Hello from Tokyo (soon)

[ijontichy]

Hello everyone, I'm glad I found you. I'm a middle-aged guy who is going to be working in Japan for the next couple of years, and I'm looking forward to exploring the country via their numerous train lines. I've visited Japan three times before for pleasure, and it was on these visits that I eventually developed a love of Japanese railways. Perhaps you will find this strange, but my main interest is not trains but train stations.

 

My favourite trip so far was along the Etsumi-Hoku line (越美北線), in Fukui prefecture (福井県). I got off at Shimoyuino station (下唯野駅) and then did a rather strenuous hike to the top of Mt Arashima (荒島岳, 1523m). From the summit I walked down to Kadohara station (勝原駅), and waited there (as the sun set) for almost 2 hours for the train to take me back to Fukui station (福井駅).

 

Another memorable trip was along the Sangi line (三岐線), in Mie prefecture (三重県). I also combined this trip with some hiking to the summit of Mt Fujiwara (藤原岳, 1140m). Here and here are some pics I took that day of Nishi-fujiwara station (西藤原駅). I couldn't tell you anything about those trains, but you might find it interesting. The station building is off to the side and the front looks like a steam locomotive, but I don't have my pics of it handy.

 

Anyway, I look forward to hopefully contributing to this forum in the future, and learning a lot from the experts and enthusiasts here!

Edited July 17, 2014 by ijontichy

[Davo Dentetsu]

Everyone gets their kicks in different ways.  Stations can also be appreciated too.  :)

[Davo Dentetsu]

Everyone gets their kicks in different ways.  Stations can also be appreciated too.   :)

[Ken Ford]

Welcome! Funny you should mention the Etsumi-Hoku line - I recently identified it as being an excellent choice for me to use as the basis for a modeling project.

 

Hopefully you can write more about your impressions of this line - all of my visits have been courtesy of YouTube and StreetView.

[ijontichy]

Regarding the Etsumi-Hoku line, the train started out from Fukui with two carriages. Then at one of the stations (either Echizen-Ono or Miyama, I can't remember which), one of the carriages was left behind, and so it was one carriage the rest of the way. It's a single-tracked line, with passing loops at the two aforementioned stations. The station buildings are usually tiny affairs, although the one at Kadohara was more elaborate. I guess it gets more visitors.

 

Neither Shimoyuino nor Kadohara stations are manned, and I suspect this is true for most of the stations along the line. When I returned to Fukui station, I went to the ticket window at the side of the ticket gate, and told them I had come from Kadohara, and then paid them the requested fare. The scenery along the line is mostly rice farms, villages and mountains, but occasionally there are good-sized towns.

[lurkingknight]

I quite enjoy the places that trains take me to :P