A Sunday when the JR Rikuu East Line was suspended. I almost didn't make it home (lol)

Naruko Onsen, which I consider to be my second home. I had been staying there since Friday. I had finally seen the light at the end of the tunnel for my Kindle book release, and my main business, the guesthouse, had no bookings.

This time, my husband and I took the JR train both ways, but the day we were supposed to return, it was suspended due to heavy rain!? I knew it had been raining quite a bit since last night, but I never imagined the line I was taking would be suspended for the entire day.

This JR Rikuu East Line seems to be one of the most unprofitable lines in JR East. High school students use it to commute, but it seems they can't increase the number of trains just by relying on tourists. It runs through mountains and fields, and while the view from the train window is easy on the eyes, there is a high probability of suspension during bad weather. On top of that, a while ago, the highway bus from Sendai was discontinued, and the bus between Naruko Onsen and Furukawa became a weekday-only service.

Sunday, the day of checkout after a two-night stay. I was planning to enjoy a long soak in the hot spring as usual, then tidy up the room, pay the bill, and check out, when a staff member visited the room and informed me, "They say the JR line is suspended this morning. You requested a shuttle to the station, but there are many people who want a shuttle in this situation... Are you in a hurry to get home?"

I had heard that the Rikuu East Line was frequently suspended due to bad weather, but I never thought I would be affected by it. For now, I told the staff that I wasn't in a hurry and decided to wait until the shuttle for other guests in a rush was finished.

However, when I arrived at the station, I was told that it was fully suspended not just in the morning, but all afternoon as well. Oh my, what should I do? I have to get to Furukawa on the Tohoku Main Line, otherwise I can't get home. I enjoyed the hot spring so much, but how am I supposed to get back?

When I asked the taxi driver parked in front of the station, he said it would cost about 13,000 yen to get to Furukawa Station on the Tohoku Main Line. I have never taken a taxi for that much money in my life. But since there is no other transportation, I have no choice but to use it.

If I were alone, I would have given up on going home that day and thought lightheartedly, "Yay! I'm stranded because of the suspension, so it can't be helped. I'll enjoy another night at the hot spring!" But since my overly serious husband was with me today, I couldn't do that.

I paid the 13,000 yen taxi fare and somehow managed to head home.

The taxi sped along the national highway. The rain had already stopped, but the river was swollen significantly. The taxi driver I rode with at this time said, "This is my third round trip between Furukawa and Naruko Onsen today." That's right, if there are no JR trains or buses, you have no choice but to use a taxi.

When I arrived at Furukawa Station, it seemed that some trains on the Tohoku Main Line were also suspended, but a train to Sendai was apparently leaving in less than an hour. I felt relieved, so I grabbed a quick bite to eat and waited for the train to depart.

The clear green landscape of the fields, washed by the rain, was beautiful. I was relieved that the heavy rain didn't seem to have caused much damage.

Due to bad weather, transportation schedules were disrupted, and I experienced my first full-scale train suspension. I've missed trains and spent nights at stations before, so I found it somewhat interesting, but on the other hand, my husband was quite grumpy, saying, "I'm never coming to Naruko by JR again."

Even with things like this happening, I still thought that having a drink while being swayed by the train on the way there is something you just can't beat (lol).

↓I have published a Kindle book. It is a record of my 10 years as a landlord. It is available to read for free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription. Please do give it a read.