Irreverently irrelevant.
Sysadmin, developer, web dude in a science research organisation. WordPress, Japan, planes, trains, Arduino, Raspberry Pi/Pico, puns, dad jokes, etc
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Series 500 Shinkansen
The 500 Series Shinkansen is, in my opinion, the best looking of these super fast trains. Unfortunately they are stuck on “slow” Kodama services now, so I’m unlikely to catch one on this trip. However, I did spot the Neon Genesis Evangelion liveried train as we raced through Himeji station, then got a chance to…
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Today’s train plan
And it doesn’t even include the first bit from Shinjuku to Shinagawa on the Yamanote Line at 6 something and the Hikari Shinkansen to Shin-Osaka at 6.34 AM.
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Catching the cherry south
It was hot at Shin-Osaka station but I had to queue early to get my spot in the unreserved first car of the Sakura Shinkansen to Hakata. The outside of the train is a rather boring pale blue, but I like the wooden highlights inside. Despite the clouds I did catch a glimpse of Mount…
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Heading southwest on the Tokaido Shinkansen
After a few days pause the compass journey has restarted. B and Alex are in Tokyo and will meet me in Osaka tomorrow. In the meantime I’m heading south to Kyushu for the final two points of the Japanese railway system compass: West and South. It will be a massive two days. I caught the…
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The Prince of Shinjuku
I wasn’t planning on spending more than an hour in Tokyo on this trip, yet here we are again. At our favourite hotel in our favourite area, Shinjuku. The other two are spending an extra day here while I do some extreme training to achieve my goal of the final two compass points of the…
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From slow to Super Express
This morning at the hotel breakfast the background music changed to the closing credits from Spirited Away. It was quite appropriate: The soundtrack had been running through my head during our stay there. This was, after all, a bath house as well as a hotel. Unazuki Onsen has a number of large hotels offering onsen…
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Kurobe Gorge Railway
There’s a great story to be told about the construction of the Kurobe dam and the railway that served its construction and operation to this day. From freezing winters to tunnelling through 160 degree Celsius rock. Fortunately, the first part has been opened up for tourists. Unfortunately for us recent heavy rains have shut the…
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Kurobe Gorge Railway
There’s a great story to be told about the construction of the Kurobe dam and the railway that served its construction and operation to this day. Fortunately, the first part has been opened up for tourists. Unfortunately for us recent heavy rains have shut the line beyond Sasadaira. Still, after coming all this way we…
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Disappointment and delight at Unazuki Onsen
The rattling Chiho train eventually arrived at the Unazuki Onsen terminus. We were greeted by the hotel shuttle bus driver bearing bad news. The reason for us coming here, the Kurobe Gorge railway, was closed and would only be running to Sasadaira tomorrow. Bummer. But what could we do but make the most of our…
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Aboard the Chiho Railway Express
Heading to Unazuki Onsen aboard the very shaky Chiho Railway from Toyama to Unazuki Onsen. I love this kind of private railway with old fashioned cars running straight through local areas.