Nov. 2 - What a cute name for a train line, I thought, as Ann and I boarded a train on the Koumi ("Little Ocean") Line to our destination in the mountains of Yamanashi Prefecture. The line's terminus in Kobuchizawa is far from any ocean, and the line ventures even deeper into the mountains before ending in Komoro, Nagano Prefecture in the Japan Alps. With not an ocean in sight, I wondered how this train line received its name.
Evidently, I am not the only person to think this name is cute. At the train station, Ann spotted a Koumi Line tourist poster done in manga style, complete with a very cute looking train!
Here is my ticket for the "Little Ocean" line!"
We boarded the short, two-car train and found a seat together. The car was filled with hikers, couples on their way to a hot spring, and locals returning from shopping in the city. We discovered that most of the Koumi Line train stations are unmanned, so one pays the fare to the train engineer when disembarking.
We enjoyed sitting next to each other and watching the scenery out the window. Since the line has only one track, the forest seemed to press in closely on our small train. The air became noticeably cooler as we climbed higher into the mountains. I was glad to hold Ann's warm hand when we disembarked at Kiyosato Station.
Until next time,
Jim
In your latest blog (Koumi Line) you state that there is only one track; yet the picture you include in the block has two tracks. Can you explain the apparent contradiction?
You are very observant. The single track splits into two at the Kobuchizawa train station to allow the train coming from the other direction to pass. The two tracks then rejoin into one as the track leaves the station.
