Tuesday 19 September 2017

2017 Summer Memories: Ocean View and Kurofune Train

Set R-4 of the EMU Izukyu 2100 series, Kurofune Train, travels on the Izukyu Line

The weather has been unusual this summer in the Tokyo metropolitan area. It was very hot in the "rainy season"; meanwhile it was rainy every day in mid-summer. I was very busy at work, but could manage to take a 4-day holiday in the middle of August. I visited Izu Peninsula with my family.

Izu Peninsula is a major resort area in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Being located in the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, Izu is famous for the joys of its ocean view and mountains with hot springs. To get to this resort area, Izukyu Railway is convenient. Connecting Ito and Izukyu-Shimoda, the total operating length is 45.7 kilometers. The entire route is an electrified single track. The trains on the Izukyu Line are directly operated onto the JR East Ito Line to Atami and the Tokaido Main Line to Tokyo.

Kurofune Train is one of the popular trains on the Izukyu Line. It is an 7-car train, set R-4 of the EMU 2100 series built by Tokyu Sharyo in 1990. Kurofune Train was created based on the image of Kurofune, which abruptly visited Japan led by US Commodore Perry in 1853 to demand the Tokugawa Shogunate open the country to the world. Seeing that, the Japanese called them "Kurofune" (black ships). Accepting Perry's request, the Tokugawa Shogunate signed a treaty opening Shimoda Port to U.S. trade in 1854. As you noticed, Shimoda is the terminal of the Izukyu Line.

The black colored Kurofune Train suits the magnificent Pacific Ocean.

Ocean view near Izu-kogen Station on the Izukyu Line

Official information about the trains on the Izukyu Line (in Japanese):