Christmas 2024

[Gunzel]

Been here for a few days and thought it might be nice to get some notes down. 
 

Day 1

 

We arrived in Nagoya via Hong Kong in the early afternoon. Probably need to sign up for Visit Japan Web now as they didn’t have any arrival cards on the plane and getting them filled out cost 10-15 minutes. Queue moved fairly quickly though. Grabbed the bags and out through customs and across to Meitetsu, swipe the IC cards and on to this for the run into Nagoya. 
 

 

After checking in to the hotel first stop is to pick up the JR Pass. There was no queue at the Nagoya info centre when we arrive, and first time I’ve used the online booking, a note of the reference number, quick check of the passport and we are out of there, fastest it’s ever been for me once hitting the front of the queue. Go to the ticket machine to pick up the  next days reservations, but it seems JR Tokai doesn’t supply ticket envelopes any more. 
 

After that sit down for a nice meal, a Nagoya miso katsu set at a restaurant under the station somewhere. 
 

 

On the way back to the hotel I have diners regret after running across this big guy, a 35cm ebi, oh well we are back in Nagoya later in the trip. 
 

[Kingmeow]

If you are going to be in Nagoya long, keep in mind the SCMagLev and Toyota museums.  The Shinkansen simulator was a blast!

 

Oh, don't forget Joshin Super Kids Land.  🤑

[cteno4]

Ooooh wonderful fried shrimp street sign! Have to model that! Thanks

 

looking forward to another great vicarious trip to Japan!

 

thanks,

 

jeff

[Gunzel]

Thanks, I’ve been to the Nagoya museum a few times but never won the lottery for the Shinkansen simulator, I will have to make do with Densha De GO! Will see about Toyota when we come back later in the trip. 

[Gunzel]

Day 2 Part I

 

After a filling free (well included) breakfast at the Toyoko Inn where we stayed it is time to transit to Shin-Takaoka. This involved a quick hop on the Shinkansen to Maibara, then transfer to the narrow gauge to the Shirasagi to get to Tsuruga, and back on to the new section of the Hokuriku Shinkansen to go all the way to Shin-Takaoka. 
 

Tsuruga station looked very shiny and new, and even the cleaning carts were getting in on the Shinkansen action. Once we arrived at Kanazawa I could once again say that I had travelled on all the Shinkansen lines in Japan. 
 

 

After arriving at Shin-Takaoka and dropping off the bags at another Toyoko Inn (this one very ekimae, you literally walk out of the station, cross the small bus terminal and you’re at the front door of the hotel) it’s off to Toyama on the Shinkansen and then a bus out to HARD OFF Toyama Toyota. A good look around, a couple of small cheap adapters purchased, and my ecopo (HARD OFF Reward Points) that are due to expire are used up. This HARD OFF has a specialist Hi-Fi section including a Y2,500,000 turntable, not my thing thankfully. 
 

Walk to Shin-Toyamaguchi station and purchase a ticket to Toyama, the JR Pass will cover the rest of the trip to Takaoka, I guess because of the isolated Himi and Johana lines that branch from there. 
 

 

My first target however is the Manyo-sen, a tram line that runs from Takaoka station to the port, it runs on the street for roughly the first half, and then has a dedicated right of way for the second. Doraemon is a big thing in Takaoka, there is a Doraemon post box at the station and I manage to get the Doraemon tram all the way to the terminal at Koshinokata. 
 

[Kingmeow]

7 hours ago, Gunzel said:

Thanks, I’ve been to the Nagoya museum a few times but never won the lottery for the Shinkansen simulator, I will have to make do with Densha De GO! Will see about Toyota when we come back later in the trip. 

 

Actually the Shinkansen simulator is a first-come, first-served at the museum and not a lottery.  We got there a half hour before the museum opened to get on line so the Shinkansen simulator tickets didn't run out.  Turns out it wasn't really necessarily as when we left in the early afternoon, they still had simulator tickets available albeit for later spots in the afternoon.  This was a Saturday too (in October).

[Gunzel]

Interesting, thanks. Last time I went, which was a while ago now, 2019, it was a lottery, nice that they’ve changed, just having to get there early makes things easier. 

[Gunzel]

Day 2 Part II

 

On the way back to Takaoka station I was able to grab a shot of this plough equipped loco at the depot, time was a bit tight today so no time to get off for this, or the plinthed tram in what looked like a newly set up rail themed park. 

 

Returning to Takaoka it was time to trundle out the Himi Line in a nice old KiHa 47, my favourite kind of rail travel. As much as I love it I was surprised at the amount of attention it received as we got near Amaharashi, there were at least a hundred people photographing the train from an elevated position at the michi-no-eki, they couldn’t all be tori-tetsu (railfan photographers). The seaside view here is pretty nice and I think the train running through adds a bit of dynamism to people’s photos so they are all excited to see it. 

 

A fair few off at Amaharashi and we continued along the line to the terminal at Himi. Past the end of the line they have set up an old signal and point lever as I guess some sort of memorial.

 

On the way back I had to fight the hordes trying to board in order to disembark at Amaharashi, wandering down to the beach I came across this new to me fence support, I must have seen at least thirty patterns of these so it’s rare to see one I haven’t seen before. 

 

 

The light was getting a bit low, especially by the time of the next train to Himi, but it was a good chance to check out my new cameras performance at ISO 3200.  Unfortunately the colours of the sunset didn’t make it into the background sky. 

 

 

A lot less had stayed after sunset so I was able to snag a seat on the next train to Takaoka. I liked these illustrations of how to evacuate the train in the event of a tsunami. 

 

Returning to Takaoka I went wandering around the attached shopping centre for a place to have a meal, seems there’s another meaning for Tori Tetsu as well, but I didn’t partake. 

 

New track: 177.3km

 

 

Edited Wednesday at 12:29 PM by Gunzel
Removed doubled up photo

[Gunzel]

Day 3 Part I

 

Another Toyoko Inn breakfast, and the one here is a step up from Nagoya, a bit more variety, I suspect because this hotel is a bit bigger. Then it’s on a local train to Takaoka, in order to start a day of travel on the third sector railways spun off from JR as the Hokuriku Shinkansen was extended from Nagano to Kanazawa. First up is to purchase an IR Ainokaze  1 day pass (only available weekends and holidays) then a quick run to Tsubata for a three minute connection to come back. I can’t work out what this space is for at Tsubata, is it to exercise animals? But I don’t have time to investigate further. 
 

 

Then it’s a long run, all the way from Tsubata to Tomari. These railways seem to through run to more natural terminals, rather than interchange where their ownership changes (which is based on prefectural boundaries I think). Because there’s a second train following that can also make the connection at Tomari I chose to break the journey at Kurobe to have a look around. While there’s no snow on the ground currently everything is prepared. 

 

At Tomari it’s a same platform interchange to the waiting Echigo Tokimeki single car train, but I have to go up over the bridge to the station building to purchase a ticket, it won’t be the last stairs we will see today. Unfortunately the pass has the opposite availability, it is only available weekdays so I’ll have to buy point to point tickets today. 

 

With the ticket safely purchased and a quick look around I board the KiHa and settle in to a seat on the left, the coast side. I’d originally planned to stop off at Oyashirazu but based on the weather forecast of wind and rain decided to skip this one, the beach there as we passed looked very wild and wet. That meant that the next stop for me was Tsutsuishi, or was it a set from Aliens, or an abandoned nuclear fallout shelter?

 

 

Tsutsuishi is an underground station 40m below the ground level entrance, or 290 steps. There are two platforms and even the stairs to get between the two are fairly significant (and don’t forget which platform you arrived on, the signage down below is only in Japanese and Google Translate didn’t do a very good job offline). Just to prove I made it to the top. 

 

 

You’ll know before the warnings go off that a train is approaching, once it enters the tunnel the force of the wind really amps up. I was lucky enough to be below when a freight train came through and it was an experience. The signs on the door say not to go on to the platform when a train is coming (in Japanese) but feeling the wind blast from the oncoming train was enough to warn me off. 

 

 

On my departure I was joined by a local which was a bit of a surprise as the area up top looked pretty quiet. The wind blast from the little KiHa, another single car, was much more modest than the freight train, and of course it was slowing down. On to the terminal at Naoetsu, where the Echigo Tokimeki Railway meets its other line to Myoko Kogen, as well as JR and the Hokuhoku line. As I had a bit of time here after purchasing my onward ticket I took a wander to the nearby D51 Rail Park, even though it is closed for winter. This at the entrance to a not very imposing block of flats I thought was interesting. 
 

[tridentalx]

Watching with interest as I will be in the same area in June for some train riding.

[Gunzel]

Day 3 Part II

 

The first train out of Naoetsu was only going to Arai, so a quick review of photos suggested Takada was probably worth a visit. Certainly the station building did not disappoint. 

 

 

And I do agree with the sentiment on the side of this vending machine. 

 

 

While I was there the “Resort Setsugekka” paid a visit and on departure it was farewelled by the staff. 

 

 

Onwards to Myoko-Kogen and I was impressed by the operation of the switchback at Nihongi. No changing ends here. No sooner had we come to rest in the snow shed than a head was popped out the window and we were reversing into the platform. This brick shed was apparently a lamp room and dates back to the Meiji era. 

 

At Myoko-Kogen our Shinano Railway train was waiting for us. Another trip across the overbridge to pick up a ticket and then a speedy run down into Nagano. 

 

 

On the way to HARD OFF there was a postbox decorated as Santa. 

 

 

Unfortunately not much interesting in HARD OFF Nagano Ekimae for me, but if you follow the link you can look through the whole album. After returning to Shin-Takaoka by Shinkansen the Christmas display looks a lot better lit up at night. I think the sit-in Belle Montagnes et Mer used to  be at Toyama. 

 

 

 

New track: 211.1km

[Gunzel]

10 hours ago, tridentalx said:

Watching with interest as I will be in the same area in June for some train riding.

I’m sure you will have a great time, there is lots to see and do here. I’d strongly suggest the Toyama Chiho Railway which I didn’t do this trip, and if you like narrow gauge tourist trains through spectacular scenery the

Kurobe Gorge Railway is good too. 

[Gunzel]

Day 4 Part I

 

Today starts with a quick Shinkansen hop to Kanazawa, where inside the Shinkansen gate we find two more sit in trains, one with an operating control stand. 

 

 

 

Here we transfer to the Ishikawa Railway for a one station trip to Nishi-Kanazawa. Unfortunately the connecting train from Toyama is late so we are delayed eight minutes, this means we miss our connection to the Hokuriku Rail Road’s adjacent Shin Nishi-Kanazawa station. 

 

 

This throws out the plan a little so we head south on the next train as far as Nonoichi station rather than heading direct to the terminal at Nomachi. These small electric railways are quite amazing with their tight curves and small rights of way squeezing between adjacent buildings. 

 

 

There’s not much at Nomachi and we’re soon speeding off to the other terminal of this line at Tsurugi, as we get further the surroundings become much more rural in character. 

 

 

At the terminal station, Tsurugi, there is a nice display of railway memorabilia in the station building. 

 

 

Because of our missed connection we don’t have long here at all before we have to cross to the other platform to catch our train north. 

 

 

This time we get off at Otomaru, where there is a light flurry of snow, thankfully it doesn’t last long because we have a bit of walking to do. 

 

 

 

[Gunzel]

Day 4 Part II

 

 

On the way we come across a dumpling stand in someone’s front yard, and an interesting way to keep your kei truck’s bed clear of snow. 

 

 

 

Then it’s HARD OFF Kanazawa Nonoichi, with some trains. 

 

 

A walk and then a bus ride to HARD OFF Kanazawa Terachi, with a sit down arcade machine, D-VHS VCR and a train hidden in there. 

 

 

Another bus trip and we’ve returned to Kanazawa station. On the underground level there is a 1/10 model of the Tsuzumi-mon timber gate above that  they used to prove the design and test the order of assembly. 

 

 

It means we can also get to see the top. 

 

 

Off the same underground plaza is the entrance to the Hokuriku Rail Road’s other line to Uchinada. 

 

 

 

Edited yesterday at 01:28 AM by Gunzel
Add album links

[Gunzel]

Day 4 Part III

 

We will catch this train all the way to Uchinada. Where we also find some buses and an imposing toilet block. 

 

 

 

On the way back we cross another train at Mitsuya before we disembark at Isobe to walk to another HARD OFF. 

 

 

On the way we find some interesting grates with a fairly strong aesthetic.

 

 

And a home made traffic management device made from some crates and a few zip ties. 

 

 

HARD OFF Kanazawa Moroe is colocated with a HOBBY OFF and it was really busy. I was particularly taken by some of the HO models available but managed to resist. 

 

 

On the way back to the station I also checked out BOOK OFF Kanazawa Moroe, although I didn’t have the patience to locate the railway book section. They did have a surprising amount of old video games for being so close to a HARD OFF. I’m not sure the fake stone added to the facade of this house is really uplifting it. 

 

 

Returning to Kanazawa station I’m struck by the tile flooring of the underground plaza. Then it’s up to the Shinkansen and a quick trip back to Shin-Takaoka. 

 

 

New track: 20.6km

[Gunzel]

Day 5 Part I

 

It’s back to Kanazawa today this time to transfer to the JR local train to Nanao. On an adjacent platform two Ishikawa Railway trains are coupled, I’m not sure of the significance of the red and green, at first I thought they might be mismatched spares obtained from JR but then I realised they match the pinstripes on the cars themselves. 

 

 

Hakui station has an alien theme. 

 

 

By Tokuda it’s started snowing. 

 

 

And we reach Nanao, where the skies are blue but there is still a a few centimetres of snow from overnight. 

 

Here we transfer to the Noto Railway, which was badly affected by the New Years Day earthquake and only reopened in April. As part of recovery efforts they are running a Pokemon With You train, similar to the one running on JR East between Ichinoseki and Kessennuma, in the wake of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Perhaps they’re even going to bring the specially decked out KiHa from that service over?

 

We are in an anime wrapped train and will proceed from here to the terminal at Anamizu.  

 

Another Pokemon installation at Noto-Nakajima, including stamp, and a Pokestop. 

 

 

I like this hand painted signage at Noto Kashima. 

 

 

When we arrive at the terminal there is a standard livery KiHa parked in a siding. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Gunzel]

Day 5 Part II

 

On the way back I was impressed by the loading of the cars on this crane truck. 

 

 

This is a local landmark, I imagine some sort of lookout used in the past. I bought a postcard but need to research further. 

 

 

There wasn’t a lot of obvious damage  to see from the train, you could see many gravestones toppled, lots of blue tarps in use, and some obvious emergency housing, but this service station stood out and I was able to grab a photo. 

 

 

I really liked the view of this little harbour. 

 

 

This house stood out standing in the middle of rice fields and looking a bit out of place. 

 

 

We were held up just before arriving at Kasashiho station, there was an explanation in Japanese but I couldn’t work it out. So I was relieved when arriving at Wakuraonsen station that our return transport, the Noto Kagaribi 4, to Kanazawa, was still waiting. 

 

 

Returning to Kanazawa, then onto Shin Takaoka by Shinkansen it was time to travel out the Johana line. At the narrow gauge Shin Takaoka platform there is a helpful sign explaining which directions of train go where. 

 

 

At the Johana terminal it was fairly cold. 

 

 

 

So the kerosene heater in the waiting room was welcome. 

 

 

We were lucky to be able to sample the Belles montagnes et mer, which was running that day. These sort of trains are not really my thing but it was nice to have a look for a couple of stops before waiting for the following local train back to Shin Takaoka. 

 

 

Then it was time for a Shinkansen transit to Niigata. Time for an early conbini dinner on the train. 

 

The SL daruma at Takasaki station. 

 

 

 New track: 127.1km

[Gunzel]

Sorry for all the new posts. A long boring transit by Shinkansen today, forced by weather, so I had a bit of spare time. 

[chadbag]

No need to be sorry.  We’re all vicariously traveling with you. 

[cteno4]

Yes we love these trip logs! 
 

jeff

[tridentalx]

21 hours ago, Gunzel said:

I’m sure you will have a great time, there is lots to see and do here. I’d strongly suggest the Toyama Chiho Railway which I didn’t do this trip, and if you like narrow gauge tourist trains through spectacular scenery the

Kurobe Gorge Railway is good too. 

Thanks. Kurobe Gorge and the Alpine route are definitely on the list.

[Gunzel]

Day 6

 

The plan is for a nice easy day today. First up is the triangle north of Niigata to Shibata, then Niitsu, and then back to Niigata. 

 

But first up watching the news I’m sad to hear the news that JR Kyushu is pulling the pin on the Queen Beetle ferry from Fukuoka to Busan, seemingly due to issues with the ferry itself. I was lucky enough to catch this last year. 

 

 

At Shibata I was able to fight my way through the large number of students to be able to catch the train to Niitsu. 

 

 

Once back to Niigata I decide to head out to HARD OFF PC Niigata Koshin, a PC specialist HARD OFF that also had a great range of old computers last time I was here. I didn’t check the opening time though, which I expected to be 10, but turned out to be 11. Oops, in need of a toilet I retired to the nearby MOS burger for an early lunch and a use of the facilities. 

 

 

Still with some tine to kill I went to the nearby Joshin for a browse of the train section in the Kids Land. Back to HARD OFF for the 11am opening and the light was nice for a photo of this unusual building. 

 

 

Now back to Terao station on the bus, seems this building style might be a local thing. 

 

 

At Niigata there is some tie up with Hello Kitty. 

 

 

The Christmas cakes are ready at the supermarket. 

 

 

And we’re off on an Inaho service along a windswept spectacular coastline. 

 

 

 

Until we arrive at Tsuruoka. We’ve come this far because just south of here the line splits in two and the north and south bound tracks separate far enough that they show up separately in the map book that I use to track the lines I have travelled in Japan, therefore by my rules I have to travel the line both ways, so while I plan to come this way later in the trip heading north, I also need to travel the southbound line to be complete. 

 

They like their E653s here. 

 

 

I liked the geometry of the snow protector for the shrubbery out the front of the station. 

 

 

And all the balls rolling down the stairs of the railway underpass. 

 

 

Tsuruoka seems to bill itself as a culinary paradise and this display on the side of the tourist information centre plays on that. 

 

 

And then we’re back on another Inaho service to Niigata for an early night. 

 

 

Merry Christmas! 

 

 

New track: 166.7km

 

Posted from the Seikan tunnel.