#2025-07

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Best train shots of the Japan trip part 2: specials

In reference to Gôtoku-ji, a maneki-neko tram runs the Setagaya line in Western Tokyo.

One of the three One Piece Shinkansen sets (700 Series) departs Shin-Iwakuni bound for Shin-Ôsaka, with a 500 Series waiting to continue West for Hakata.

Finally, another cat-themed train: Aizu Railway's AT-551 unit is the "Nyan-tabi tetsudô" special, for the cat staff at Ashinomaki Onsen station.

[theoppositeofshameisart]

Aurora :))

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Joyful Train updates

First, some news. The 500 series Shinkansen (best train ever!) is currently being withdrawn, and there have been photos of one set being scrapped. This is going to continue into 2026, and with that, the retirement of the Hello Kitty set has been announced for next Spring (likely at the change of timetable on 1 March). If you want to see it or ride it, time is running out!

I had planned to talk about other Joyful Trains today, so the news fits in somewhat. There appears to be no end in sight for these however.

We've covered the Anpanman Trains previously, specifically the one operating from Okayama. Above is its counterpart starting at Takamatsu - the Shiokaze and Ishizuchi expresses join together at Utazu before running together to Matsuyama.

The whole train is decorated, mostly rather moderately, and everyone gets a themed welcome announcement (link to YouTube video, not my recording). Like the Hello Kitty train, there is one carriage where things get crazy: this is a reserved seat carriage, which I didn't visit as I was using a non-reserved rail pass. But I did see through the windows at a terminus station, and it's full rainbow inside! The seats used in that carriage were also on display at the Shikoku Railway Cultural Center in Saijô.

The museum had a whole exhibit on Anpanman trains, including boards showing all the decorations used since the scheme's inception in October 2000. Last time we checked, JR Shikoku were celebrating 1 million passengers, now we're on the 25th anniversary!

The very first Anpanman train was a 2000 series tilting Diesel multiple unit, JR Shikoku's first tilting train, introduced in 1990. This comes full circle with our previous post, where I noted that the two 2600 series DMUs are the next trains to join the Anpanman fleet. This has been done, I've seen some pictures doing the rounds.

One 2000 series Anpanman train still runs between Matsuyama and Uwajima, on the Uwakai express service running in tandem with the Shiokaze/Ishizuchi trains from Okayama and Takamatsu, and "tandem" is the correct term: the trains, in very similar livery, connect with each other at Matsuyama. I wasn't aware of this particular train when I arrived off the ferry from Kyûshû, but nothing says "welcome to Shikoku" like an Anpanman Train coming to pick you up!

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Best train shots of the Japan trip pt 1

Aizu Tetsudô's tourist train Ozatoro-tenbô departs Ashinomaki Onsen, heading South for the Aga river valley. The train's name combines the three types of seating available: ozashiki お座敷 tatami room, torokko トロッコ open wagon, and tenbô 展望 panoramic view from the raised saloon.

The Hachinohe line's highlight is getting near the sea between Samekado Lighthouse and the rocky coastline. A JR East local KiHa 130 passes in the early afternoon.

After dropping off passengers bound for Naruto, JR Shikoku's Uzushio Ltd Express from Takamatsu to Tokushima, operated by a 2600 series tilting DMU, leaves Ikenotani.

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Beppu seafront at sunset

An uncomplicated post this time. Just the view from Kitahama, Beppu Tower, and Matogahama as the Sun sets behind Tsurumi-dake.

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Highlight of the year - if I have to pick only one: Uwajima Ushi-oni Matsuri!

We got noisy, we got energetic, we got spectacular, we got festive - and most importantly, we got cows! (link to the scene from Twister)

Taking place each year from the 22nd to the 24th of July, the Uwajima ushi-oni matsuri, or festival of the cow-ogre, the origins of which are disputed, is a big event in Western Shikoku. The three days include fireworks, dancing, bull sumô - in which two bulls are pitted against each other in a more gentle, tug-of-war style fight, apparently they're not supposed to get hurt -, and a big parade of cow-demons!

Around 20 huge wooden effigies start their journey in the city centre, at the foot of the castle hill, and will travel to Warei-jinja, their spiritual home. Well, I say "huge", but there is also a childrens' parade, with the cows and distance adapted to size, as they only go to the end of the covered high street. As shown in the video at the top, several cows will dance together, and all will charge at the priests' stand for blessing. All this, sometimes, with someone riding the cow!

The parade goes down the arcade, out to the station, and back around to finish at Warei park and shrine. Food stands and other amusements are available there, showing that this is a matsuri for the locals to enjoy above all. A few people did talk to me and were very friendly, offering to pose next to the effigies during a break - and possibly hoping I'd help carry them on the next leg, but in that weather, walking around was hard enough!

At the back of the parade is a more solemn procession of two cows. Priests and younger devotees in traditional kimono symbolise the return of the ushi-oni to Warei-jinja, and the closure of the festival takes place along the river at the shrine in the evening. As for the effigies, they are dismantled along the river, having done their job. I don't know if the wood joins the bonfires and new cows are built each year, or if they can be re-used. Either way, at that point I was David Attenborough-ing to myself, "and here we see the end of the ushi-oni's life cycle".

This festival was quite the experience. I had earmarked it as it was taking place while I was in Shikoku, and was not disappointed. I wouldn't go as far as saying "forget the big ones like Nebuta or Gion", as I have seen Gion matsuri and it's definitely worth seeing too, but to anyone really interested in Japanese culture, I'd recommend seeking out one of these smaller-town fetes. But be wary of the talk surrounding overtourism in some places: don't all choose the same one!

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Japan week 1 grab bag

In order, from Wednesday to Tuesday:

水 Old and new Hakone mountain trains meet at Kowakidani

木 Hills of susuki grass above Yamanaka-ko, with Megumi

金 Lunch in Hakone-Yumoto with Megumi

土 View from Takao-san, with Tomoko, Mitsuru & children

日 Army of maneki-neko at Gôtoku-ji, Setagaya, with the same, courtesy of a recommendation from @todayintokyo

月 The iconic Fuji-san & Shinkansen shot... from inside the Shinkansen at Atami

火 Iwakuni's famous three-humped Kintaikyô

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Best train shots of the Japan trip part 3

A rainbow over Higashi-Muroran station in Southern Hokkaidô is seen from the Hokuto express to Hakodate. The picture quality issues with my new camera aside, the windows weren't at their cleanest at the end of the day...

Also on Hokkaidô, the Suzuran express operated by a silver 785 series arrives at Shiraoi under a silver sky.

On a brighter day, the OG Kyushu Shinkansen, the 800 series (my fourth-favourite Shinkansen of all time), arrives at Kurume on an all-stop Tsubame service.

"We will soon be arriving at Ueno." During the final minutes of the Hitachi express from Mito, I'd failed to capture the skyline with the Sky Tree in view, so when we passed an E5 with tall buildings in the background, I took a shot... only for a signal block to pop out of nowhere, as they do. After a few seconds of frustration, I figured that the photo was still quite good and kept it.