While in Japan on my latest trip, Tokyo Station was running a special New Years Illumination event in December 2013 with some quite stunning illuminations of train wheels and tracks outside Tokyo Station. Despite the cold it was very busy each night and I had to go and see it!
Plenty of ushers were outside Tokyo Station to direct me and the crowds to the correct path to walk - turns out you have to walk around the block to get to the display, even though it is across the road from the station!
I guess it thins out the crowds around the display to a manageable amount. Once I got there, it was truly amazing. The train wheels and rails change the colour often and wheel type changes to various different Japanese train wheels types with suitable background music and train sounds.
An example of the train wheel type changes can be seen below:
It really was a remarkable sight, and walking around the display was busy, with the occasional smoke generated from the rails to keep things interesting!
I have never seen an illumination of train wheels and tracks like this before, and I have to say it was very impressive:
In the next few shots you can see Tokyo Station illuminated in the background, making a wonderful scene even more stunning to look at:
Here a shot of the smoke rising from the rails periodically, accompanied with steam train sounds and the background music which changes mood depending on the era of train wheels being showcased:
At the end of the rails, the rails curl up towards the sky:
As you can probably tell, I was very impressed with the detail that went into the illumination around Tokyo Station this year, especially the train wheels and rail section and best of all it was all free!
In 2013 the remaining section of the old Manseibashi Station platform in Tokyo was renovated and reopened to the public as a shopping destination. It has plenty of reminders of it's past left in situ, and a new glass covered viewing platform on the former Manseibashi Station platform for a very up close view of passing Tokyo trains! I heard about it from NHK news before coming to Japan and I had to take a look!
First, a little history. Manseibashi Station was a substantial railway station built in the early 1900's between the present JR Akihabara and Kanda Railway Stations in Tokyo. Not only did it service train lines as the terminus, but served as an interchange for streetcar trams as well. Inside the restored platform building structure, there is a nice diorama that shows this past appearance and use quite well. The building looks like a smaller version of the current Tokyo Railway Station:
During the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923, Manseibashi Station was destroyed and was not rebuilt. The platform area was re-used for the train lines going through this area, leaving a small stop over section for trains and disused platform as the only hint to it's past use as a station. Coming to the present day, the remaining platform section is visible from the Manseibashi bridge nearby, which used to serve trams too until they were stopped:
The view of the former Manseibashi Station from the nearby Manseibashi bridge:
Once at the old structure, you can see the original 1912 era staircase which leads to the original Manseibashi station platform on top of it. Today, there is a cafe and viewing area built on it:
And here is the Manseibashi Station platform viewing area, which is free to enter. but flash photography is not allowed as it is blinding for the passing train drivers!
Every few minutes a JR commuter train travels down one side or the other of the platform, which is quite exciting as of course they don't stop or slow down! Here is some photos of the trains passing Manseibashi Station:
Coming back outside Manseibashi station again down the 1912 era original stairs, the photo below is taken from a position where the original Railway Station would have stood all those years ago...Under the platform today is a bunch of arts and craft shops, some restaurants and even a railway souvenir shop!
Near here is a plaque which explains a little more about the Earthquake and Manseibashi Station History in Japanese and English (click to expand):
Here is some closeups of the Manseibashi bridge structure today:
You can see Manseibashi inscribed into the structure:
I really wanted to see this on my trip to Tokyo, and I am really glad that I did!
Happy New Year everyone! Hello all, I am blogging for a while about my train trips in Japan for the last 3 weeks! I travelled on a lot of different trains!
To start with on Day 1 in Japan, I was in Tokyo and travelled on the Yamanote line, the circle loop train line in Central Tokyo which is heavily used by commuters. But today I was treated to a special treat, I travelled on a 50th Anniversary repainted Yamanote line train!
Originally the Yamanote line trains were painted all green, but in recent years have a green stripe along the train to make it clear which train line it is for.
It was great to see this, but even better when I discovered that JR has gone to the trouble of putting pictures of Yamanote line trains over the years on the carriage standing room hooks!
As I have mentioned before, my first train experience in Japan was on this line back in 2005, so riding it always brings back plenty of memories of my time spent working (and for a while living) in Japan.
The journey today starts in Shibuya Station, at the Hachiko entrance:
Great statue here, and Australia is easy to see:
Outside the Shibuya Station Hachiko entrance there is an old train being used as a information booth:
The view of Shibuya from the Hachiko Exit across the busy crossing:
Once inside Shibuya Station, I waited at the Yamanote line platform:
This being Tokyo, it didn't take long for the next Yamanote line train to arrive - less than 2 minutes. 12 carriages on every train:
As mentioned, this was an anniversary train I was riding to Akihabara station. The train is coloured fully in green with old Yamanote trains pictured inside the train too on the grip handles:
Here is some video footage I took inside the train enroute to Akihabara to give you a feeling for what it is like to ride it (hosted on YouTube):
The Yamanote line train really does look quite striking in full green colouring. Here it is after arriving at Akihabara Station:
As it was leaving the station I could make out the 50th logo on the end of the train, and another (normal silver and green stripe) Yamanote line train is arriving on the other platform going the other way:
At Akihabara Station I saw an advertisement for the new Hayabusa and Akita Shinkansen trains which go to northern Japan - more about Hayabusa in another posting as I rode this train as well:
I thought I would take a few photos around Akihabara Station to show the station itself:
Just outside the station gates you can see the ticket machines to buy a ticket or recharge a Suica contactless card (which I use):
This is another entrance into Akihabara Station:
Akihabara has something for anyone remotely interested in Electronics or Anime - and for me, I spend a lot of time here when in Tokyo. So many stores to explore:
Even below the Train platforms at Akihabara you can find Gundam (Anime) Cafe and AKB48 (J-Pop) Cafe. AKB48 is a music group originally from Akihabara:
And at the far exit to Akihabara Station you will find the big daddy of electronic stores, Yodabashi Akiba (Akihabara is shortened to Akiba by the locals):
Inside is any electronics you ever dreamed of, over 10 floors of it! In there I browsed the extensive Blu-ray and DVD train selection, which also included a poster about the recently started train called the "Seven Stars of Kyushu". Amazing train (very expensive), and unfortunately was not able to get a ticket for it this time in Japan, but it is very expensive train to ride:
After finished shopping, and on my way back to Shibuya Station on the Yamanote line. I came across this fascinating statue on the platform at Hamamatsucho Station. I had to stop to take some pictures:
How cool, and something I have never seen in Australia! Anyway, I then headed back to Shibuya Station:
Helpfully, JR includes a lot of maps and guidance when using their trains - maps, which carriage you should ride for quickest transfer at a later station, where the station exits are, transfer information and more. This one shows how long it will take to reach various stations on the yamanote line from Shibuya station:
Anyway, plenty more to blog about - I hope you enjoyed seeing some pictures of the Yamanote line in Tokyo!
