Riding JNR from 1962 to 1966 - Memories Part One

[amszterpeter]

I arrived in Tokyo in early February, 1962, freshly assigned to Yokota Air Base in Western Tokyo for the next four years. Two months later, I enrolled at the Naganuma Institute of Japanese Language, located in Shibuya, a 10 minutes walk from the JNR station, on the side of the Sachiko statue of an Akita dog. The ride from Fussa was just about one hour and forty minutes. For the rest of that year twice weekly I rode to Shibuya in the evenings. I had a student's train pass complete with picture that allowed me to commute between Fussa station on the Ome-line and Shibuya on the Chuo-line. On weekends travel was free in the metropolitan area using the pass. The Ome-line run from Tachikawa to Ome or Okutama on a frequent schedule from about 5:30 AM to just before midnight. The line run old wooden passenger "suburban" electrical units, dark brown in color. Unfortunately I forgot the car model numbers, but usually one power unit provided the muscle and three to five passenger carriages accompanied it. Travel on the line was fairly light, people yet to commute to downtown Tokyo from the area. On the weekend traffic was brisk as a lot of tourist and trekkers ventured from central Tokyo to Mount Mitake and Okutama. The Chuo-line run from Tokyo station to Mitaka, Kichijoji or Takao, it was always busy with commuters and school kids. The line had the same orange livery it uses today. To the best of my recollection it run the 101 series of cars, originally without airconditioning. Later, airconditioning was added and the line switched to the 103 series om MU models. Trains run from around 5 AM to a little past midnight. There was a weekday schedule and a different weekend/holiday schedule; the trains ALWAYS run on time.

In January, 1963, I enrolled at the Jochi Daigaku, known also by its English name as Sophia University. Located near Yotsuya Station on the Chuo-line, it was my thrice weekly evening destination for the next three semesters, one and a half years. Once again I had student passes, renewable every three months. In early 1963, I met a young lady at a wedding we both attended, she as the brides maid and myself as the best man. We started dating and on weekends I used to ride to meet her near Tokyo Station, in fornt of the Central Post Office Building. It was near her workplace; she was employed at the Mitsubishi Bank's central office in Marinouchi. It was a long way from Fussa to Tokyo Station,but worth it. We got engaged in April of 1964, and married in October of the same year.

I often recall those commuting days and regret that I did not keep a record of the number of miles/kilometers or the total hours I rode on the old JNR to school, sightseeing and dates.

This should be enough for now. More later.