Epic Journey Across Tohoku: Old Tunnel Stations
On my epic journey that started from Yokohama had ended in Aomori Prefecture. It took me 26 hours via local lines only. I met so many people along the way. We all came from all over Japan. We wondered around in station terminals together looking for our next connection while scanning over our notes. I had kept my instructions on my iPhone while others had written everything down on paper. We were all so very distant, and yet so very close in this strange land called "inaka." The worst thing you could've done was to miss your connection. Trains in the countryside are infrequent and come only once or twice a day in many rural areas.
The "Seishin kippu" is a ticket that allows you unlimited rides on all local JR lines through out Japan. The Japan I have always loved has never changed and I still feel the same sense of nostalgia and nervous anticipation since the first time I set foot off the plane when I first arrived here. The Japan I know is full of green with rice fields that seem to go on and on forever.
Super express trains like the shinkansen serve only to save time, so that you can enjoy more of your vacation time. However, I contend that you have not experienced a Japanese summer until you have ridden through the backcountry here. There's no better way to see Japan than via local trains.
I woke up on a slightly overcast morning on a friday. I had a tripod and suitcase in tow.
I made my way down to Sakuragicho Station where I boarded a train bound for Takasaki Station. A copy my itinerary is as follows: http://www.jorudan.co.jp
経路1
08/05 09:38発 → 08/06 10:50着
- 所要時間
- 25時間12分
- 乗車時間
- 15時間0分
- 乗換
- 13回
- 総額
- 12,720円
- 距離
- 884.1km
| 経路 | 乗車位置 | 運賃 | 指定席/料金 | 距離 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 桜木町 | 路線図構内図時刻表地図グルメホテル | |||||||
| 09:38-09:41 3分 | 根岸線(赤羽行) | 2・3・6・10号車 | 10,500円 | 2.0km | ||||
| （0分） | 横浜 ≪直通≫ | 4番線着 4番線発 | 路線図構内図時刻表地図グルメ | |||||
| 09:41-10:27 46分 | 京浜東北線(赤羽行) | ↓ | 32.4km | |||||
| （8分） | 上野 | 1番線着 5番線発 | 路線図構内図時刻表地図グルメ | |||||
| 10:35-11:01 26分 | 東北本線(古河行) | ↓ | 26.7km | |||||
| （7分） | 大宮（埼玉） | 11番線発 | 路線図構内図時刻表地図グルメ | |||||
| 11:08-12:14 66分 | 宇都宮線快速(宇都宮行) | ↓ | 79.2km | |||||
| （23分） | 宇都宮 | 10番線着 8番線発 | 路線図構内図時刻表地図グルメ | |||||
| 12:37-13:27 50分 | 東北本線(黒磯行) | ↓ | 163.3km | |||||
| （6分） | 黒磯 | 路線図時刻表地図グルメ | ||||||
| 13:33-14:37 64分 | 東北本線(郡山行) | ↓ | ↓ | |||||
| （16分） | 郡山（福島） | 路線図構内図時刻表地図グルメ | ||||||
| 14:53-15:40 47分 | 東北本線(福島行) | ↓ | ↓ | |||||
| （17分） | 福島（福島） | 3番線着 5番線発 | 路線図構内図時刻表地図グルメ | |||||
| 15:57-16:45 48分 | 奥羽本線(米沢行) | 後 | ↓ | 148.6km | ||||
| （47分） | 米沢 | 路線図構内図時刻表地図グルメ | ||||||
| 17:32-18:18 46分 | 奥羽本線(山形行) | 前～後 | ↓ | ↓ | ||||
| （42分） | 山形 | 路線図構内図時刻表地図グルメ | ||||||
| 19:00-20:10 70分 | 奥羽本線(新庄行) | 前 | ↓ | ↓ | ||||
| （3分） | 新庄 | 2番線着 4番線発 | 路線図構内図時刻表地図グルメ | |||||
| 20:13-22:52 159分 | 奥羽本線(秋田行) | ↓ | 150.1km | |||||
| （401分） | 秋田 | 6番線着 1番線発 | 路線図構内図時刻表地図グルメ | |||||
| 05:33-08:04 151分 | 奥羽本線(弘前行) | ↓ | 185.8km | |||||
| （3分） | 弘前 | 路線図時刻表地図グルメ | ||||||
| 08:07-08:52 45分 | 奥羽本線(青森行) | ↓ | ↓ | |||||
| （30分） | 青森 | 6番線着 2番線発 | 路線図時刻表地図グルメ | |||||
| 09:22-09:59 37分 | しもきた(大湊行) | 2,220円 | 96.0km | |||||
| （9分） | 野辺地 | 路線図時刻表地図グルメ | ||||||
| 10:08-10:50 42分 | 青い森鉄道快速(八戸行) | ↓ | ↓ | |||||
| 八戸 | 路線図構内図地図グルメホテル | |||||||
My goal was to reach Niigata by late afternoon with some extra time to spare. There were two destinations along the way I wanted to have a look at. The first was a place called Yubiso Station on the Joestsu Line. I have a thing for old train stations. Yubiso station looks abandoned but it's not. It is a very long dark train tunnel station that I wanted to visit.
This is one of Japan's deepest and longest train tunnels. The station after Yubiso is called Doai Station
and you can read about it here. There were a few things I really liked about this station. One was that you can hear water flowing from above; could be a subterranean stream. The water flowed so cold out of the cracks of the tunnel was refreshing on my hands I could barely keep my hands under it because it was so cold.
Because it was summer and temps. were hovering in the 90s I was tempted to sip this fresh cold mountain spring water. Inside the tunnel was quite cool and comfortable from the sultry heat outside.
Outside the tunnel station is a town full of lush greenery and unspoiled nature. I walked a little bit just to get some fresh air and to stretch my legs from the long journey from Yokohama to Gunma. It was nice being out of the big city and taking in nature.
There's nothing in Yubiso. It's a sleepy hot spring town with only a few day spas. I found a nice little foot soak place along the way. I sat in one for about 20 minutes. It was great for my feet. Just across from the foot bath there was a soba shop with two grannies in it. I was hungry so I paid them a visit.
Most often udon is served hot, but if you have a chance to eat it cold it is simply divine.
After finishing up I headed back to Yubiso Station to hop back on the Joetsu Line bound for Niigata, but I wound up getting off again at Echigo Yuzawa Station for a proper lunch, not just one serving of noodles. In Echigo Yuzawa Station you can enjoy good food, great sake, and even a hot spa. No better combination than that. Sat back down at the table and ordered up an extra large serving of something called "hegi-soba" a cold buckwheat noodle made from "funori" a type of seaweed infused into wheat dough. This is done to give the noodles an ocean taste. If the noodles are really cold then it is the best. Not very many places serve it so cold, or chilled. I had copious amounts of nihonshu to wash it all down.
I am hooked on local trains. There are so many hidden gem spots dotted along Japan's expansive rail network. I look forward to many more stops in the future. In my next posts my journey will take us through Niigata to the greatest fireworks on earth. 2013 Nagaoka Fireworks Show.
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