Trains!
Back when I was teaching English in Tokyo, it was common for students to ask me, "What is your favorite thing about Japan?"
My answer changed from time to time.
Usually, however, it was: "I don't have to drive a car."
I'm not sure why, but I've always disliked driving. My friends in high school used to complain that I would never drive anywhere, always opting to be a passenger instead.
I suppose it makes sense, then, that my aversion to driving would morph into a love of trains. And not just any trains―the trains of Japan, specifically.
It was January of 2010, and my younger self was sitting on a train to Nikko, the Japanese 田舎 (いなか // countryside) passing by out the window.
I had my headphones on.
And with the music, and this scenic, unknown land all around me, I felt as if my insides had been spirited away.
I didn't know what I was doing with my life, or what I was doing in Japan, but I knew that something about that moment, about that place, resonated with me. I felt so alive, and for some reason, it hurt, the way the best experiences always do.
I've had a similar feeling a number of times since. More often than not, I get it while riding a train in Japan.
Watching the subway cars sway from side to side as they navigate the curve of an underground tunnel.
Seeing the ripples of the ocean off the shore of Hokkaido.
Speeding past town after town on the shinkansen to Tokyo, rushing to reunite with the love of my life.
And yet, my experience of trains in Japan is so limited.
Here are some that have stood out for me:
(The good thing about most of the trains on my list is that they tend to be really easy to get to from Tokyo. The bad thing is that the coolest-looking trains, many of which I'll introduce later, tend to be a bit further away.)
(1) Ōyama Cable Car
Rei and I once went to 大山 (おおやま // lit. "big mountain") on a whim.
It takes about two hours to reach the mountain from central Tokyo. There is a sweet temple at the top.
If you're living in Tokyo, I recommend going there for a weekend hike.
More info:
- Wikipedia (Ōyama Cable Car)
- Wikipedia (Mt. Ōyama)
- TripAdvisor
(2) Shonan Monorail
It hangs from the tracks!
Also, it goes to Enoshima, which is awesome:
Enoshima has a shrine and lots of touristy stuff. If you're lucky, it won't be this crowded when you go.
While you're there, you might as well head over to Kamakura on the Enoshima Electric Railway:
You can board the Shonan Monorail at Ōfuna Station, which is only about 30 minutes from Shinagawa Station in central Tokyo.
Then it's a 15-minute ride on the monorail to Enoshima.
More info:
- Shonan Monorail
- Enoden Official Site
- Enoshima Electric Railway
Other trains I've really enjoyed are:
❃ The Hakodate Line from Sapporo Station to Otaru, in Hokkaido. (Route) (I especially like the part that goes by the ocean.)
Otaru is pretty cool, by the way:
❃ The Fujisan Limited Express Train (Link):
And here are the trains that I absolutely must ride in the near future:
(I found most of these trains on this Rakuten article. This article helped, too. I am aching to go on all of these trains.)
❃ Gono Line (Akita―Aomori)
❃ The Oigawa Railway (Shizuoka)
↑ A station in the middle of a lake! (Okuoikojo Station)
❃ Senmo Line (Hokkaido)
❃ Aizu Railway (Fukushima)
❃ Sagano Scenic Railway (Kyoto)
❃ Himi Line (Toyama)
❃ Nagaragawa Railway (Gifu)
❃ Tsugaru Railway (Aomori)
❃ Kurobe Gorge Railway (Toyama)
❃ Nishikigawa Railway (Yamaguchi)
Japan, stop. Please. You're killing me.
Useful Japanese:
すごい景色。
すごい けしき。
What amazing scenery.
Literally: “amazing + scenery.”
山口ってどこですか？
やまぐち って どこ です か？
Where is Yamaguchi?
Literally: “Yamaguchi + って + where + です + か?”
Note: This could be in response to someone saying "I'm from Yamaguchi," for example.
終電はいつですか？
しゅうでん は いつ です か？
When is the last train?
Literally: “last train + は + when + です + か?”
JRパスは使えますか？
ジェイアール パス は つかえます か？
Can I use my JR Pass?
Literally: “JR Pass + は + can use + か?”
終点はどこですか？
しゅうてん は どこ です か？
Where is the last stop?
Literally: “last stop + は + where + です + か?”
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