Shimane: Sightseeing Tram Makes Last Run
16:31 JST, December 16, 2023
UNNAN, Shimane — The sightseeing tram on the JR Kisuki Line made its final run on Nov. 23 when it was retired due to its age. Locals and railway fans alike gathered at stations or along the railroad to say goodbye.
The Okuizumo Orochi special train began service in 1998 after strong requests from municipalities along the route to make the tram a local symbol for tourism promotion.
The tram ran between Kisuki Station — or sometimes Izumoshi Station — in Shimane Prefecture and Bingo-Ochiai Station in Hiroshima Prefecture from April to November every year. The tram’s glassless windows offered a pastoral view of the mountainous region.
About 70 local residents waved flags along the train line in the town of Okuizumo to bid farewell.
“This doesn’t really feel like the last time I will see the tram. I feel so thankful for all the good it did here,” a 47-year-old woman said.
The tram arrived at its terminal of Kisuki Station at 4:06 p.m. and was greeted by about 400 people on the platform. After it ended operations, fans gathered around the Orochi for a commemorative photo session at a nearby railroad facility.
A 37-year-old man from Okuizumo, who served as conductor on the final run, said: “This is my hometown. I always wanted to work on the Orochi tram. It’s sad to think that I won’t be able to ride it anymore.”
"Features" POPULAR ARTICLE
-
Famous Weeping Cherry Tree in Full Blossom in Fukushima Pref. Town
-
Traditional Japanese Knife Store in Tokyo’s Ningyocho District Dates to Edo Period
-
Tokyo Station’s Reconstructed Domes Bring Back Prestigious Tradition; Station Building Hotel Loved by Literary Giants
-
Mysterious Charm of Eye-Catching General Store Draws People In; Said to Have Several Thousand Items
-
Kagawa: Video of 3 Dolphins Picking Up Garbage Goes Viral; Staff Trained Them to Exchange Trash for Food
JN ACCESS RANKING
- M6.0 Earthquake Hits Japan’s Tohoku Region; Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi Prefectures Observe 4 on Japanese Scale With No Risk of Tsunami
- China Mutes Memorialization of Reformer Hu Yaobang; Memories Could Spark Critique of Xi Administration
- Shinkansen Services Suspended After Man ‘Searches for Phone’ on Tracks; Disruption Affects About 14,000 Passengers
- U.S. 7th Fleet officer Arrested on Suspicion of Stealing Sushi, Sashimi, Chicken at Kanagawa Shopping Mall; Suspect Caught Mid-Meal
- UNRWA Director Describes Catastrophic Destruction in Gaza; Says Relief Trucks Robbed, ‘People’s Hearts Destroyed’