Kouzusakura train - Kurofune Densha

[gmat]

Taken Feb. 11, at Shinagawa Station at 19:17 in the pouring rain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've also shot the Izuku 2100 passing through during the day. I think that it's the Resort Odoriko.

Is there any more info on this train? Wiki doesn't have much on this one nor on the Izukyu 2100.

 

Best wishes,

Grant

[KenS]

Grant,

  That's the "Black Ships Train" version of the 2100 (the R-4 set to be specific).  Two sets were painted that color: R-1 and the R-4.  The R-5 set appears to have operated as the Resort Odoriko at one time (as well as "Alpha Resort 21"), which may be what you're thinking of (or maybe there's yet more names for this train, but I've only seen the black version called the BST).

 

Here's a 2006 photo of the two BST sets together that I found:

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%95%E3%82%A1%E3%82%A4%E3%83%AB:Izukyu-2100-4th-and-1st.jpg

 

And here's the Japanese Wikipedia page for "Dancers (Train)": (Odoriko translates as "dancers" in Google)

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%B8%8A%E3%82%8A%E5%AD%90_%28%E5%88%97%E8%BB%8A%29

 

Micro Ace makes a really nice model of this train, which they reissued last year. I posted some photos of mine in another thread last year.

[bikkuri bahn]

Some background on the naming of these trains.  The Black Ships refers to Commodore Perry's ships, which called at Shimoda Port during the (late) Tokugawa period.  The Odoriko moniker comes from Yasunari Kawabata's story The Dancing Girl of Izu. Previous to this service, there was the limited express Amagi (183 series) and express Izu(153 series et al).

[scott]

The Black Ships refers to Commodore Perry's ships

 

Nothing like a tar-blackened train full of lice-ridden, smelly gaijin sailors to draw the tourists in. :-)

[Guest ___]

Sorta reminded me of a bakery I passed in Kyushu called "The Poop Shop" written in English. Figured sounds cool cause it was in English, regardless whether or not the time was taken to be bothered to translate it.

[gmat]

Thanks KenS and BikkuriBahn for the info. I should perhaps explain a bit more. For those who can't read Japanese, like me, (my wife had to read and translate the destination sign info) Kurofune means black ships in Japanese. Kouzu (Kozu) is a stop near Odawara and is famous for its cherry blossoms and I think that this is a seasonal run from that station to Chiba. The destination sign on the train read rinji, which means temporary or special.

 

The Izukyu 2100 (R5?) that I've also shot a few times passing through Shinagawa was the regular white with blue stripes one. I saw it most recently on the day that I shot the 253-100 presentation at that station. I think that the Resort Odoriko is still running.

 

Thanks again for the input.

Best wishes,

Grant

[bikkuri bahn]

Sorta reminded me of a bakery I passed in Kyushu called "The Poop Shop" written in English.

 

I'd approach those chocolate eclairs with extreme caution

 

You wonder if the owner ever bothered to look up the word in a dictionary...

[KenS]

I found photos of both the R-2 (split windshield, identified as "Resort 21") and R-5 (single windshield, identified as "Alpha Resort 21") in the red/blue paint scheme. I've never found a photo identified as the R-3 set, so it might also be in that color.

 

I've seen reference to a “Fleur Odoriko” (Flower Dancer) and an "Izu Flower Train" (unclear if they're the same thing), and the trains serve an area that caters to tourists and resort visitors, so your idea of a seasonal blossom-viewing train makes sense to me.

 

Here's a picture of the Izu Flower Train:

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%95%E3%82%A1%E3%82%A4%E3%83%AB:-Izukyu-2100-Izu-flower-Train.JPG

[westfalen]

Sorta reminded me of a bakery I passed in Kyushu called "The Poop Shop" written in English. Figured sounds cool cause it was in English, regardless whether or not the time was taken to be bothered to translate it.

I read somewhere that often when Japanese come up with names or slogans they choose words that they like the look of or sound good together without having the slightest idea what they mean, it could explain a lot of things.

 

Back to the train, I didn't realize Izukyu trains sometimes ran through on JR past Tokyo all the way to Chiba.