkansen "Hayate" at Tokyo Sta.	Change to Ordinary JR Express at Hachinohe.
Trams in Hakodate
A Bird's Eye View upon Trams in Hakodate	A Slope lined with Rowan Trees
Toya Region: Volcanic Fumes from the Ground Level	The Volcano erupted on the Field in 1943， A View from Top Station of the Ropeway.
The Canal of Otaru	Former the 113th National Bank, Otaru Branch erected in 1893.
Trams of Sapporo.
Views at Platforms of Sapporo JR Station
JR Sleeper Train Hokutosei (The Plough) pulled by a Diesel Locomotive at Sapporo Station.	At Hakodate Station, the Diesel Locomotive should be replaced here with an EL at another End of the Train.
A Dinning car, already rare in Japan.	Arrival at Ueno Terminal.
JR Express "Azusa" af Minami-Otari in Nagano pref.
Enoshima-Kamakura Line so called Enoden at the Shichirigahama crossing.	Shichirigahama that means 5 miles beach, ad the Pacific lies beyond the Shichirigahama crossing
Enoden goes on the street near Enoshima.	Enoden goes on the street. A temple behind.
Ruins of Discontinued Harbor Railroads in Yokohama. Matsuyama(2010) Diamond crossing between Takahama suburban line and a tram line. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xL679PyB9k&feature=related Crossing in Komachi station yard, here tram is on the single track. New low floor model. Revived "Botchan Train". These are diesel locomotives imitating original steam locomotives. An old passenger's car of Botchan train in Shikido. Shikido, the memorial of a "Haiku" poet, Shiki Masaoka. The original no.1 steam locomotive is preserved in Baishinji Park on Iyotetsu Takahama line. Tiny locomotives are turned without turntable, they are turned at the terminal by man-power lifting at the central axis. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1TAQRHMYsY&NR=1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDB1nEDLppU&NR=1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIuSUvUKsv0&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3Diw9MSUVo The old theater built in1916 in Ichiko Ehime. Old houses in the villa Ichiko are also preserved. The Ichiko is 25 min. from Matsuyama by diesel express trains. Express electric trains from Okayama/Takamatsu meet Diesel express trains at the same platform No.1 directly flat to the Matsuyama station entrance for convinience to transfer. Iyotetsu Tkahama line, that goes on the seaside near Baishinji sta. Statue of Akiyama brothers on the Baishinji hill in the suburb of the Matsuyama City. Left: General Yoshifuru Akiyama, Right: Vice Admiral Saneyuki Akiyama. Their statues at their birth place. Left Yoshifuru on a horse, Right: Saneyuki, They had much contributed to the Japan-Russia War (1904-1905).