International Railroad Discussion > Japan Trip Part 12 - Around Tokyo

Overall we spent two of the five weeks on our trip in and around Tokyo.  This post is a somewhat random selection of photos, many taken just when an opportunity presented itself as we were navigating Tokyo on our way to some event or location.  And of course, the main way to get anywhere in Tokyo is via rail!

1)  A JR Narita Express (NEX) E259 trainset between Ebisu and Shibuya stations.  This is a 4-track right-of-way in which 2 tracks to the right are dedicated to the very-frequent Yamanote line, and the 2 tracks on the left are shared by the Narita Express, the Shonan Shinjuku line, the Saikyo line, and Sotetsu trains.  The train to the right of the NEX is a Yamanote line train. 
2)  A JR Shonan Shinjuku line train running with an E231 trainset in the same location.   That's another Yamanote line train off to the right. 
3)  Close by is the Toyoko line, which is a private railway mainline owned by the Tokyu Railway, and which features through services run by a number of other railways.  In addition to Tokyu trains, you can see trains of the Yokohama Minatomirai line, the Tokyo Metro, the Sotetsu Railway, the Tobu Railway, and possibly others.   Here's a Minatomirai line train at Daikan Yama, which runs through to the Yokohama Metro, then off on a branch to Minatomirai.  The Toyoko line used to be elevated through this area and terminate at an elevated terminal at Shibuya, but was put into a subway in 2013 to connect up to the Tokyo Metro and allow multiple through-running services.  
 



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 06/18/25 20:48 by dwatry.

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4)  Tokyo Metro trainset inbound at Daikan Yama.
5)  Tobu Railway trainset at Daikan Yama.
6)  One amazing thing about Tokyo - in the midst of intense urbanity, you can get beautiful scenes with lots of nature.  Here's a Sotetsu train on the Toyoko line at Nakameguro Station, crossing over the Meguro River. 
 

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7)  A Yokohama Minatomirai train in twilight just north of Jiyugaoka Station.  Watch the clearance on that low bridge!
8) At Jiyugaoka Station, the Toyoko line crosses another Tokyu line - the Tokyu Oimachi line.  Here are two Oimachi-line trains at Jiyugaoka.
9)  Last Toyoko image - here's another Tokyo Metro 10000 series train on the Toyoko line at Toritsu Daigaku.  
 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/18/25 08:11 by dwatry.

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10) Keisei Railway SkyLiner on the elevated alignment at Nippori.  SkyLiners go to Narita Airport. 
11)  Shot on the JR line at Nippori, with trains of 3 different lines represented.  On the left is a Yamanote line train, center is a Keihin Tohoku line train, and an Utsonomiya line train on the right. 
12)  On the way to see the Great Buddha in Kamakura, snapped this shot of an Enoshima Electric Railway (aka Enoshima Dentetsu or shortened to "Enoden") train in Koshigoe.  
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/17/25 18:20 by dwatry.

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13)  Warning - non-rail content - For those who haven't seen the Great Buddha of Kamakura, to me it's one of the must-see sights in Japan.   It's a bronze casting, made in the latter half of the 13th Century.  it was originally inside a structure, but the structure was destroyed by storms and a tsunami.  The Buddha has stayed, however.    Take the Enoden to Hase Station and then walk about a mile - you won't be sorry!  And BTW - it's hollow inside, and if you pay extra you can go inside!
14)  Enoden train along the coast at Kamakurakoko-Mae in waning sunlight.  
15)  Another Enoden train along the coast at Kamakurakoko-Mae - this one equipped with a fake clerestory roof to back-date the look of the train to the 19th Century!    
 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/17/25 18:42 by dwatry.

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16)  JR Series 253 EMU set at Otsuka Station.    These are used on various Limited Express services, and were formerly used on the Narita Express. 
17)  Keisei Railway SkyLiner at Machiya Station.  
18)  Keikyu Railway train approaching Takasago Station on the Keisei line.  The Keikyu Railway runs southeast from Central Tokyo, but with through-running in the subway and through train agreements with the Keisei, these trains run through to Takasago on the northeast side of Tokyo.  
 

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19)  And for my last shot - a JR Keihin Tohoku line train at Kanda Station, with a Yamanote train to the left in hot pursuit.  



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/18/25 07:16 by dwatry.

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Excellent series, thank you. 

This entire series are some of the finest JR pics I have ever seen in one place.  Your eye for urban composition is superb!  Thank you for taking the time to post all of these.  I was in Japan in the mid-90's but it wasn't a railfan trip and have only a few pics as we rode various trains.

Jerry
ATSF5669

Thanks Jerry!  

dwatry Wrote:
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> 16)  JR Series 253 EMU set at Otsuka Station. 
>   These are used on various Limited Express
> services, and were formerly used on the Narita
> Express.

253 EMUs remaining on JR East's roster were refurbished, upgraded, and assigned on the through service to Tobu Railway's servoce to Nikko National Park and Kinugawa Hot Springs tourist areas near Utsunomiya. They compliment Tobu's SPACIA Limited Express service. Outside that service, they are assigned to seasonal extras and charters. JR Group of railroads often depreciate their assets this way, to wring revenues out of older eqiuipment. JNR era Class 189s and 485s went through that cycle in the previous Heisei Era, and E257 EMUs (for Odoriko Service to Atami and Izu Peninsula) are fulfilling that role along with 253s now, in the Reiwa Era.

Other surviving 253s ended up in Nagano, on Nagano Electric Railway's "Snow Monkey" service. The paint scheme still closely resembles the Narita Express red/white/black, in case you need an excuse to ride Shinkansen to Nagano to experence nostalgia (and try Shinshu soba).

253, E259, Shonan-Shinjuku, Saikyo, and Sotetsu Line trains run on what's officially known as the Yamanote Freight Line. Rinkai Line (service to Tokyo Bay's man-made islands) is another service running on the Yamanote Freight Line. I hope to post separate reports before your next visit to Japan. I should have more info to help you catch a freight train (JR Freight #3086) in middle of Tokyo. Your excellent location-finding and composition skills will make TO members really happy.

Thanks for the great report!
 

dwatry Wrote:
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> 13)  Warning - non-rail content - For those who
> haven't seen the Great Buddha of Kamakura, to me
> it's one of the must-see sights in Japan.

I agree!

Visiting Kamakura is a ritual for many residents in the greater Kanto region (Tokyo and the suburbs). The railroads know this, especially JR East, so they run seasonal extras to Kamakura. They cater to railfans, too, as I documented the notalgic Class 185 used on the Holiday Rapid Kamakura running rare mileage from Musashino Line --> Yokosuka Line in 2017.

But your report from 5 years ago is worthy for a link, as TO members can get a much better picture of Tokyo area railfanning 23 years ago, literally, and figuratively:

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?6,5164776

The "retro-futurism" Class 10 on the Enoshima Railway was built in 1997. This is around the time retro-futuristic industrial designs were in vogue, another example being the pair of Class 9000 trams on Tokyo Sakura Tram. That along with S197 Mustang (2005), Dodge Challenger (2008), and Chevy Camaro (2010). Good times.
 

cchan006 - thanks for your comments!

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Great selection - there is so much variety out there, chris uk.

Very nice Duncan, I remember those pseudo-clerestory Enoden Line units.