Ryu Takahashi

The Iida Line — A Railway Through Quiet Valleys Running for nearly 200 kilometers through the mountains of central Japan, the Iida Line connects small communities across Aichi, Shizuoka, and Nagano Prefectures.Known for its dense...

Issued: May 2026 Contents Editorial, Chairman’s Chat, Letters ················ 3 News Update ·········································· 6 ‘Hakobyun’ Freight Shinkansen ················· 11 10 Years of the Shinkansen from Hakodate to Tokyo ·········· 12 Update on Sendai Area Trains ···················· 16 KiHa 40 Ride on the...

KiHa 40 DMUs on the Yamaguchi Line The KiHa 40 series diesel multiple units, introduced by Japanese National Railways in the late 1970s, remain in regular service on rural lines across Japan. On the Yamaguchi Line—an...

The Freight Trains of Tōkaidō Main Line On the Tōkaidō Main Line in the early morning, just before it gets crowded with commuter trains, freight trains arrive one after another from the west.These trains head...

SL 'Taiju' During the New Year holidays, 1st to 3rd January, the Tobu Railway made eight runs (four round trips) of its themed steam special named 'SL Taiju' ('SL' denotes Steam Locomotive and 'Taiju' denotes...

Issued: February 2026 Contents Editorial, Chairman’s Chat, Letters ················ 3 News Update ·········································· 6 Book Review: Shinkansen Books ················ 14 KiHa 127 and KiHa 122 DMUs ·················· 16 Type 127 EMU ····································· 18 Centenary of the Yamanote Line ················· 20 Hiroden’s New...

Sangi Railway Sangi Railway is a private railway in Mie Prefecture, Japan, known for its two distinct lines: the standard-gauge Sangi Line (freight/commuter) and the narrow-gauge Hokusei Line, famous for its unique, small trains and...

Freight Line in Yokohama 'Minato Mirai 21' The neighborhood southeast of JR Yokohama Station on the other side of the estuary of the Katabira River is the most modern district of Yokohama city named ‘Minato...