COASTAL VIEW
- 2 Abashiri - Shari (Senmo Line)
- In winter, Sea Of Okhotsk is covered with floating ice. Not so special scenary aside from winter.
- 7 Kaikyo Line
- Train runs through Seikan channel tunnel of fifty three kilometers' length (the second longest in the world after Euro Tunnel). After reaching Hokkaido Island, it runs slowly along the coast line. You can enjoy the fine view of Mt Hakodate and the city of Hakodate over the coast.
- 8 Murakami - Akita (Uetsu Line)
20 Izumoshi - Shimonoseki (Sannin Line)
- Rail line runs along the coast line providing nice scenary. Along the coast, there are few large cities, modern buildings and factories, and conventional wooden houses are still dominant. The area facing Sea Of Japan is much less industrialized than Pacific Ocean side. In winter, these districts are usually covered with thick clouds and often snows. Wind blows strongly and Sea Of Japan runs high. Rather sad, but some travelers might appriciate this kind of landscape.
- 11 Odawara - Atami (Tokaido Line)
- Although not so far from Tokyo, coast line here is fairly nice. Mountain directly faces the sea and train runs on a hillside looking down on sea. Atami, very popular holiday destination from Tokyo because of spas, locates in such area. There are little flatland and steep hillside is filled with high buildings.
- 16 Shirahama - Shingu (Kisei Line)
- Popular holiday destination from Osaka, but landscape itself is not so changed by tourism industry and good ocean view can be enjoyed.
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MOUNTAIN
- 5 Karikachi Pass, Tomamu - Shintoku (Sekisho Line)
- Train run up the mountain in wide curves. From mountain side, you can look out the plain of the East Hokkaido.
- 6 Onuma Koen - Mori (Hakodate Line)
- Steep and difficult part for freight trains. Mt.Komagatake, conic shape like Mt.Fuji, is viewed well from train.
- 9 Itaya Pass, Fukushima - Yonezawa (Ouu Line/ Yamagata Shinkansen)
- One of the most steep pass in Japanese Railways (3.8 per cent at most). Now modern Shinkansen train 'Tsubasa' runs this line, coming directly from Tokyo.
- 12 Kofu - Chino (Chuo Line)
- Popular holiday destination of Tokyo residents. Locating about 1,000 meters above sea level, cool and comfortable even in summer. When weather is fine, Mt.Yatsugatake in the north, right side of the train, as well as Mt.Komagatake in the south, left side (when northwestbound train leaving Tokyo) can be viewed. These mountains are one of the highest in Japan, more than 3,000 meters altitude.
- 21 Koriyama - Inawashiro (Banetsu-West Line)
- Train run up from Koriyama Basin to Bandai Height. Mt.Bandai is well viewed.
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RIVER AND LAKE
- 3 Kushiro Marshlands, Kushiro - Shibetya (Senmo Line)
- Kushiro Marshlands retains the shape of primeval swampy area. Many rare animals and plants are living there.
- 4 Akkeshi - Nemuro (Nemuro Line)
- The view of primeval marshlands is viewed from train as well. This section, Akkeshi - Nemuro is notable, because it is one of the most sparsely populated area in Japan, having rather deserted atmosphere.
- 13 Nakatsugawa - Shiojiri (Chuo Line)
15 Mino Ota - Takayama (Takayama Line)
19 Awa Ikeda - Kochi (Dosan Line)
- These lines provide fine view of valley among mountain. These narrow and steep valleys characterize the landscape of small island country, Japan.
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LOOKOUT
- 1 Nayoro - Wakkanai (Soya Line)
- The view of Rishiri Island, Mt. Rishiri, is enjoyed for a quite short time, when about ten minutes have passed since southbound train departed Wakkanai Station. It is called Rishiri-Fuji from its conic shape similar to Mt.Fuji. This Nayoro - Wakkanai section is notable because one of the most sparsely populated area in Japan and deserted, exotic (at least by standard of Japanese people) feeling can be obtained. Some people say the landscape looks like that of Trans-Siberian Railways. I do not know whether it is correct, though.
- 5 Karikachi Pass, Tomamu - Shintoku (Sekisho Line)
- 10 Kofu Basin from Katsunuma (Chuo Line)
14 Nagano Basin from Obasute (Sinonoi Line)
- In these place, you can look down on the whole view of basin and city from mountain side. I am not sure it is proper to use the term "basin" here because they are fairly small, though. Mountain ranges are also observed when fine weather.
- 17 Amarube Bridge, Yoroi - Amarube (Sanin Line)
- This bridge is built across the deep valley. On the bridge, you can enjoy the view of valley below as well as Sea of Japan. There once was an accident that a train was brown off this bridge by strong wind and fall down to the valley. Fortunately it was out-of-service forward train and there were no passengers in the train.
- 18 Seto Ohashi Bridge, Kojima - Sakaide/Utadsu (Seto Ohashi Line)
- Built over the Seto Naikai Sea, this is surely one of the greatest bridges in the world. Its total length is 12.3 kilometer consisting of several bridges making use of the small islands on the way as a support. Landscape from this bridge is undoubtedly fantastic.
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OFF THE BEATEN TRACK: SECONDARY LINES
These secondary lines are slow and frequency is poor. In a practical sense completely useless and normal travellers will not use them. Still, they may be interesting to those who like train travel very much. I introduce some secondary lines which have good scenary or special features.
- 31 Gono Line, Higashi Noshiro - Kawabe
- This line is quite inconvenient with slow service and poor frequency. But the rather deserted coastal view along Gono Line is nice. Touristic special train service is operated during holiday seasons.
- 32 Tadami Line, Aizu Wakamatsu - Koide
- Nothing. There is 'nothing' along this line. No city, little population, and few touristic attractions. Only deep mountain and river. In the middle part of Tadami Line, train comes only three times a day. I think this line will be abolished due to the lack of passengers in the near future. Only a kind of rail enthusiasts may enjoy this line.
- 33 Iida Line, Tatsuno - Toyohashi
- Though the areas along this line are not particularly urbanised, this line has many many station. It stops every two or three minutes, about hundred times or so in only 200 kilometers journey taking more than six hours. Running through mountainous area of Central Japan, landscape is good. Not so recommendable for 'majority' of travellers, though...
- 34 Koumi Line, Kobuchizawa - Komoro
- The south-western part of this line (Kobuchizawa - Koumi) provides very nice mountain view, though latter half (Koumi - Komoro) is not so special. Popular holiday destination for Tokyo people. Near Nobeyama Station along this line, the altitude is 1345 meter, the highest among all the Japanese railway lines. Large sign stands beside the rail there.
- 35 Oito Line, Matsumoto - Itoigawa
- This line has two attractions. The southern part provides fine view of mountains. In the northern part, train runs along the very narrow and steep valley. It is really good view. A few years ago, a flood hit this steep valley and railway was completely broken, taking one year or so to recover.
- 36 Kisuki Line, Bingo Ochiai - Sinji
- This line runs fairly steep mountain. Built by cheap cost, train climbs up the mountains without using long tunnel or bridges. It is very inconvenient and everyone use bus services instead of this line, though...
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