#yonago

[fishbphotography]

Eurasian teal

Yonago, Tottori, Japan

[merpmonde]

381 series: the last of the JNR-era electric express trains

We mentioned the upcoming withdrawal of the Doctor Yellow Shinkansen track inspection trains, but there is another retirement I've wanted to talk about as it's just happened, and it's a train I had the chance to ride last summer.

Launched in 1973, the 381 series was the Japanese National Railways (JNR) first tilting electric express train, designed to speed up the Shinano limited express services on the winding mountainous route between Nagoya and Nagano. The tilting compensates for G-forces inside the carriages, allowing the train to take curves up to 25 km/h faster without creating passenger discomfort. As such, it is already a significant piece of railway history, with JR Tokai preserving one lead car at its SC Maglev Railway Park museum in Nagoya.

Over the next 50 years, the 381s would be moved around whenever they were superseded on specific routes, but soldier on nonetheless. Their last services would be JR West's Yakumo limited express between Okayama and Izumo, another route with lots of hills and curves. Now, it is replaced by brand new 273 series sets, based on JR West's current express train design, still with tilt.

The 381 series lived through the entire L-tokkyû period, in which many limited express services were marketed with an L symbol signifying higher levels of convenience. This logo was phased out in the 2000s and 2010s largely due to all JR limited expresses running to L-tokkyû standards, and as far as I can tell, the 381s are likely the last trains to wear the L badge, as well as the classic JNR express chevron seen above, on a regular basis.

さようなら381系

[nanjotoshiyuki]

Shelterbelt, Yonago, Tottori, 2022 防砂林, 米子, 鳥取, 2022

http://nanjotoshiyuki.com/shelterbelt https://nanjotoshiyuki.com/books

[hatyuji0110]

Very exciting! You’ll see Kinnikuman in a lot of place in Japan. I can’t wait to see you guys all overseas as well. #kinnikuman #kinnikumanhkfanclub #kinnikumanallaroundtheworld #anime #manga #cartoon #actionfigures #apparel #event #fukuoka #himeji #yonago #japan #ultimatemuscle #金肉人　#キン肉マン (高円寺) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cc1dsh0Pteh/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[schreibaby-of-the-skies]

Me at the Kitaro airport waiting to board my plane back to Tokyo. ;D

[jasmine7031]

Kitaro train

Sakaiminato ⇄ Yonago

[owletstarlet]

This is what the top of Mt. Daisen looked like, and.

My shit brain, @me, immediately upon seeing this landscape, weeping gently: “There’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo, and it’s worth fighting for—“

[archiveofaffinities]

Kiyonori Kikutake, Hotel Tokoen, Kaike, Yonago, Tottori Prefecture, Japan, 1963-1964