Trip report

[korat]

Recently got back from Japan but haven't had time to post up yet. Some thoughts:

 

Kanto:

- Had a pleasant visit to ModelTrainPlus's new location in Kawaguchi. Pretty easy to find from Nishi-Kawaguchi station.

- Saw a few less common types - the E235 (pulling out of Yurakucho), the MUE-Train (twice - at Omiya and somewhere nearby), one of the new Keikyu 1000-1800s, and saw/rode a few Tokyo Metro 01s before they're all gone (with set 23 scrapped earlier this month, there are now only 8 sets left in service.)

- Also saw, strangely enough, a 700 series (set C46) at Shin-Yokohama running a down Nozomi service according to the side rollsigns. Should've been Nozomi 259 based on what time it was.

- Had a nice surprise at Nakano as E233-0 set H46 (the subject of Kato 10-541/542, which I have) pulled up in front of me.

- Also saw Toei bus S-S172 (which I don't have - Tomytec's comes with some Bus Collection motorized starter kit or other; alternatively, it's usually available at exorbitant prices on Yahoo auctions.)

- Keikyu's flippy boards are entertaining. (And those of other operators, too, of course, but I ran into Keikyu's first.)

 

Nagoya:

- Some of the industrial areas that the Aonami line runs by near Kinjo-futo are so ugly it's impressive.

- The JR Central museum is pretty nice. I didn't bother trying for the simulator lotteries. Note that as far as I can tell, the poor 117 series left outside alone is still in the paid area inside a fence; you can't see it up close from outside the museum.

- Nagoya station's coin lockers are 1. insufficient in number and 2. as inconveniently located as possible.

 

Kansai:

- Kintetsu's numbering schemes are all completely bizarre. It's great.

- Went to Kato's new shop at Kyoto station. Not a whole lot to look at, honestly; it's one unremarkably-sized room tucked up on the 9th floor.

- Speaking of Kyoto station, it's much easier to navigate than I used to think.

- Kyoto city buses are still as excruciatingly slow as always, even in off-hours traffic.

- Ran into Nara Kotsu 724, the Tomytec Bus Collection replica of which I have courtesy of MTP, although it didn't register at first as 724 is currently wearing an advertising wrap job.

- Some of the optics at the Kyoto Tower observation deck are pretty impressive - finicky to actually move with any sort of finesse, but it's easy to read license plates off of vehicles down below, watch the shinkansen come and ago, spot Abeno Harukas off on the horizon, etc. (These are the ones that don't have a manufacturer data plate near the eye lenses. The ones that do didn't do much for me.)

- The population of Nara currently seems to be about 30% deer and 60% Chinese tourists.

 

No pictures now. (Later. Maybe. If I get around to digging through them.)

[bikkuri bahn]

 Nagoya station's coin lockers are 1. insufficient in number and 2. as inconveniently located as possible.

 

Yes, you need to grab a locker before 10am, or else it becomes almost impossible to find one.  If you can't find any, there may be a few available near the subway ticket gates (less foot traffic here compared to the JR/Meitetsu station areas), but do that before noon.  I once had to go to Meitetsu Jingu Mae station to find an open locker- though it wasn't too much a bother as I'm a big Meitetsu fan:)

[westfalen]

Yes, you need to grab a locker before 10am, or else it becomes almost impossible to find one.  If you can't find any, there may be a few available near the subway ticket gates (less foot traffic here compared to the JR/Meitetsu station areas), but do that before noon.  I once had to go to Meitetsu Jingu Mae station to find an open locker- though it wasn't too much a bother as I'm a big Meitetsu fan:)

On my trips these days I try to travel with just a backpack, nothing I can't carry with me if I can't find a locker, also saves waiting around with everyone at the baggage pickup at the airport.

 

Sounds like you had a good trip.

[bikkuri bahn]

Yeah I try to restrict my domestic travel luggage to a small spinner type suitcase that will fit in a midsize locker, and a day pack for my camera. I prefer not to carry any toiletries and changes of clothes in a day pack, as it weighs me down, especially during the humid summer months.

[korat]

Definitely a good trip. I ended up giving up and just stashing my luggage a couple stations over at Sakae, since I was going there anyway.

 

I looked through my photos and there's not really much of anything interesting railway-related, so I'll pass on uploading pictures. Instead, a few more assorted thoughts I've had since originally posting:

 

- Remodeling work at Asobit City in Akihabara finished at some point, but there's no point visiting - the first 4 of 7 floors have been converted into yet another LLAOX, and no model railway stuff is sold there anymore.

- Kato's hobby centre in Tokyo has a neat little display showing improvements over generations of models of the same subjects. The improvement is especially visible on a steam locomotive type - I think it was a C58.

- The Nagoya city subway displays station exit numbers on the outsides of the exits, which I appreciated, and displays sequential door numbers for the entire train rather than (car) - (# door of car), which I didn't so much. (The latter was true of several other railways in the area, if I remember right.)

- Despite any impression I may accidentally give of giving Nagoya a hard time, I found it a very pleasant place and would certainly visit again.

- Yodobashi Camera's looped PA system announcements are the fastest way to the madhouse.

[bikkuri bahn]

Yodobashi Camera's looped PA system announcements are the fastest way to the madhouse.

 

I find them annoying when I am nonchalantly browsing the store stock, but when I'm making a big-ticket item purchase, they're strangely catchy.  Something psychological...

[cteno4]

LOL perfect, annoy the looky loos to leave and stimulate the big ticket purchasers! they have it nailed!

 

jeff

[westfalen]

- Kato's hobby centre in Tokyo has a neat little display showing improvements over generations of models of the same subjects. The improvement is especially visible on a steam locomotive type - I think it was a C58.

You might be thinking of the C50 2-6-0 which was their first loco produced 50 years ago and just released in upgraded form for their anniversary.  The C58 to my knowledge hasn't undergone any major change since it was first produced.

[JR 500系]

 

- Yodobashi Camera's looped PA system announcements are the fastest way to the madhouse.

 

 

I am glad i'm not the only one!  :)

 

But it's a fantastic place to shop. Great variety, big space for shopping, best of all, good prices and on top of that, Tax-free and a 5% off for Master/ Visa payments!

 

Only thing is, there's often no layout to ogle at....